Cronulla Sharks v South Sydney Rabbitohs - March 29, 2010. Toyota Park
1st minute - It starts raining at kick off which means at least one of these forwards will cough up early ball on a hit up. Who's it gonna be?
2nd minute - This game already feels like a standard below what we have seen this weekend.
5th minute - As we have become accustomed to, Cronulla look predictable and pedestrian in attack. They squander their first try scoring opportunity.
6th minute - Albert Kelly looks excited to be at fullback. A good kick return by him leads to a Sharks line break. Souths are on the back foot early.
7th minute - Luke Covell scores from a nice little scrum play. Good lead up work from a skilful Nathan Stapleton who appears in the 3 jersey tonight. Nathan Merritt errs in defense. No need to come of his wing. Sharks 4-0.
10th minute - Souths in trouble here. John Morris is making half breaks and the bunnies are pinned in their own quarter. A penalty relieves the pressure and starts a momentum swing.
12th minute - Souths run it on the last through Isaac Luke and score through Beau Champion. Defense caught out and they compound that error by not scramble to cover an inside step by Champion. Souths 6-4.
15th minute - Great run and off-load by Isaac Luke. He looks ready tonight.
16th minute - Fetuli Talanoa delivers the worst kick return in Rugby League history. The Sharks look like they are already out of ideas. The momentum truly with Souths now.
18th minute - If it happens twice then it must be a game plan. Souths run it on the last through Luke and Champion scores. Isaac converts magnificently from the sideline. Souths up 12-4.
Thought - Souths might do well with Sutton or Luke as captain. Roy Asotasi seems a quiet type who has suffered through injury over the past two years and may not be the voice the bunnies need out in the field. Souths need direction.
22nd minute - They get it through Ben Lowe who draws the defense perfectly to put Colin Best over. Souths 18-4.
25th minute - As predicted, the Sharks look to be lacking cohesion and confidence. Coach Ricky Stuart might need to find a way to reduce the pressure on his team. They look anxious and give away another penalty.
28th minute - Chip and chase from Sandow after poor service from dummy half. It looked slightly telegraphed and was easily regathered by the defense.
31st minute - Sharks give away another penalty after a 'run around' play does not come off. They look frustrated.
32nd minute - Now that the Isaac Luke "run it on the last” plan has become a dead horse, Souths' attack looks to have slowed down significantly. Sandow and Sutton err on consecutive sets. This game is turning into a lacklustre encounter.
37th minute - Luke makes a fantastic break through the Sharks defense, with no support. He forces a pass on the 2nd tackle. Sharks ball. Beau Champion pops Paul Gallen with a nice hit.
Thought - Nobody has worked harder than Paul Gallen to try to resurrect the Sharks over the past year or so. He looks tired and lonely.
39th minute - Scott Geddes hits Trent Barrett with a shoulder that looks like it has collapsed the Cronulla five-eighths entire chest cavity. We hope Baz is OK. He is. Isaac Luke is laughing at him.
40th minute - Sharks give away a penalty. They just dont seem to have the cattle to produce a better performance. Luke takes the two and misses. Souths 18-4.
Halftime.
42nd minute - The Sharks begin the second half with an error but Souths are the ones with problems as Talanoa looks to have hyper-extended his knee and Dave Tyrrell appears to have a busted jaw. Hopes and dreams being dashed all over the park.
44th minute - Just as I write down a thought that Sam Burgess is not seeing enough ball, Isaac Luke finds him after drawing the defense across field. Burgess scores his first NRL try. The Sharks look very tired only 4 minutes into the second half. Souths up 24-4.
I think I see some Sharks fans leaving the ground as the players’ desire seems to be waning (which is something you could never say about a team coached by R. Stuart - until now).
46th minute - The Sharks get a favourable bounce and score through the urgency of Blake Ferguson. Souths 24-8.
49th minute - The Bunnies forwards are now eating up the metres but in response, veteran Luke Covell draws a penalty for his squad from the worst attempted play the ball in Rugby League history.
51st minute - Cronulla error. TV stats say that is their 8th. Feels more like 20. Both forward packs seem to be firing up a little. Great - but the referees then ruin a possible spectacle by awarding another rubbish penalty, just as things are heating up.
53rd minute - Albert Kelly butchers a wrap play where he was supposed to run off Paul Gallen. Sometimes luck is not with you, but sometimes you just play bad. The Sharks are dealing with the latter tonight.
55th minute - Kelly nearly causes a 12 point swing on his own as he is unable to catch a bomb, but Souths fail to capitalise.
Thought - Kelly does not look like a fullback. Even though it’s his first time in the position in 1st grade, you'd think the coach would have sufficient reason to put him there. So far he has missed an assignment as hole runner, and did not get anywhere near a spiral bomb. Poor Albert is completely out of position and out of his depth.
55th minute - Kelly's opposite number, Rhys Wesser, shows him how it's done at the other end by defusing a mid-field bomb, with aplomb. His run-up was long and he didn't get it wrong. Let’s give him a gong for towering above the throng.
61st minute - Isaac Luke scores a beauty. He steps before the ball hits his chest to completely wrong-foot Gallen and score under the sticks after the Cronulla side fail to scramble. For Gallen's sake, I hope NSW Coach Craig Bellamy was not watching. Luke has been the standout in this game. Souths 30-8.
65th minute - Albert Kelly is bombed again. This time he is hit without the ball and must be wondering, "Why is coach playing me at fullback?" A tough job at the back for inexperienced young footballers.
68th minute - Standard of this game deteriorating.
69th minute - Talanoa plays through the pain of a hyper-extended knee and scores in the corner. He would be a big loss for Souths, a good defender who is excellent under the high ball. Video referee says no try.
Thought - I'm glad I decided to mute the commentary tonight. Pretty sure I'm not missing anything from the fluency of Smith and Daley.
70th minute - The Sharks faithful are still in their seats. Well done.
73rd minute - Whilst John Sutton appears to have switched off and is planning his trip home; Adam Cuthbertson makes his first appearance of the evening. Unbelievable. No wonder there is a lack of morale at this club.
75th minute - Somebody please stop the madness. John Morris throws a blatant forward pass. He must also be planning his lift home.
76th minute - Sutton advises that he can give Morris a lift back to Leichardt in a car-pool with Chris Sandow. He then throws a 'no-look' forward pass. It's getting ridiculous now.
78th minute - This means that there is only 2 minutes to go. Souths still up 30-8.
79th minute - I should not have bothered noting the 79th minute.
Full time. Ricky Stuarts post match press conference might be exciting but I need a drink and a lie down.
See you next week when we watch the Bunnies run around again. This time against the Bulldogs.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Slamming the door on hypocrisy
So Des Hasler slams a door in anger, and suddenly we have journalists raising the issue of player privacy. A mountain out of a molehill? Yes. Not only that, but this kind of passionate display from a coach should be viewed as a positive advertisement for the game rather than a cause for debate about dressing room cameras and post match sanctuaries. Some of sports' great television moments have come from 'behind the scenes' footage and this can only be good for our game.
The Manly coach, and club, have since admonished the footage, claiming it 'crosses the line' and have called for the policy on dressing room cameras be reviewed. Why? It doesn't paint them in a bad light and if anything, Hasler et al should be congratulated. I believe Des's actions promote him as a motivated human being and a Coach who loves his club. As a league fan, I don't expect my team to win every week but I want them to 'put in' every week, I want them to care as much as I do. Des has shown us that there are plenty who can deliver on this.
The response to seeing this footage has been mostly positive.
Certain section of the media, on the other hand, feel it is their duty to remind us of issues such as privacy when something absolutely hilarious has happened. We didn't see anything untoward, no dressing room nudity, no blood, needles or stitches. Why waste your breath and your pages blowing this out of proportion?
These are the same media outlets that paid for photos of Benji Marshall being harassed by buffoons at a Sydney Nightclub. Remarkably, instead of using that incident to spark a privacy debate, they do so after Hasler's efforts in the Eels dressing room. Under a banner of trying to provoke thought and shape opinions? Oddly hypocritical.
Obviously this blog is about putting the 'fun back into footy' so my angle is admittedly biased towards the flippant - but I believe this is all great for the game, just as other dressing room 'emotional' moments have shown:
Your passion is our product.
Des is one of this blogs favourite league characters. We love the surly, witty and hilarious way he addresses the media in post match interviews. When prompted to comment on the referees performance after Manly's loss to the Wests Tigers in round 1 this year, Des delivered the following response... "what’s the point?" Short and sweet and fantastic.
Other snippets of Hasler’s best lines include:
"This is going to be a beauty. Shame we're not going to be talking about football."
"The game is professional, the officialdom isn't."
"Rugby league is a great game; it has to be to survive errors like the one two minutes from full-time."
Magnificent. Wikipedia got it right to list these under his Bio.
The Manly coach, and club, have since admonished the footage, claiming it 'crosses the line' and have called for the policy on dressing room cameras be reviewed. Why? It doesn't paint them in a bad light and if anything, Hasler et al should be congratulated. I believe Des's actions promote him as a motivated human being and a Coach who loves his club. As a league fan, I don't expect my team to win every week but I want them to 'put in' every week, I want them to care as much as I do. Des has shown us that there are plenty who can deliver on this.
Invasion of privacy? Or the greatest moment in Rugby League history?
The response to seeing this footage has been mostly positive.
Certain section of the media, on the other hand, feel it is their duty to remind us of issues such as privacy when something absolutely hilarious has happened. We didn't see anything untoward, no dressing room nudity, no blood, needles or stitches. Why waste your breath and your pages blowing this out of proportion?
These are the same media outlets that paid for photos of Benji Marshall being harassed by buffoons at a Sydney Nightclub. Remarkably, instead of using that incident to spark a privacy debate, they do so after Hasler's efforts in the Eels dressing room. Under a banner of trying to provoke thought and shape opinions? Oddly hypocritical.
Obviously this blog is about putting the 'fun back into footy' so my angle is admittedly biased towards the flippant - but I believe this is all great for the game, just as other dressing room 'emotional' moments have shown:
- The famous 60 Minutes footage from the Western Suburbs dressing room in 1979. Tommy Raudonikis and teammates slapping each other in pre-game preparation for a match against Manly. Roy Masters, The Magpies' coach at the time, paces amongst them like a General motivating his troops to fight for good against evil, spitting wonderful words of hate and anger and preparing his men for a bloodbath. This moment has become part of League's tribal history and is now the topic of a wonderful documentary.
- Darren Lockyer 'tackling' an ice bucket in post match dressing room celebrations in 2009. Hilarious! This showed fans how much winning means to NRL players. A great advertisement for the game and for the Black Prince himself.
- On a much happier day Des Hasler invites the Sea Eagles mascot into his victorious dressing room after the mascot had beaten up a pitch invader. Brilliant footage. Seeing the joy and camaraderie between team mates in this instance only strengthens the NRL's case that Rugby League still has a soul, still has a spirit, and is still the Greatest Game of All.
The above examples help sell the game to the public as it brings us closer to the action. This is something the paying customer will always want, whether that payment is for a ticket to the game or for a pay TV subscription. None of it would have been possible if we paid attention to muck-rakers and blowflies in the media. There is nothing wrong with debate, but not when it is instigated by a group responsible for so many examples of ‘invasions of privacy’, almost crippling the NRL's marketing capabilities. They don't have enough credibility to suddenly present the existence of a moral compass.
Do not mess with this bloke.
If the majority of players and coaches want these cameras removed, then it would be hard to argue. However, I’m sure they realise that any good publicity for the NRL is good publicity for players as well. None of this footage has ever cast them in a bad light and if anything, they can look even more like the grand warriors that children see whilst growing up idolising them.
From this, and from a business perspective: more publicity = more marketing power = more advertising = more dollars.
The Manly club feel this footage is a breach of protocol ...but I say to Des and Manly, be proud of what you have done and do more of it. You have no reason to feel violated by these images being released, or that your privacy has been abused, or that your behaviour is anything less than impressive. Long may it continue.
Your passion is our product.
Des is one of this blogs favourite league characters. We love the surly, witty and hilarious way he addresses the media in post match interviews. When prompted to comment on the referees performance after Manly's loss to the Wests Tigers in round 1 this year, Des delivered the following response... "what’s the point?" Short and sweet and fantastic.
The Eels are lucky that Des didn't burn down the Western Stand.
"This is going to be a beauty. Shame we're not going to be talking about football."
"The game is professional, the officialdom isn't."
"Rugby league is a great game; it has to be to survive errors like the one two minutes from full-time."
Magnificent. Wikipedia got it right to list these under his Bio.
Also, why hasn't anyone raised the issue of poor carpentry at Parramatta Stadium? Did nobody else notice how fragile that door was?
If uncovering some shoddy workmanship was the worst that Des Hasler did, I am impressed. Consider his position for a moment: Manly blow a 20 point second half lead, the opposition score a 109 metre try and the referees allow a forward pass (the likes of which I've never seen) that lead to another try. All against a hated rival! I would have forgiven Des if he set fire to the entire stadium after all of this, let alone slam a door.
So instead of viewing this as a moment of controversy, might I suggest that the NRL use this footage in next year's advertising campaign? Along with the aforementioned Magpies 1979 footage, play some inspirational music in the background and let's have some fun, damn it. Just like Kieran Foran did after Hasler busted down that door. Notice Kieran having a little giggle about his coach’s dressing room exit strategy? Ah the sensational innocence of youth.
If uncovering some shoddy workmanship was the worst that Des Hasler did, I am impressed. Consider his position for a moment: Manly blow a 20 point second half lead, the opposition score a 109 metre try and the referees allow a forward pass (the likes of which I've never seen) that lead to another try. All against a hated rival! I would have forgiven Des if he set fire to the entire stadium after all of this, let alone slam a door.
So instead of viewing this as a moment of controversy, might I suggest that the NRL use this footage in next year's advertising campaign? Along with the aforementioned Magpies 1979 footage, play some inspirational music in the background and let's have some fun, damn it. Just like Kieran Foran did after Hasler busted down that door. Notice Kieran having a little giggle about his coach’s dressing room exit strategy? Ah the sensational innocence of youth.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Paully's Picks - Round 3
Wests v Parramatta
This game will not live up to the standards set by these two teams in 2009, neither will it be of the same calibre as that memorable round 24 match last year. Now that we have established this, I'll still be watching because Jarryd Hayne and Benji Marshall are playing. Add to that the renaissance that is Lote Tiquri's career and it will be good fun, high scoring and the winner decided in the last 10 minutes. This means we will go with the Tigers to bounce back from last week's defensive debacle that must have had Tim Sheens reaching for the valium. Tim Moltzen to outplay Daniel Mortimer in the halves and Jarryd Hayne will have one of those moments that leaves us all astonished.
Man of the Match Prediction: Robbie Farah
Tip: Tigers 28-26
Result: Tigers 23-12
Man of the Match: Benji Marshall
Match Review:
The Tigers defense turned up. They were aggressive and committed for 80 minutes, specifically Chris Lawrence. Parramatta has a lot of work to do. They need more from Jeff Robson and may not get it from Daniel Mortimer when he returns. Robbie Farah led the attack for Wests after his forwards laid the platform with Marshall reaping the rewards with his great footwork. Special mention to Todd Payton for being the difference in the middle of the field for the Tigers. His leadership was evident in the way the Tigers never really looked like folding in the face of Parramatta's attempted comeback.
St. George Illawarra v Nth Queensland
Jonathan Thurston v The Dragons. That's how this game should be promoted. With the St George Illawarra juggernaut rolling already this year, the Cowboys may not see much possession in this game. If they do, look for Thurston to try everything in his bag of tricks to break the Dragons line. This battle will be super entertaining as JT's bag contains more magic than Houdini and Copperfield combined.
Speaking of combinations, Matt Cooper is reunited with the Saints' backline and will hopefully face a resurgent Willie Tonga. Great matchup of two defensive specialists, if Cooper switches sides in defense. Based on the treatment Michael Jennings received from Thurston on the left edge last week, Cooper might need to. Speaking of treatment, JT will get over-worked in defense and the Dragons run away with it, but not by much.
Man of the Match Prediction: Ben Creagh
Tip: Dragons 22-12
Result: Saints 33-8
Man of the Match: Channel 9 - Ben Creagh. Dally M - Jamie Soward.
Match Review:
Jonathan Thurston got very little help from his team, however the Dragons defense was fantastic. They give the opposition no room whatsoever and are the elite team of the competition so far. For the Cowboys, a shining light was the play of Anthony Watts. So much so that instead of Aaron Payne coming back on for Watts, coach Neil Henry benched the under performing Grant Rovelli and Payne ended up playing 6. This may have worked to give the Cowboys a sniff until Ty Williams' injury forced Rovelli back on to the field. Saints then pulled away when it was all over.
Penrith v Melbourne
Playing the Panthers at home on a Saturday afternoon will be a tough ask. They will pose questions of the opposition defense with the likes of Jennings running off Luke Walsh and the multi talented Luke Lewis. This smooth backline play will be on the back of great lead up work in the middle of the field by an impressive forward pack with Trent Waterhouse returning from injury. Ordinarily, this would be enough to win a game of footy. In this case they are playing the Storm so none of the above will matter. The Storm will defend their line until death or sin bin. Even with a growing list of missing personnel (Hoffman, White, Blair), Melbourne will welcome back their little general in Cooper Cronk and will win away for the 3rd week in a row. They must be exhausted after consecutive road trips to The Shire, The Hunter and now The Mountains respectively, but this team can handle it.
Man of the Match Prediction: Billy Slater
Tip: Melbourne 17-16
Result: Melbourne 16-10
Man of the Match: Cooper Cronk
Match Review:
Cronk made the already solid Storm even more impressive when he came on to the field. The Penrith Panthers displayed some of the worst ball control we have ever seen. At home no less. Melbourne will only get better and the Panthers might move Petero Civoneceva to halfback after a wonderful grubber that he would have regathered (and perhaps gone all the way) if not for interference. Brilliant.
Manly v Newcastle
My pre-season predictions had both of these teams missing the finals. Going by their results so far, it won't be by much. This game will be equally as close with both teams coming off heart-breaking losses last week. Des Hasler has named a pair of baby eagles in Trent Hodkinson and Kieran Foran to partner each other at halfback and five-eighth respectively, with Lyon moving out to the centres. This could be his un-doing against a very smart and talented Knights squad. Unfortunately, this smart and talented Knights squad have had their telephones tapped by the NSW police and I'm betting that this is a major distraction. Anthony Watmough will not let his team lose 3 in a row and the superior manly forward pack and interchange bench will deliver a much needed win for the Sea Eagles. Tune in to watch Jamie Lyon v Adam MacDougall. I wish they could give Mad Dog a microphone for this match. For fans, this would be 80 minutes of sledging ecstasy. (No pun intended)
Man of the Match Prediction: Anthony Watmough
Tip: Manly 20-16
Result: Manly 36-12
Man of the Match: Glenn Stewart
Match Review:
The Knights were on the wrong end of some very odd refereeing decisions early in this game, but the young Manly halves were impressive. Kicked well, defended well and their forwards set it all up perfectly. Glenn Stewart and Anthony Watmough particularly strong. The latter's cover defense a highlight. Steve Matai also a standout. Finally, the Eagles may have finally found a replacement for Brett Stewart, although by definition this is impossible. Ben Farrar's support play and attacking ability is encouraging for Manly fans. His defense still to be tested.
Gold Coast v Canberra
The Titans have the look of a team that is aiming for something big this year; a team turns up every week and does not switch off for 80 minutes. They have a great mix of youth and experience whilst Greg Bird now has two games under a new system and will be very hard to stop. Joseph Tomane and David Mead are forming a deadly combination on the Titans' right side and their hardworking back rowers can all play 80 minutes, can all defend the edges, and all have ball skills to promote second phase play and hit hole runners. They even have depth on the interchange bench which has been lacking in the past. Having said all that, I'd never tip Canberra on the road anyway, no matter who they were playing. This is an easy one for ‘safety first’ tipsters. Just on the Raiders (so I don’t sound like the Titans number 1 fan), Campese is a super talent and may give the Titans something to think about, as will Bronson Harrison, but the Gold Coast are too classy at home in this one.
Man of the Match Prediction: Greg Bird
Tip: Titans 24-12
Result: Titans 24-4
Man of the Match: Greg Bird
Match Review:
The Raiders had so little ball in the first half that you wouldn’t have realised they were on the field. Greg Bird delivered the type of performance that must have had John Cartwright (and perhaps Craig Bellamy) salivating. Every touch brought confusion from the defense and opportunities for his runners. The mountain of possession helped, as did the Titans forwards hitting hard early in this one. The Raiders never got into the game, never maintained possession and subsequently were never able to unleash their attacking weapon in Terry Campese. Also - did anyone see that hit on Travis Waddell by Bodene Thompson? Scary.
Brisbane v NZ Warriors
A few years ago, this was consistently a danger match for the Broncos. Warriors teams would always turn up to play Brisbane and these encounters were of the highest quality. I think this happens again on Sunday. A much criticized Warriors line up, picked by many as wooden spooners, impressed in rounds 1 and 2 and will do so again this week. It won't be enough to beat the Broncos but their forwards will stand up and fight to the end. They are a club with something to prove and committment will not be a problem.
The problem on Sunday for New Zealand will be their inexperienced halves combination. James Maloney and Joel Moon will be out of their depth against Darren Lockyer and Pete Wallace. The latter pairing will turn the Warriors forwards around for 80 minutes in the Brisbane heat (2pm kick off with predicted temperatures of up to 28 degrees) and make them pay in the last quarter. The final score will not reflect how close this game was with Folau and Lockyer running amok late in the game against an exhausted opponent.
Man of the Match Prediction: Israel Folau
Tip: Broncos 30-12
Result: Warriors 48-16
Man of the Match: Aaron Heremaia
Match Review:
Looked like an episode of MASH in the first half. Players dropping like flies with dislocated shoulders and fingers and so many of them leaving the field for good. Unbelievable. When it all settled down, the Broncos could not replace their missing players as well as NZ. The Brisbane defense suffered and at times they looked disinterested in tackling. The heat played into the hands of the visitors and threw a big steaming pile of humble pie right in my face. I'll cop it and credit to the Warriors for giving the other NRL teams something to fear again when they face this team.
Canterbury v Eastern Suburbs
Dogs of War? The Entertainers? Premiership Favourites?
All that we have heard about this club needs to be proven, again. I don't mean to jump the gun with warnings of a club in crisis in round 3, but one can't help but wonder how this Dogs team will come up with a performance to get their season on track. A lazy showing in round 1, completely dominated in round 2, what will the Bulldogs bring in round 3? A win; that’s what. Most league fans who've been around a while will know the reputation of which I speak. They will know that the dogs will eventually turn up, the trick is guessing when. My guess is Sunday afternoon at about 3pm, in Homebush.
They steel themselves defensively for the offensive onslaught that is the Roosters of 2010 (amazingly) and play with a grit and determination that brings the visiting Carney and co. back down to earth. The Bulldogs only option is to grind out a victory here. They struggle with the ball due to an attacking arsenal showing severe signs of depletion, but revert to a strategy that brings them the two points. Defence wins. Credit to the Roosters for two scintillating performances so far this year, but this is my upset of the week with the Bondi boys' form line making them favourites.
Man of the Match Prediction: Brett Kimmorley
Tip: Bulldogs 20-18
Result: Bulldogs 60-14
Man of the Match: Josh Morris
Match Review:
The Roosters were never in it. By the looks of them they gave up after seeing doctors all week instead of training. Last week's horror in the sun took its toll as the Bulldogs showed intent right from the kick off. They looked confident, aggressive and spirited. Never stopped talking through 80 minutes and this is the sign of a team committed to each other. The Roosters will be back though, they just need a long sleep.
Cronulla v South Sydney
Positional changes this early in the year means that all pre-season planning is being scrapped. Bad signs for the Sharks as cohesion and confidence will suffer. Particularly interesting is coach Ricky Stuart's decision to dump his young halfback after two games (one of them after a death in the family) in favour of veteran utility John Morris. That might not be good for team morale. The Sharks' sputtering attack does need an overhaul so trying something different might be a good move, but this week it won't matter.
The Rabbitohs desperation for 2 points will get them over the line after 10 days rest but it won't be pretty. The Sharks are going to turn this game into a scrappy affair and try their best to slow down the play the ball.... and the entire match. It works and makes for ugly viewing, but does not get them the win as John Sutton finds a way to shine amidst the mire of Cronulla football. Actually, a scrappy affair usually means an entertaining forward battle, these two packs will be out to hurt each other and we expect to see some fists flying.
Man of the Match Prediction: John Sutton
Tip: Souths 19-12
Result: Souths 30-8
Man of the Match: Isaac Luke
Match Review:
See our "Minute by Minute Monday Night"
This game will not live up to the standards set by these two teams in 2009, neither will it be of the same calibre as that memorable round 24 match last year. Now that we have established this, I'll still be watching because Jarryd Hayne and Benji Marshall are playing. Add to that the renaissance that is Lote Tiquri's career and it will be good fun, high scoring and the winner decided in the last 10 minutes. This means we will go with the Tigers to bounce back from last week's defensive debacle that must have had Tim Sheens reaching for the valium. Tim Moltzen to outplay Daniel Mortimer in the halves and Jarryd Hayne will have one of those moments that leaves us all astonished.
Man of the Match Prediction: Robbie Farah
Tip: Tigers 28-26
Result: Tigers 23-12
Man of the Match: Benji Marshall
Match Review:
The Tigers defense turned up. They were aggressive and committed for 80 minutes, specifically Chris Lawrence. Parramatta has a lot of work to do. They need more from Jeff Robson and may not get it from Daniel Mortimer when he returns. Robbie Farah led the attack for Wests after his forwards laid the platform with Marshall reaping the rewards with his great footwork. Special mention to Todd Payton for being the difference in the middle of the field for the Tigers. His leadership was evident in the way the Tigers never really looked like folding in the face of Parramatta's attempted comeback.
St. George Illawarra v Nth Queensland
Jonathan Thurston v The Dragons. That's how this game should be promoted. With the St George Illawarra juggernaut rolling already this year, the Cowboys may not see much possession in this game. If they do, look for Thurston to try everything in his bag of tricks to break the Dragons line. This battle will be super entertaining as JT's bag contains more magic than Houdini and Copperfield combined.
Speaking of combinations, Matt Cooper is reunited with the Saints' backline and will hopefully face a resurgent Willie Tonga. Great matchup of two defensive specialists, if Cooper switches sides in defense. Based on the treatment Michael Jennings received from Thurston on the left edge last week, Cooper might need to. Speaking of treatment, JT will get over-worked in defense and the Dragons run away with it, but not by much.
Man of the Match Prediction: Ben Creagh
Tip: Dragons 22-12
Result: Saints 33-8
Man of the Match: Channel 9 - Ben Creagh. Dally M - Jamie Soward.
Match Review:
Jonathan Thurston got very little help from his team, however the Dragons defense was fantastic. They give the opposition no room whatsoever and are the elite team of the competition so far. For the Cowboys, a shining light was the play of Anthony Watts. So much so that instead of Aaron Payne coming back on for Watts, coach Neil Henry benched the under performing Grant Rovelli and Payne ended up playing 6. This may have worked to give the Cowboys a sniff until Ty Williams' injury forced Rovelli back on to the field. Saints then pulled away when it was all over.
Penrith v Melbourne
Playing the Panthers at home on a Saturday afternoon will be a tough ask. They will pose questions of the opposition defense with the likes of Jennings running off Luke Walsh and the multi talented Luke Lewis. This smooth backline play will be on the back of great lead up work in the middle of the field by an impressive forward pack with Trent Waterhouse returning from injury. Ordinarily, this would be enough to win a game of footy. In this case they are playing the Storm so none of the above will matter. The Storm will defend their line until death or sin bin. Even with a growing list of missing personnel (Hoffman, White, Blair), Melbourne will welcome back their little general in Cooper Cronk and will win away for the 3rd week in a row. They must be exhausted after consecutive road trips to The Shire, The Hunter and now The Mountains respectively, but this team can handle it.
Man of the Match Prediction: Billy Slater
Tip: Melbourne 17-16
Result: Melbourne 16-10
Man of the Match: Cooper Cronk
Match Review:
Cronk made the already solid Storm even more impressive when he came on to the field. The Penrith Panthers displayed some of the worst ball control we have ever seen. At home no less. Melbourne will only get better and the Panthers might move Petero Civoneceva to halfback after a wonderful grubber that he would have regathered (and perhaps gone all the way) if not for interference. Brilliant.
Manly v Newcastle
My pre-season predictions had both of these teams missing the finals. Going by their results so far, it won't be by much. This game will be equally as close with both teams coming off heart-breaking losses last week. Des Hasler has named a pair of baby eagles in Trent Hodkinson and Kieran Foran to partner each other at halfback and five-eighth respectively, with Lyon moving out to the centres. This could be his un-doing against a very smart and talented Knights squad. Unfortunately, this smart and talented Knights squad have had their telephones tapped by the NSW police and I'm betting that this is a major distraction. Anthony Watmough will not let his team lose 3 in a row and the superior manly forward pack and interchange bench will deliver a much needed win for the Sea Eagles. Tune in to watch Jamie Lyon v Adam MacDougall. I wish they could give Mad Dog a microphone for this match. For fans, this would be 80 minutes of sledging ecstasy. (No pun intended)
Man of the Match Prediction: Anthony Watmough
Tip: Manly 20-16
Result: Manly 36-12
Man of the Match: Glenn Stewart
Match Review:
The Knights were on the wrong end of some very odd refereeing decisions early in this game, but the young Manly halves were impressive. Kicked well, defended well and their forwards set it all up perfectly. Glenn Stewart and Anthony Watmough particularly strong. The latter's cover defense a highlight. Steve Matai also a standout. Finally, the Eagles may have finally found a replacement for Brett Stewart, although by definition this is impossible. Ben Farrar's support play and attacking ability is encouraging for Manly fans. His defense still to be tested.
Gold Coast v Canberra
The Titans have the look of a team that is aiming for something big this year; a team turns up every week and does not switch off for 80 minutes. They have a great mix of youth and experience whilst Greg Bird now has two games under a new system and will be very hard to stop. Joseph Tomane and David Mead are forming a deadly combination on the Titans' right side and their hardworking back rowers can all play 80 minutes, can all defend the edges, and all have ball skills to promote second phase play and hit hole runners. They even have depth on the interchange bench which has been lacking in the past. Having said all that, I'd never tip Canberra on the road anyway, no matter who they were playing. This is an easy one for ‘safety first’ tipsters. Just on the Raiders (so I don’t sound like the Titans number 1 fan), Campese is a super talent and may give the Titans something to think about, as will Bronson Harrison, but the Gold Coast are too classy at home in this one.
Man of the Match Prediction: Greg Bird
Tip: Titans 24-12
Result: Titans 24-4
Man of the Match: Greg Bird
Match Review:
The Raiders had so little ball in the first half that you wouldn’t have realised they were on the field. Greg Bird delivered the type of performance that must have had John Cartwright (and perhaps Craig Bellamy) salivating. Every touch brought confusion from the defense and opportunities for his runners. The mountain of possession helped, as did the Titans forwards hitting hard early in this one. The Raiders never got into the game, never maintained possession and subsequently were never able to unleash their attacking weapon in Terry Campese. Also - did anyone see that hit on Travis Waddell by Bodene Thompson? Scary.
Brisbane v NZ Warriors
A few years ago, this was consistently a danger match for the Broncos. Warriors teams would always turn up to play Brisbane and these encounters were of the highest quality. I think this happens again on Sunday. A much criticized Warriors line up, picked by many as wooden spooners, impressed in rounds 1 and 2 and will do so again this week. It won't be enough to beat the Broncos but their forwards will stand up and fight to the end. They are a club with something to prove and committment will not be a problem.
The problem on Sunday for New Zealand will be their inexperienced halves combination. James Maloney and Joel Moon will be out of their depth against Darren Lockyer and Pete Wallace. The latter pairing will turn the Warriors forwards around for 80 minutes in the Brisbane heat (2pm kick off with predicted temperatures of up to 28 degrees) and make them pay in the last quarter. The final score will not reflect how close this game was with Folau and Lockyer running amok late in the game against an exhausted opponent.
Man of the Match Prediction: Israel Folau
Tip: Broncos 30-12
Result: Warriors 48-16
Man of the Match: Aaron Heremaia
Match Review:
Looked like an episode of MASH in the first half. Players dropping like flies with dislocated shoulders and fingers and so many of them leaving the field for good. Unbelievable. When it all settled down, the Broncos could not replace their missing players as well as NZ. The Brisbane defense suffered and at times they looked disinterested in tackling. The heat played into the hands of the visitors and threw a big steaming pile of humble pie right in my face. I'll cop it and credit to the Warriors for giving the other NRL teams something to fear again when they face this team.
Canterbury v Eastern Suburbs
Dogs of War? The Entertainers? Premiership Favourites?
All that we have heard about this club needs to be proven, again. I don't mean to jump the gun with warnings of a club in crisis in round 3, but one can't help but wonder how this Dogs team will come up with a performance to get their season on track. A lazy showing in round 1, completely dominated in round 2, what will the Bulldogs bring in round 3? A win; that’s what. Most league fans who've been around a while will know the reputation of which I speak. They will know that the dogs will eventually turn up, the trick is guessing when. My guess is Sunday afternoon at about 3pm, in Homebush.
They steel themselves defensively for the offensive onslaught that is the Roosters of 2010 (amazingly) and play with a grit and determination that brings the visiting Carney and co. back down to earth. The Bulldogs only option is to grind out a victory here. They struggle with the ball due to an attacking arsenal showing severe signs of depletion, but revert to a strategy that brings them the two points. Defence wins. Credit to the Roosters for two scintillating performances so far this year, but this is my upset of the week with the Bondi boys' form line making them favourites.
Man of the Match Prediction: Brett Kimmorley
Tip: Bulldogs 20-18
Result: Bulldogs 60-14
Man of the Match: Josh Morris
Match Review:
The Roosters were never in it. By the looks of them they gave up after seeing doctors all week instead of training. Last week's horror in the sun took its toll as the Bulldogs showed intent right from the kick off. They looked confident, aggressive and spirited. Never stopped talking through 80 minutes and this is the sign of a team committed to each other. The Roosters will be back though, they just need a long sleep.
Cronulla v South Sydney
Positional changes this early in the year means that all pre-season planning is being scrapped. Bad signs for the Sharks as cohesion and confidence will suffer. Particularly interesting is coach Ricky Stuart's decision to dump his young halfback after two games (one of them after a death in the family) in favour of veteran utility John Morris. That might not be good for team morale. The Sharks' sputtering attack does need an overhaul so trying something different might be a good move, but this week it won't matter.
The Rabbitohs desperation for 2 points will get them over the line after 10 days rest but it won't be pretty. The Sharks are going to turn this game into a scrappy affair and try their best to slow down the play the ball.... and the entire match. It works and makes for ugly viewing, but does not get them the win as John Sutton finds a way to shine amidst the mire of Cronulla football. Actually, a scrappy affair usually means an entertaining forward battle, these two packs will be out to hurt each other and we expect to see some fists flying.
Man of the Match Prediction: John Sutton
Tip: Souths 19-12
Result: Souths 30-8
Man of the Match: Isaac Luke
Match Review:
See our "Minute by Minute Monday Night"
Thursday, March 25, 2010
PISTOL PETE'S LOCK OF THE WEEK - ROUND 3
My lock of the week is Souths to beat the sharks
Lang will be better for the two games of NRL and give them a this is your season game
the sharks will be confident that they can grind a win and psychologically destroy the bunnies, psychology does not work against "this is your season" speeches
Lang will be better for the two games of NRL and give them a this is your season game
the sharks will be confident that they can grind a win and psychologically destroy the bunnies, psychology does not work against "this is your season" speeches
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Minute by Minute Monday Night - Round 2
Canberra v Brisbane - Canberra Stadium. Monday March 22, 2010.
Apparently it's a warm one in Canberra tonight. This immediately ruins about 3 jokes I had prepared for this retro 'live' blog.
2nd minute - The Raiders forwards look as though they are hunting and running in packs, as they usually do when playing at home. Bronson Harrison looks particularly sprightly.
5th minute - This kind of start usually means points, and does so today with Terry Campese getting in behind the Broncos defensive line to put Joel Thompson over to score. Raiders 6-0.
7th minute - These same Canberra forwards have just coughed up possession on two consecutive sets. Isn’t that the perfect summary of the Raiders? They can be so good and yet so bad.
8th minute - The Broncos return the favour and turnover possession twice in two sets. It must be hot and sweaty out there.
9th minute - Is there a better site in Rugby League than the Black Prince at first receiver? Great entertainment when the Broncos revert to their "get on board" style of attack. This is when hooker, half and fullback, along with a few edge support players, all stack up behind the play the ball and aim their running lines right through the middle of the field. Lockyer is the master of this.
Thought - Odd that coach David Furner chose to start Josh McCrone at halfback, in place of Marc Herbert. The number 7 responsibilities for the Raiders should be to keep shovelling the ball to Campese as soon as it comes your way. Shouldn’t it? (This thought comes back to bite me a bit later - read on)
12th minute - Raiders keep the ball alive impressively in the muggy conditions, Josh Dugan gets a lucky bounce and scores. Raiders 12-0
13th minute - great follow up set of six by the Raiders.
16th minute - I love it when you can hear body collisions through the TV.
You know that sound of internal organs crashing into each other and making a noise that sounds like it's coming from the depths of a footballer’s soul? No? Sounds something like... eewwrrgghh! On this occasion it was Broncos prop Nick Kenny launching himself fearlessly into 3 Raiders defenders. Awesome.
Just on Nick Kenny. A great replacement for the retired Shane Webcke and Petero (now at penrith)Civoneceva. Big shoes to fill, and he has not yet reached the lofty standards set by these two, but will get there in time. Kenny is 28 years old and looks the goods.
Meanwhile - Easy metres being gained by the Raiders.
25th minute - Great sequence of play with Israel Folau jumping about 6 stories high, but unable to take the bomb. Dugan picks up the loose ball and runs 50 metres. Broncos scramble and somehow save a try at the other end. A good game so far in balmy conditions.
29th minute - Joel Thompson pops the Black Prince with a shoulder charge. With intent. Joel had a similar look on his face when he targeted Jarryd Hayne for some rough treatment in the Indigenous all-stars match. Is he something of a giant killer? Time will tell. Meanwhile, the Broncos now getting more possession.
36th minute - thought - How big do the Raiders forwards look? Massive. They run hard, hit hard and convey a physical presence that is often overlooked by visiting teams. The only conceivable problem is that Bronson Harrison seems to be the only football brain among them. (Tongue not included)
39th minute - Speaking of Harrison, he busts through the line and sets up McCrone to score from the next ruck after smart dummy half play from Travis Waddell. Harrison is the difference so far and is causing havoc on the right edge. Raiders 18-0.
Halftime.
41st minute - Broncos defence is staggered on Campese, he almost busts them wide open on the last tackle. They are lucky to hold onto him. This is a dangerous defensive error.
42nd minute - Ben Teo makes a half break with no support. Teo looks to be more comfortable already this year after struggling in his first year with the Broncos in 2009.
44th minute - Corey Norman runs onto a Lockyer pass on the short side, the Black Prince's favourite side, and puts Folau over. Raiders 18-6.
46th minute - Peter Wallace kicks on the 4th tackle, a ploy designed to find space whilst the opposition wingers are up in the defensive line. Unfortunately Wallace finds the fullback on the chest and reminds me of the pain I felt whilst watching 4 years of NSW halfbacks kicking directly to Billy Slater. Nothing against Peter Wallace - I'm a fan - just jaded.
50th minute - Teo and Sam Thaiday must have copped a rev-up at halftime, they look ready for the second 40. Broncos all over the Raiders now but a Thaiday error relieves the pressure.
Sam then makes the next two tackles of the defensive set and David Shillington coughs up possession on the 3rd tackle.
52nd minute - Terry Campese kicks the absolute stuffing out of the football - it goes about 70 metres on the fly.
55th minute - Dane Tilse pancakes Wallace in what looked like a truck running over a baby shrub. Wallace can take it. Actually he can probably handle anything after experiencing a ruptured testicle. He's got balls this kid.
56th minute - Ensuing penalty leads to Folau crashing over a sliding Raiders defence. Fox commentator Laurie Daley starts talking but the words don't make any sense. Raiders 18-10.
64th minute - Broncos are building pressure through off loads and Teo running amok with every touch. The Raiders are somehow holding on.
67th minute - Here we go! Tongue follows a 60 metre drop out by popping Nick Kenny with two hits that jolt the ball loose. Only Alan Tongue can smash someone twice in the same tackle but the Raiders give it straight back and are under pressure again.
68th minute - Like the smart halfback that he is, Wallace knows Ben Teo is on fire. He puts him through a hole outside of Josh McCrone. Teo scores. Raiders 18-14.
Thought - The great thing about the current interchange rules is that it allows forward packs to bash each other for 80 minutes with fresh legs. Makes for great viewing. Bad thing is that halfbacks and other speed men don’t get to apply their trade as much as they used. Not as many tired forwards around the ruck. But it's a good balance.
73rd minute - One might get the feeling that D. Lockyer is not finished yet and is about to do something to win the game for his club.
76th minute - The Raiders are tired. They finish one set of six with a bad pass by McCrone; another set is completed with Trevor Thurling putting up a mini bomb into the Broncos in-goal area. Easily defused. Where is Terry Campese? Should he not be leading his team at moments like this?
Answer - the bloke has made 34 tackles and is exhausted. By comparison Scott Prince made a total of 14 tackles on Friday night and subsequently had enough energy left to orchestrate a win for his club.
There-in lies the difference between semi final teams and those teams still on the cusp.
78th minute - Folau runs it on the last and the Raiders somehow stop him inches short of the try line. Great finish and the crowd are right into it.
79th minute - Broncos last chance is lost, they turn it over and Tongue recovers the ball.
80th minute - Josh McCrone rewards his coaches faith and throws egg on my face with a match sealing try. He gets a double and the Raiders win 22-14.
See you next Monday night at Toyota Park for Cronulla v South Sydney.
Apparently it's a warm one in Canberra tonight. This immediately ruins about 3 jokes I had prepared for this retro 'live' blog.
2nd minute - The Raiders forwards look as though they are hunting and running in packs, as they usually do when playing at home. Bronson Harrison looks particularly sprightly.
5th minute - This kind of start usually means points, and does so today with Terry Campese getting in behind the Broncos defensive line to put Joel Thompson over to score. Raiders 6-0.
7th minute - These same Canberra forwards have just coughed up possession on two consecutive sets. Isn’t that the perfect summary of the Raiders? They can be so good and yet so bad.
8th minute - The Broncos return the favour and turnover possession twice in two sets. It must be hot and sweaty out there.
9th minute - Is there a better site in Rugby League than the Black Prince at first receiver? Great entertainment when the Broncos revert to their "get on board" style of attack. This is when hooker, half and fullback, along with a few edge support players, all stack up behind the play the ball and aim their running lines right through the middle of the field. Lockyer is the master of this.
Thought - Odd that coach David Furner chose to start Josh McCrone at halfback, in place of Marc Herbert. The number 7 responsibilities for the Raiders should be to keep shovelling the ball to Campese as soon as it comes your way. Shouldn’t it? (This thought comes back to bite me a bit later - read on)
12th minute - Raiders keep the ball alive impressively in the muggy conditions, Josh Dugan gets a lucky bounce and scores. Raiders 12-0
13th minute - great follow up set of six by the Raiders.
16th minute - I love it when you can hear body collisions through the TV.
You know that sound of internal organs crashing into each other and making a noise that sounds like it's coming from the depths of a footballer’s soul? No? Sounds something like... eewwrrgghh! On this occasion it was Broncos prop Nick Kenny launching himself fearlessly into 3 Raiders defenders. Awesome.
Just on Nick Kenny. A great replacement for the retired Shane Webcke and Petero (now at penrith)Civoneceva. Big shoes to fill, and he has not yet reached the lofty standards set by these two, but will get there in time. Kenny is 28 years old and looks the goods.
Meanwhile - Easy metres being gained by the Raiders.
25th minute - Great sequence of play with Israel Folau jumping about 6 stories high, but unable to take the bomb. Dugan picks up the loose ball and runs 50 metres. Broncos scramble and somehow save a try at the other end. A good game so far in balmy conditions.
29th minute - Joel Thompson pops the Black Prince with a shoulder charge. With intent. Joel had a similar look on his face when he targeted Jarryd Hayne for some rough treatment in the Indigenous all-stars match. Is he something of a giant killer? Time will tell. Meanwhile, the Broncos now getting more possession.
36th minute - thought - How big do the Raiders forwards look? Massive. They run hard, hit hard and convey a physical presence that is often overlooked by visiting teams. The only conceivable problem is that Bronson Harrison seems to be the only football brain among them. (Tongue not included)
39th minute - Speaking of Harrison, he busts through the line and sets up McCrone to score from the next ruck after smart dummy half play from Travis Waddell. Harrison is the difference so far and is causing havoc on the right edge. Raiders 18-0.
Halftime.
41st minute - Broncos defence is staggered on Campese, he almost busts them wide open on the last tackle. They are lucky to hold onto him. This is a dangerous defensive error.
42nd minute - Ben Teo makes a half break with no support. Teo looks to be more comfortable already this year after struggling in his first year with the Broncos in 2009.
44th minute - Corey Norman runs onto a Lockyer pass on the short side, the Black Prince's favourite side, and puts Folau over. Raiders 18-6.
46th minute - Peter Wallace kicks on the 4th tackle, a ploy designed to find space whilst the opposition wingers are up in the defensive line. Unfortunately Wallace finds the fullback on the chest and reminds me of the pain I felt whilst watching 4 years of NSW halfbacks kicking directly to Billy Slater. Nothing against Peter Wallace - I'm a fan - just jaded.
50th minute - Teo and Sam Thaiday must have copped a rev-up at halftime, they look ready for the second 40. Broncos all over the Raiders now but a Thaiday error relieves the pressure.
Sam then makes the next two tackles of the defensive set and David Shillington coughs up possession on the 3rd tackle.
52nd minute - Terry Campese kicks the absolute stuffing out of the football - it goes about 70 metres on the fly.
55th minute - Dane Tilse pancakes Wallace in what looked like a truck running over a baby shrub. Wallace can take it. Actually he can probably handle anything after experiencing a ruptured testicle. He's got balls this kid.
56th minute - Ensuing penalty leads to Folau crashing over a sliding Raiders defence. Fox commentator Laurie Daley starts talking but the words don't make any sense. Raiders 18-10.
64th minute - Broncos are building pressure through off loads and Teo running amok with every touch. The Raiders are somehow holding on.
67th minute - Here we go! Tongue follows a 60 metre drop out by popping Nick Kenny with two hits that jolt the ball loose. Only Alan Tongue can smash someone twice in the same tackle but the Raiders give it straight back and are under pressure again.
68th minute - Like the smart halfback that he is, Wallace knows Ben Teo is on fire. He puts him through a hole outside of Josh McCrone. Teo scores. Raiders 18-14.
Thought - The great thing about the current interchange rules is that it allows forward packs to bash each other for 80 minutes with fresh legs. Makes for great viewing. Bad thing is that halfbacks and other speed men don’t get to apply their trade as much as they used. Not as many tired forwards around the ruck. But it's a good balance.
73rd minute - One might get the feeling that D. Lockyer is not finished yet and is about to do something to win the game for his club.
76th minute - The Raiders are tired. They finish one set of six with a bad pass by McCrone; another set is completed with Trevor Thurling putting up a mini bomb into the Broncos in-goal area. Easily defused. Where is Terry Campese? Should he not be leading his team at moments like this?
Answer - the bloke has made 34 tackles and is exhausted. By comparison Scott Prince made a total of 14 tackles on Friday night and subsequently had enough energy left to orchestrate a win for his club.
There-in lies the difference between semi final teams and those teams still on the cusp.
78th minute - Folau runs it on the last and the Raiders somehow stop him inches short of the try line. Great finish and the crowd are right into it.
79th minute - Broncos last chance is lost, they turn it over and Tongue recovers the ball.
80th minute - Josh McCrone rewards his coaches faith and throws egg on my face with a match sealing try. He gets a double and the Raiders win 22-14.
See you next Monday night at Toyota Park for Cronulla v South Sydney.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Paully's Picks - Round 2
St George Illawarra v Canterbury
The corresponding encounter last year was one of the best games of season 2009. These Sydney suburban neighbours also played one of the best games of 2006 (Follow this link to the match review - go to Round 19 2006). Both matches were played at WIN Jubilee Oval and were very entertaining and physical battles, mixed with tremendous attacking flair. The rivalry will continue this year in the form of a defensive struggle, with Saints edging out the Dogs.
Man of the Match prediction: Jamie Soward’s kicking game.
Tip: Dragons 1-0
Result: Dragons 26-6
Man of the Match: Ben Hornby
Match Review:
The dragons are on the verge of something here. Opposition attacks cannot simply put together a few good sets of six; get a couple of repeats and hope to score points. Possession must be maintained for sustained periods and must be aimed at the middle of the field before even thinking about using your outside backs. Translation? The Dragons seem to be headed for another minor premiership. The Bulldogs have not yet started their season. Very timid and apparently very hung-over from their success last year. Weyman and Dean Young standouts for the Dragons.
South Sydney v Gold Coast
Historically, Sandow and Sutton do not produce every week… Historically, Scott Prince and Greg Bird do. Together, the latter will turn up for this game and probably teach the former a thing or two about the following nuances of 1st grade football:
1. Clock management
2. Leading your forwards around the field
3. 5th tackle options
The Rabbitohs halves should be taking notes during this game and if they do they will note themselves losing. The Titans defy their horrible away record and get the W.
Man of the Match prediction – Nathan Friend
Tip: Titans 26-16
Result: Titans 19-18 Extra Time
Man of the Match: Scott Prince
Match Review:
Experience told the difference in this match. This Titans unit has been together long enough to withstand a comeback from Souths and still compete when exhausted and on the wrong end of momentum swings. Referee bagging aside, the Titans proved their mettle in this game and have impressed so far this season. Isaac Luke and John Sutton look good enough to win games on the back of good forward play, unfortunately they just don't do it very often. Greg Bird seems to be building towards something special.
NZ Warriors v Cronulla
Down and dirty. Both teams will be trying to exorcise the demons of last year and will be desperate to get their first win of the season. It will be a slog from start to finish. Errors will decide the winner and the Warriors will come out ahead by controlling possession and not give away penalties. Brett Seymour shares a few shire secrets with his new team and Lance Hohaia shines amid the darkness of this game.
Man of the Match prediction: Brett Seymour
Tip: Warriors 18-14
Result: Warriors 30-16
Man of the Match: Manu Vatuvei
Match Review.
Lance Hohaia did everything to suggest he should be in the halves permanently. With Brett Seymour missing from this game, Hohaia kicked well and controlled the direction of his forwards with aplomb. Combine a talented forward pack with Seymour and Hohaia, and the Warriors could restore their near infallible home ground advantage. Wade McKinnon would assume his natural role as starting fullback and young James Maloney is your interchange. Why does all this matter? I like watching the Warriors when they play well, and they do still have the ability. The Sharks, on the other hand, are not enjoyable to watch. They have not won a football game since Andrew Ettingshausen and Mark McGaw were running around Caltex Field. I feel for them. Ricky Stuart has replaced Ivan Cleary as coach most likely to be fired.
Newcastle v Melbourne
Ryan Hoffman is a big loss for the defending premiers. However with Inglis in the squad and Brett Finch coming off an impressive performance against the Sharks, and playing in front of his family, the Bolsheviks will be too good for the Knights. Ben Cross to have another great game against his old club. Watch for Jarrod Mullen’s kicking game against Billy Slater's positional play in a chess match that will last 80 minutes and be a pleasure to watch.
Man of the Match prediction – Brett Finch
Tip: Storm 17-16
Result: Storm 20-14
Man of the Match: Aidan Tolman
Match Review.
Bellamy's Red Army marched all the way to the Hunter and came away with the two points. A wonderful display of commitment and desire by the Storm. They had no business winning this game after being down 14-0 and then, after clawing their way back into the match, giving up a mountain of possession in the second half. It did not matter. Bellamy made one adjustment and suddenly The Bolsheviks fell into a routine that simply pummelled the Knights into submission. Ryan Hinchcliffe taken off, Cameron Smith returns to hooker, Brett Finch plays halfback and they don't even bother with an official number 6. Only a team with the Storms resolve, professionalism and Communist attitude can pull this off. Aidan Tolman the standout up front.
Nth Queensland v Penrith
Willie Tonga v Michael Jennings – I truly hope they match up against each other for an origin preview. It will be tantalising. Travis Burns will probably start 4 or 5 fights against his former club. Coincidentally that’s about the same number of clubs he has played for in the NRL. Hard to see Thurston allowing the Cowboys to lose their first home game of the season.
Man of the Match prediction – JT
Tip: Cowboys 28-22
Result: Cowboys 28-20
Man of the Match: JT
Match Review.
The Tonga v Jennings battle never happened. I was hoping Jennings would switch sides but the only thing he did was create more doubt in the minds of the NSW selectors about his defence. The Panthers started very well and the forward battle in this match was impressively brutal - you could hear each hit through the television. When it all settled down and Thurston asked for the ball, Aaron Payne responded in kind and JT pointed his attack towards Jennings' side of the field. The result? Tries to Tonga, Scott Bolton and Michael Bani down the left flank. For the Panthers, Luke Walsh and Kevin Kingston are moulding quite well and they looked impressive at times, but their teammates simply could not stop any traffic in the second half.
Parramatta v Manly
Brett Stewart’s injury has robbed us of a wonderful battle between the two best fullbacks in NSW. I’m sure it has robbed him of much more. Parramatta can’t possibly lose their first two home games as premiership favourites, can they? No. They finish stronger than an Eagles team still blooding a new halfback. Here's hoping Tahu and Matai match up. Both very aggressive footballers.
Man of the Match prediction – Nathan Hindmarsh
Tip: Parramatta 24-8
Result: Parramatta 24-20
Man of the Match: Jarryd Hayne
Match Review.
Unbelievable and ridiculous at the same time. Parramatta did not simply fall behind on the scoreboard and then mount a comeback; they were sloppy, unprofessional and lazy for most of this game. When the Parramatta players did finally engage, it was still only a couple of sublime efforts from Hayne that made the difference. Forward passes aside, a very enjoyable comeback to witness and a magnificent 109 metre try that looked straight out of a NFL highlights package. The young Manly halves did not have the experience to respond to this, and Anthony Watmough couldn’t do it alone. If the Eels ever play 80 minutes of motivated football - it will be scary.
Eastern Suburbs v Wests
In a perfect world, we would see a battle between the boys from Campbelltown and the bourgeois from Bondi. Unfortunately, the Leichardt coffee class is well represented here and both teams come from the same Starbucks tribe. How times have changed. What we will have instead of a brawl will be a fast paced and entertaining match. Brian Smith tries to slow the game down but Tim Sheens out-coaches him and finds a way to win with superior game plan. Probably something to do with keeping the ball out of Todd Carney's hands.
Man of the Match prediction – Robbie Farah
Tip: Tigers 32-22
Result: Roosters 44-32
Man of the Match: Mitchell Pearce
Match Review.
The Roosters are truly the surprise team of the season for us. Their forward pack did not look like it could trouble the more experienced sides but they have a self belief that defies the shambles of last year. Can this really be the same team? By the same token, the poor Tigers looked like their defence had been orchestrated by a Rugby Union player. There were times in this game where certain attempted tackles looked more like a man hug and a pat on the bum. Just goes to show how injuries can affect a football team. The Tigers had to make a couple of late changes and suddenly, all cohesion in the defensive line was gone. The Roosters look more like they are in a d-tox year rather than a 'gap year'.
Canberra v Brisbane
Round 21, 2009…… Canberra beat the visiting Broncos 56-0. Darren Lockyer will remember this and have his team ready on Monday night. They will meet an equally ready Raiders team who will be keen to avenge the disappointment from last week’s loss against Penrith. This means we have a cracking game of footy on our hands. The Raiders home ground advantage is hard to resist. They win, but it’s a fight to the end.
Man of the Match prediction: Bronson Harrison
Tip: Raiders 26-24
Result: Raiders 22-14
Man of the Match: Bronson Harrison
Match Review.
See the 'Minute by Minute Monday Night"
The corresponding encounter last year was one of the best games of season 2009. These Sydney suburban neighbours also played one of the best games of 2006 (Follow this link to the match review - go to Round 19 2006). Both matches were played at WIN Jubilee Oval and were very entertaining and physical battles, mixed with tremendous attacking flair. The rivalry will continue this year in the form of a defensive struggle, with Saints edging out the Dogs.
Man of the Match prediction: Jamie Soward’s kicking game.
Tip: Dragons 1-0
Result: Dragons 26-6
Man of the Match: Ben Hornby
Match Review:
The dragons are on the verge of something here. Opposition attacks cannot simply put together a few good sets of six; get a couple of repeats and hope to score points. Possession must be maintained for sustained periods and must be aimed at the middle of the field before even thinking about using your outside backs. Translation? The Dragons seem to be headed for another minor premiership. The Bulldogs have not yet started their season. Very timid and apparently very hung-over from their success last year. Weyman and Dean Young standouts for the Dragons.
South Sydney v Gold Coast
Historically, Sandow and Sutton do not produce every week… Historically, Scott Prince and Greg Bird do. Together, the latter will turn up for this game and probably teach the former a thing or two about the following nuances of 1st grade football:
1. Clock management
2. Leading your forwards around the field
3. 5th tackle options
The Rabbitohs halves should be taking notes during this game and if they do they will note themselves losing. The Titans defy their horrible away record and get the W.
Man of the Match prediction – Nathan Friend
Tip: Titans 26-16
Result: Titans 19-18 Extra Time
Man of the Match: Scott Prince
Match Review:
Experience told the difference in this match. This Titans unit has been together long enough to withstand a comeback from Souths and still compete when exhausted and on the wrong end of momentum swings. Referee bagging aside, the Titans proved their mettle in this game and have impressed so far this season. Isaac Luke and John Sutton look good enough to win games on the back of good forward play, unfortunately they just don't do it very often. Greg Bird seems to be building towards something special.
NZ Warriors v Cronulla
Down and dirty. Both teams will be trying to exorcise the demons of last year and will be desperate to get their first win of the season. It will be a slog from start to finish. Errors will decide the winner and the Warriors will come out ahead by controlling possession and not give away penalties. Brett Seymour shares a few shire secrets with his new team and Lance Hohaia shines amid the darkness of this game.
Man of the Match prediction: Brett Seymour
Tip: Warriors 18-14
Result: Warriors 30-16
Man of the Match: Manu Vatuvei
Match Review.
Lance Hohaia did everything to suggest he should be in the halves permanently. With Brett Seymour missing from this game, Hohaia kicked well and controlled the direction of his forwards with aplomb. Combine a talented forward pack with Seymour and Hohaia, and the Warriors could restore their near infallible home ground advantage. Wade McKinnon would assume his natural role as starting fullback and young James Maloney is your interchange. Why does all this matter? I like watching the Warriors when they play well, and they do still have the ability. The Sharks, on the other hand, are not enjoyable to watch. They have not won a football game since Andrew Ettingshausen and Mark McGaw were running around Caltex Field. I feel for them. Ricky Stuart has replaced Ivan Cleary as coach most likely to be fired.
Newcastle v Melbourne
Ryan Hoffman is a big loss for the defending premiers. However with Inglis in the squad and Brett Finch coming off an impressive performance against the Sharks, and playing in front of his family, the Bolsheviks will be too good for the Knights. Ben Cross to have another great game against his old club. Watch for Jarrod Mullen’s kicking game against Billy Slater's positional play in a chess match that will last 80 minutes and be a pleasure to watch.
Man of the Match prediction – Brett Finch
Tip: Storm 17-16
Result: Storm 20-14
Man of the Match: Aidan Tolman
Match Review.
Bellamy's Red Army marched all the way to the Hunter and came away with the two points. A wonderful display of commitment and desire by the Storm. They had no business winning this game after being down 14-0 and then, after clawing their way back into the match, giving up a mountain of possession in the second half. It did not matter. Bellamy made one adjustment and suddenly The Bolsheviks fell into a routine that simply pummelled the Knights into submission. Ryan Hinchcliffe taken off, Cameron Smith returns to hooker, Brett Finch plays halfback and they don't even bother with an official number 6. Only a team with the Storms resolve, professionalism and Communist attitude can pull this off. Aidan Tolman the standout up front.
Nth Queensland v Penrith
Willie Tonga v Michael Jennings – I truly hope they match up against each other for an origin preview. It will be tantalising. Travis Burns will probably start 4 or 5 fights against his former club. Coincidentally that’s about the same number of clubs he has played for in the NRL. Hard to see Thurston allowing the Cowboys to lose their first home game of the season.
Man of the Match prediction – JT
Tip: Cowboys 28-22
Result: Cowboys 28-20
Man of the Match: JT
Match Review.
The Tonga v Jennings battle never happened. I was hoping Jennings would switch sides but the only thing he did was create more doubt in the minds of the NSW selectors about his defence. The Panthers started very well and the forward battle in this match was impressively brutal - you could hear each hit through the television. When it all settled down and Thurston asked for the ball, Aaron Payne responded in kind and JT pointed his attack towards Jennings' side of the field. The result? Tries to Tonga, Scott Bolton and Michael Bani down the left flank. For the Panthers, Luke Walsh and Kevin Kingston are moulding quite well and they looked impressive at times, but their teammates simply could not stop any traffic in the second half.
Parramatta v Manly
Brett Stewart’s injury has robbed us of a wonderful battle between the two best fullbacks in NSW. I’m sure it has robbed him of much more. Parramatta can’t possibly lose their first two home games as premiership favourites, can they? No. They finish stronger than an Eagles team still blooding a new halfback. Here's hoping Tahu and Matai match up. Both very aggressive footballers.
Man of the Match prediction – Nathan Hindmarsh
Tip: Parramatta 24-8
Result: Parramatta 24-20
Man of the Match: Jarryd Hayne
Match Review.
Unbelievable and ridiculous at the same time. Parramatta did not simply fall behind on the scoreboard and then mount a comeback; they were sloppy, unprofessional and lazy for most of this game. When the Parramatta players did finally engage, it was still only a couple of sublime efforts from Hayne that made the difference. Forward passes aside, a very enjoyable comeback to witness and a magnificent 109 metre try that looked straight out of a NFL highlights package. The young Manly halves did not have the experience to respond to this, and Anthony Watmough couldn’t do it alone. If the Eels ever play 80 minutes of motivated football - it will be scary.
Eastern Suburbs v Wests
In a perfect world, we would see a battle between the boys from Campbelltown and the bourgeois from Bondi. Unfortunately, the Leichardt coffee class is well represented here and both teams come from the same Starbucks tribe. How times have changed. What we will have instead of a brawl will be a fast paced and entertaining match. Brian Smith tries to slow the game down but Tim Sheens out-coaches him and finds a way to win with superior game plan. Probably something to do with keeping the ball out of Todd Carney's hands.
Man of the Match prediction – Robbie Farah
Tip: Tigers 32-22
Result: Roosters 44-32
Man of the Match: Mitchell Pearce
Match Review.
The Roosters are truly the surprise team of the season for us. Their forward pack did not look like it could trouble the more experienced sides but they have a self belief that defies the shambles of last year. Can this really be the same team? By the same token, the poor Tigers looked like their defence had been orchestrated by a Rugby Union player. There were times in this game where certain attempted tackles looked more like a man hug and a pat on the bum. Just goes to show how injuries can affect a football team. The Tigers had to make a couple of late changes and suddenly, all cohesion in the defensive line was gone. The Roosters look more like they are in a d-tox year rather than a 'gap year'.
Canberra v Brisbane
Round 21, 2009…… Canberra beat the visiting Broncos 56-0. Darren Lockyer will remember this and have his team ready on Monday night. They will meet an equally ready Raiders team who will be keen to avenge the disappointment from last week’s loss against Penrith. This means we have a cracking game of footy on our hands. The Raiders home ground advantage is hard to resist. They win, but it’s a fight to the end.
Man of the Match prediction: Bronson Harrison
Tip: Raiders 26-24
Result: Raiders 22-14
Man of the Match: Bronson Harrison
Match Review.
See the 'Minute by Minute Monday Night"
Thursday, March 18, 2010
PISTOL PETE'S LOCK OF THE WEEK - ROUND 2
My lock of the week is the raiders to beat the broncos
Raiders home record is better in sub zero temperatures than early autumn, however they will be given the home game speech about home town pride and that the season starts and ends here
Broncos will not have much in the tank after the nail bitter last week. Campo will take this early opportunity for origin selection against the black prince.
Raiders home record is better in sub zero temperatures than early autumn, however they will be given the home game speech about home town pride and that the season starts and ends here
Broncos will not have much in the tank after the nail bitter last week. Campo will take this early opportunity for origin selection against the black prince.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Minute by Minute Monday Night - Round 1.
Tigers v Manly - SFS. Monday March 15, 2010.
3rd minute - Tigers look up for this on, they work a scrumbase blind side play that brought success last year and again this year. Chris Lawrence puts Tuqiri over in the left corner with Jamie Lyon out of position in defence. Just on Jamie Lyon, you'll notice an on going battle between this blog and Laurie Daley throughout the season, starting with this game.
7th minute - Tigers put together a marvellous set using a combination of power and skill which is a rare occurrence as history shows a Tigers tendency towards all skill and a lack of mental toughness. Not tonight as Beau Ryan scores on the end of a beautiful play – called back for a forward pass. Tigers 4-0
9th minute - Steve Matai v Liam Fulton. Good battle because the referees did not interfere. Mental note - the Tigers defense looks great, I feel shocked.
13th minute - Fulton penalised for stripping Anthony Watmough. Every time I look at Liam Fulton, I can’t help but think of his 'wishbone' tackle that put Luke O'Donnell out for an entire season. That's the thing about unsportsmanlike play... whether it was intentional or not, the fans remember and a reputation will stick. Just like when I hear the words, "Steve Linnane" I will always think "eye gouging".
Brad Morrin? 'Biting'
Paul Gallen? 'testicle grabbing'
And so on - google search the above phrases for a background story.
Liam Fulton will hereby be known as 'wishbone'.
15th minute - Watmough draws another penalty. He is a natural leader who has just swung the momentum to his teams favour.
20th minute - Benji Marshall sighting? Not yet.
22nd minute - Michael Robertson try - Lyon converts. Manly 6-4.
29th minute - Tigers seem to be losing direction. Glenn Stewart scores after George Rose comes off the bench with somewhat of a rocket up him. As predicted in our Manly season preview - George is the X factor for this forward pack. Manly 12-4.
34th minute - Tuqiri good under the high ball and this Tigers momentum shifter is ruined with a penalty. Manly continue their onslaught.
35th minute - George Rose OVER!! Manly 18-4.
38th minute - Momentum swings back to the Tigers. Benji Marshall wakes up which leads to Robbie Farah delivering a perfect kick for winger Beau Ryan. He can't make the play and a certain try goes begging.
40th minute - A penalty is awarded that makes absolutely no sense. The referee was either told to square up the count, or simply wanted his mug on TV before halftime. Bizarre call.
42nd minute - thought.... Chris Lawrence needs more possession. GGOA is a huge fan of this kid.
44th minute - Thank god for the Tigers. They run it on the last to no avail but nonetheless this is great for footy.
46th minute - Tony Williams hits Gareth Ellis with a bone rattler.
47th minute - 'Wishbone' fails to get up from a Kieran Foran tackle. Justice? The Tigers have had the majority of possession this half. No points yet. 3 penalties in a row for them and momentum definitely with the boys from Campbelltown/Leichardt.
50th minute - Credit to the Manly defense for holding out. They are a hard working pack and are rewarded by a Moltzen error after another fantastic kick chase.
54th minute - Mental note: The fox sports commentators are strange. They are not making much sense at the moment. Meanwhile the Manly defence is everywhere, trying as hard as possible to prevent a Tigers comeback. Benji still not really in this game for mine.
56th minute - Weight of possession tells. Tigers score and now trail 20-10.
60th minute - Last quarter begins and according to our preview - this is when the Tigers are dangerous. They score through Benji Marshall's lead up work for 'wishbone' to cross the try line. Manly 20-14. Jason King slightly lazy at marker.
Manly coach Des Hasler looks like he either has a severe rash on his backside or just cant sit still because he wants to be on the field so desperately. Just on this - imagine they let Hasler on the park for a few minutes. What would happen? Would he take his anger out on the opposition or would he look more like parent dragging their kids around by the earlobe to teach them a lesson. I can picture Des, dragging King and Kite by the ears all the way to the sideline. Just picture that for a second.....
64th minute - Glenn Stewart is a great defender and is doing all he can to protect the Eagles lead.
67th minute - Momentum killer for the Tigers. They give away a silly penalty and Manly take the shot at goal. They lead 22-14.
70th minute - Is it possible for Laurie Daley to resign from his position as President of the Jamie Lyon fan club for just 1 season? No. He is obviously preparing for the origin selection meeting where he will convince Bob McCarthy that Jamie Lyon must play for NSW. Horrible.
72nd minute - Chris Lawrence try. Possession for the Tigers usually turns to points. Even if their discipline is less than impressive. Manly lead 22-20. Des Hasler has a mild stroke but is tough enough to play through it.
75th minute - The Tigers give this blog’s match preview a hint of credibility by storming all the way back from 16 points down. They score a magnificent 80m try, moving the ball left to right for Gareth Ellis to pounce on a Robbie Farah grubber kick and the Tigers lead 26-22. Brett Stewart injured during the play.
78th minute – A Steve Folkes sighting on the Tigers bench. I admire Steve Folkes. His career timeline will tell you why:
1998: He started as conditioner for the dogs and was apparently only interested in fitness training for his former club.
1999: Begins coaching first grade
2004: Wins Grand Final
2005-2008: Endures the end of a tumultuous and damaging era for the Bulldogs club and finishes his coaching career with a wooden spoon.
2009: Takes a break from footy. This would normally mean a coach disappearing for a while. Steve did... but found a paid holiday in the form of a position as strength and conditioning coach for the West Indies cricket team. Can you imagine how motivated Chris Gayle and the rest of the calypso crew would have been to run laps of Barbados? Can you also picture where Folkes lived for this period? Magnificent career move.
2010 - Back to where it all started. He is named as fitness guru for the Wests Tigers, a job that fulfils his sadistic desire to physically destroy young footballers in order to mentally prepare them for 1st grade. It has worked. They looked fresh and fit in the last 20 minutes on Monday night and with the competition so close this year, most games will no doubt be decided during the last quarter. The Tigers could be making comebacks like this all season.
78th minute - Manly with possession 30 metres out from the Tigers try line. Folkes' off season training comes to fruition and the Eagles fail to break the Tigers line.
80th minute - Biff! George Rose collects a falling Daniel Fitzhenry. The teams come together and Anthony Watmough looks like he can hold back about 4 opposition players by himself. Tough kid.
Tigers win 26-22 and for some reason the Dally M player of this match is Benji Marshall. Having said that - I guess Benji knows he can run amok against tired forwards at the back of end of games. He cruises through 60 minutes tonight and is fully aware that premierships are not won in March.
Note - Laurie Daley is the Dally M judge in this match and awards Jamie Lyon 2 points. Let’s just store it in the memory banks for now.
See you next Monday night for Canberra v Brisbane from the nation’s capital.
3rd minute - Tigers look up for this on, they work a scrumbase blind side play that brought success last year and again this year. Chris Lawrence puts Tuqiri over in the left corner with Jamie Lyon out of position in defence. Just on Jamie Lyon, you'll notice an on going battle between this blog and Laurie Daley throughout the season, starting with this game.
7th minute - Tigers put together a marvellous set using a combination of power and skill which is a rare occurrence as history shows a Tigers tendency towards all skill and a lack of mental toughness. Not tonight as Beau Ryan scores on the end of a beautiful play – called back for a forward pass. Tigers 4-0
9th minute - Steve Matai v Liam Fulton. Good battle because the referees did not interfere. Mental note - the Tigers defense looks great, I feel shocked.
13th minute - Fulton penalised for stripping Anthony Watmough. Every time I look at Liam Fulton, I can’t help but think of his 'wishbone' tackle that put Luke O'Donnell out for an entire season. That's the thing about unsportsmanlike play... whether it was intentional or not, the fans remember and a reputation will stick. Just like when I hear the words, "Steve Linnane" I will always think "eye gouging".
Brad Morrin? 'Biting'
Paul Gallen? 'testicle grabbing'
And so on - google search the above phrases for a background story.
Liam Fulton will hereby be known as 'wishbone'.
15th minute - Watmough draws another penalty. He is a natural leader who has just swung the momentum to his teams favour.
20th minute - Benji Marshall sighting? Not yet.
22nd minute - Michael Robertson try - Lyon converts. Manly 6-4.
29th minute - Tigers seem to be losing direction. Glenn Stewart scores after George Rose comes off the bench with somewhat of a rocket up him. As predicted in our Manly season preview - George is the X factor for this forward pack. Manly 12-4.
34th minute - Tuqiri good under the high ball and this Tigers momentum shifter is ruined with a penalty. Manly continue their onslaught.
35th minute - George Rose OVER!! Manly 18-4.
38th minute - Momentum swings back to the Tigers. Benji Marshall wakes up which leads to Robbie Farah delivering a perfect kick for winger Beau Ryan. He can't make the play and a certain try goes begging.
40th minute - A penalty is awarded that makes absolutely no sense. The referee was either told to square up the count, or simply wanted his mug on TV before halftime. Bizarre call.
42nd minute - thought.... Chris Lawrence needs more possession. GGOA is a huge fan of this kid.
44th minute - Thank god for the Tigers. They run it on the last to no avail but nonetheless this is great for footy.
46th minute - Tony Williams hits Gareth Ellis with a bone rattler.
47th minute - 'Wishbone' fails to get up from a Kieran Foran tackle. Justice? The Tigers have had the majority of possession this half. No points yet. 3 penalties in a row for them and momentum definitely with the boys from Campbelltown/Leichardt.
50th minute - Credit to the Manly defense for holding out. They are a hard working pack and are rewarded by a Moltzen error after another fantastic kick chase.
54th minute - Mental note: The fox sports commentators are strange. They are not making much sense at the moment. Meanwhile the Manly defence is everywhere, trying as hard as possible to prevent a Tigers comeback. Benji still not really in this game for mine.
56th minute - Weight of possession tells. Tigers score and now trail 20-10.
60th minute - Last quarter begins and according to our preview - this is when the Tigers are dangerous. They score through Benji Marshall's lead up work for 'wishbone' to cross the try line. Manly 20-14. Jason King slightly lazy at marker.
Manly coach Des Hasler looks like he either has a severe rash on his backside or just cant sit still because he wants to be on the field so desperately. Just on this - imagine they let Hasler on the park for a few minutes. What would happen? Would he take his anger out on the opposition or would he look more like parent dragging their kids around by the earlobe to teach them a lesson. I can picture Des, dragging King and Kite by the ears all the way to the sideline. Just picture that for a second.....
64th minute - Glenn Stewart is a great defender and is doing all he can to protect the Eagles lead.
67th minute - Momentum killer for the Tigers. They give away a silly penalty and Manly take the shot at goal. They lead 22-14.
70th minute - Is it possible for Laurie Daley to resign from his position as President of the Jamie Lyon fan club for just 1 season? No. He is obviously preparing for the origin selection meeting where he will convince Bob McCarthy that Jamie Lyon must play for NSW. Horrible.
72nd minute - Chris Lawrence try. Possession for the Tigers usually turns to points. Even if their discipline is less than impressive. Manly lead 22-20. Des Hasler has a mild stroke but is tough enough to play through it.
75th minute - The Tigers give this blog’s match preview a hint of credibility by storming all the way back from 16 points down. They score a magnificent 80m try, moving the ball left to right for Gareth Ellis to pounce on a Robbie Farah grubber kick and the Tigers lead 26-22. Brett Stewart injured during the play.
78th minute – A Steve Folkes sighting on the Tigers bench. I admire Steve Folkes. His career timeline will tell you why:
1998: He started as conditioner for the dogs and was apparently only interested in fitness training for his former club.
1999: Begins coaching first grade
2004: Wins Grand Final
2005-2008: Endures the end of a tumultuous and damaging era for the Bulldogs club and finishes his coaching career with a wooden spoon.
2009: Takes a break from footy. This would normally mean a coach disappearing for a while. Steve did... but found a paid holiday in the form of a position as strength and conditioning coach for the West Indies cricket team. Can you imagine how motivated Chris Gayle and the rest of the calypso crew would have been to run laps of Barbados? Can you also picture where Folkes lived for this period? Magnificent career move.
2010 - Back to where it all started. He is named as fitness guru for the Wests Tigers, a job that fulfils his sadistic desire to physically destroy young footballers in order to mentally prepare them for 1st grade. It has worked. They looked fresh and fit in the last 20 minutes on Monday night and with the competition so close this year, most games will no doubt be decided during the last quarter. The Tigers could be making comebacks like this all season.
78th minute - Manly with possession 30 metres out from the Tigers try line. Folkes' off season training comes to fruition and the Eagles fail to break the Tigers line.
80th minute - Biff! George Rose collects a falling Daniel Fitzhenry. The teams come together and Anthony Watmough looks like he can hold back about 4 opposition players by himself. Tough kid.
Tigers win 26-22 and for some reason the Dally M player of this match is Benji Marshall. Having said that - I guess Benji knows he can run amok against tired forwards at the back of end of games. He cruises through 60 minutes tonight and is fully aware that premierships are not won in March.
Note - Laurie Daley is the Dally M judge in this match and awards Jamie Lyon 2 points. Let’s just store it in the memory banks for now.
See you next Monday night for Canberra v Brisbane from the nation’s capital.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Paully's Picks - Round 1
Round 1
Parramatta v St George Illawarra
The dragons backline looks slower than an over 35s oztag team. With the exception of Brett Morris, I don't think they can trouble the Eels in this season opener. The dream matchup of Tahu v Cooper will have to wait. However, the other dream matchup of Poore v Weyman will be a highlight.
Man of the Match prediction - Feleti Mateo
Tip - Eels 21-14.
Result: Dragons 18-16
Man of the Match - Jeremy Smith
Match Review
35/37 completed sets for the dragons. Combined with their rock-solid defence and they are a good chance of winning most games. Unfortunately this system does not work in the playoffs. However, as Jamie Soward mentioned in post match interviews - perhaps they have a few offensive tricks up their sleeve. Early days for Parra.
Brisbane Broncos v Nth Qld Cowboys
Rugby League is a hard game played by hard men with hard intentions. The hardest part of this hard game is to come up with more ways to use the word 'hard' in a football sense. Injury is already robbing us of a spectacle so early in the season with Hodges and Bowen out.
Man of the Match prediction - Darren Lockyer
Tip - Broncos 18-16
Result: Broncos 30-24
Man of the Match - Corey Norman
Match Review
The Black Prince once again showed why he is the Black Prince. In attack, Darren Lockyer made the Cowboys pay for not earning points from their field position. Defensively, he swarmed and jumped on every Cowboy that moved and rescued his team from near disaster. Finally, a little tap on the back for this blog: Corey Norman, as predicted in our Broncos season preview, had a blinder.
Dogs v Knights
The last time these two teams played, the Bulldogs won convincingly. Reviewers of the match suggested this was due to injured Knights players Isaac De Gois and Zeb Taia being unable to play. Both are ruled out for this game so going by aforementioned reviewer’s rationale the Dogs win. Junior Sau and Mad Dog v Jamal Idris and Josh Morris on either side of the field will be a highlight.
Man of the Match prediction - Mick Ennis
Tip - Dogs 34-10
Result: Knights 20-16
Man of the Match - Ben Cross.
Match Review.
Unfortunate that Adam MacDougall missed this game and robbed viwers of more sledging from the energetic veteran. The Knights built a wall using defensive pride as the bricks and some unknown substance as the mortar. They never let it crack (excuse the pun). The dogs showed glimpses of attacking flair, but twas all too late. It would be remiss of me not to mention Pistol Pete's Lock of the Week... He had the Knights. Massive tip.
Penrith v Canberra
Has there ever been a smaller 'spine' than the Panthers 9, 7, 6 and 1? Kevin Kingston, Luke Walsh, Travis Burns and Lachlan Coote respectively have a combined weight of 72 kgs. Campese and Tongue get on top of them. The excellent forwards packs on display cancel each other out.
Man of the Match prediction - Michael Jennings
Tip - Raiders 21-20
Result: Panthers 34-16
Man of the Match - Luke Walsh
Match Review.
Momentum is everything. The Raiders seemed to have it all at certain stages, enough to score points when they needed. The fact that the Panthers still got away to a big lead and then defused a comeback suggests they have something special at the club this year. Make no mistake, the Raiders played well, but the Panthers won by pouring a proverbial bucket of water on the lit fuse of Fyshwick firecracker, Terry Campese.
Cronulla v Melbourne
There will be a biff in this match. Ricky Stuart will be invoking Roy Masters’ tactics by playing the class card with his team. Arguably the best and worst teams from last year and coach Stuart would have mentioned this week that Melbourne expect to walk away with the two points quite easily. They are probably right.
Man of the Match prediction - Greg Inglis
Tip - Melbourne 22-12
Result: Melbourne 14-10
Man of the Match - Adam Blair.
Match Review.
At least we were close with this game. Seems as though nothing has changed at Cronulla with their steely defence and stalled attack. This might work against some teams in 2010 - but not the Bolsheviks. Melbourne's defence was key to their success last year and will be again this year. The Iron Curtain is all powerful. Brett Finch looked more relaxed than ever in his career and seems to have finally become the complete footballer. Biff confirmed as predicted. At least I got something right.
Gold Coast v NZ Warriors
Blowout of the week. This one will be over after halftime when Scott Prince will take the foot off the pedal with his team already leading by 20. Bad start to the Warriors season and the beginning of the Ivan Cleary resignation conversation.
Man of the Match prediction - Anthony Laffranchi
Tip - Titans 44-6
Result: Titans 24-18
Man of the Match - Preston Campbell.
Match Review.
Before hanging my head in shame and admitting that this game cost me a multi bet victory... I will say that the Warriors and Brett Seymour look controlled and stuck to the basics better than we have seen for a long time. Unfortunately for Ivan Cleary and his team, they couldn’t put the Titans away. Joseph Tomane and David Mead look threatening together. What does not look threatening are my chances to win money on Rugby League - the Greatest Game of All.
South Sydney v Eastern Suburbs
It's always good fun when two Sydney team play against each other and the bitter rivalry between these teams has grown in the past few years. I only wish this Rabbits forward pack was around when the Roosters were at the peak of their powers earlier this decade. This time - we will have to settle for a Roosters forward pack that won’t be able to matchup.
Man of the Match prediction - Isaac Luke
Tip - Souths 30-12
Result: Roosters - 36-10
Man of the Match - Todd Carney
Match Review.
Wrong again! Congrats to Brian Smith and the Roosters for a complete performance. Congrats also should go to Chris Sandow and John Sutton.... they will play at least 3 or 4 good games this year so I thought I would just pat them on the back now instead of waiting for them to turn up. Enjoy the wait Rabbitohs fans. Smoke 'em if you got 'em.
Finally - Anthony Minichiello... may he stay injury free all year. He looked good.
Wests v Manly
Des Hasler's post match interview, if the Eagles win or lose, will be the highlight. Stay tuned about 20 minutes after full time for this - it will be worth it. On the field, Manly have too much pride not to turn up. They keep it very close and probably lead at times during this game, but if the Tigers attack is clicking, they will pull away in the final quarter.
Man of the Match prediction - Robbie Farah.
Tip - Tigers 33-26
Result: Tigers 26-22
Man of the Match - Benji Marshall
Match Review.
See our 'Minute by Minute Monday Night live blog"
Parramatta v St George Illawarra
The dragons backline looks slower than an over 35s oztag team. With the exception of Brett Morris, I don't think they can trouble the Eels in this season opener. The dream matchup of Tahu v Cooper will have to wait. However, the other dream matchup of Poore v Weyman will be a highlight.
Man of the Match prediction - Feleti Mateo
Tip - Eels 21-14.
Result: Dragons 18-16
Man of the Match - Jeremy Smith
Match Review
35/37 completed sets for the dragons. Combined with their rock-solid defence and they are a good chance of winning most games. Unfortunately this system does not work in the playoffs. However, as Jamie Soward mentioned in post match interviews - perhaps they have a few offensive tricks up their sleeve. Early days for Parra.
Brisbane Broncos v Nth Qld Cowboys
Rugby League is a hard game played by hard men with hard intentions. The hardest part of this hard game is to come up with more ways to use the word 'hard' in a football sense. Injury is already robbing us of a spectacle so early in the season with Hodges and Bowen out.
Man of the Match prediction - Darren Lockyer
Tip - Broncos 18-16
Result: Broncos 30-24
Man of the Match - Corey Norman
Match Review
The Black Prince once again showed why he is the Black Prince. In attack, Darren Lockyer made the Cowboys pay for not earning points from their field position. Defensively, he swarmed and jumped on every Cowboy that moved and rescued his team from near disaster. Finally, a little tap on the back for this blog: Corey Norman, as predicted in our Broncos season preview, had a blinder.
Dogs v Knights
The last time these two teams played, the Bulldogs won convincingly. Reviewers of the match suggested this was due to injured Knights players Isaac De Gois and Zeb Taia being unable to play. Both are ruled out for this game so going by aforementioned reviewer’s rationale the Dogs win. Junior Sau and Mad Dog v Jamal Idris and Josh Morris on either side of the field will be a highlight.
Man of the Match prediction - Mick Ennis
Tip - Dogs 34-10
Result: Knights 20-16
Man of the Match - Ben Cross.
Match Review.
Unfortunate that Adam MacDougall missed this game and robbed viwers of more sledging from the energetic veteran. The Knights built a wall using defensive pride as the bricks and some unknown substance as the mortar. They never let it crack (excuse the pun). The dogs showed glimpses of attacking flair, but twas all too late. It would be remiss of me not to mention Pistol Pete's Lock of the Week... He had the Knights. Massive tip.
Penrith v Canberra
Has there ever been a smaller 'spine' than the Panthers 9, 7, 6 and 1? Kevin Kingston, Luke Walsh, Travis Burns and Lachlan Coote respectively have a combined weight of 72 kgs. Campese and Tongue get on top of them. The excellent forwards packs on display cancel each other out.
Man of the Match prediction - Michael Jennings
Tip - Raiders 21-20
Result: Panthers 34-16
Man of the Match - Luke Walsh
Match Review.
Momentum is everything. The Raiders seemed to have it all at certain stages, enough to score points when they needed. The fact that the Panthers still got away to a big lead and then defused a comeback suggests they have something special at the club this year. Make no mistake, the Raiders played well, but the Panthers won by pouring a proverbial bucket of water on the lit fuse of Fyshwick firecracker, Terry Campese.
Cronulla v Melbourne
There will be a biff in this match. Ricky Stuart will be invoking Roy Masters’ tactics by playing the class card with his team. Arguably the best and worst teams from last year and coach Stuart would have mentioned this week that Melbourne expect to walk away with the two points quite easily. They are probably right.
Man of the Match prediction - Greg Inglis
Tip - Melbourne 22-12
Result: Melbourne 14-10
Man of the Match - Adam Blair.
Match Review.
At least we were close with this game. Seems as though nothing has changed at Cronulla with their steely defence and stalled attack. This might work against some teams in 2010 - but not the Bolsheviks. Melbourne's defence was key to their success last year and will be again this year. The Iron Curtain is all powerful. Brett Finch looked more relaxed than ever in his career and seems to have finally become the complete footballer. Biff confirmed as predicted. At least I got something right.
Gold Coast v NZ Warriors
Blowout of the week. This one will be over after halftime when Scott Prince will take the foot off the pedal with his team already leading by 20. Bad start to the Warriors season and the beginning of the Ivan Cleary resignation conversation.
Man of the Match prediction - Anthony Laffranchi
Tip - Titans 44-6
Result: Titans 24-18
Man of the Match - Preston Campbell.
Match Review.
Before hanging my head in shame and admitting that this game cost me a multi bet victory... I will say that the Warriors and Brett Seymour look controlled and stuck to the basics better than we have seen for a long time. Unfortunately for Ivan Cleary and his team, they couldn’t put the Titans away. Joseph Tomane and David Mead look threatening together. What does not look threatening are my chances to win money on Rugby League - the Greatest Game of All.
South Sydney v Eastern Suburbs
It's always good fun when two Sydney team play against each other and the bitter rivalry between these teams has grown in the past few years. I only wish this Rabbits forward pack was around when the Roosters were at the peak of their powers earlier this decade. This time - we will have to settle for a Roosters forward pack that won’t be able to matchup.
Man of the Match prediction - Isaac Luke
Tip - Souths 30-12
Result: Roosters - 36-10
Man of the Match - Todd Carney
Match Review.
Wrong again! Congrats to Brian Smith and the Roosters for a complete performance. Congrats also should go to Chris Sandow and John Sutton.... they will play at least 3 or 4 good games this year so I thought I would just pat them on the back now instead of waiting for them to turn up. Enjoy the wait Rabbitohs fans. Smoke 'em if you got 'em.
Finally - Anthony Minichiello... may he stay injury free all year. He looked good.
Wests v Manly
Des Hasler's post match interview, if the Eagles win or lose, will be the highlight. Stay tuned about 20 minutes after full time for this - it will be worth it. On the field, Manly have too much pride not to turn up. They keep it very close and probably lead at times during this game, but if the Tigers attack is clicking, they will pull away in the final quarter.
Man of the Match prediction - Robbie Farah.
Tip - Tigers 33-26
Result: Tigers 26-22
Man of the Match - Benji Marshall
Match Review.
See our 'Minute by Minute Monday Night live blog"
Thursday, March 11, 2010
2010 NRL Top 8 predictions
So, according to this blogs season previews (which I hope you enjoyed), we predict the below top 8 after 26 rounds.
9. North Queensland Cowboys
10. St George Illawarra Dragons
11. Manly Sea Eagles
12. Newcastle Knights
13 Canberra Raiders
14. Sydney Roosters
15. NZ Warriors
16. Cronulla Sharks
Let the games begin.
- Gold Coast Titans
- Melbourne Storm
- Parramatta Eels
- Canterbury Bulldogs
- Brisbane Broncos
- South Sydney Rabbitohs
- Penrith Panthers
- Wests Tigers
9. North Queensland Cowboys
10. St George Illawarra Dragons
11. Manly Sea Eagles
12. Newcastle Knights
13 Canberra Raiders
14. Sydney Roosters
15. NZ Warriors
16. Cronulla Sharks
Let the games begin.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
2010 NRL Season Preview - Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm wield their footballing power like some sort of super Communist Party. Craig Bellamy is leading a revolution to overthrow their bourgeois rivals and help build the Storm's socialist nation. Like Communism today in China and Cuba - it works a treat.
Cameron "Trotsky" Smith is in charge of policy.
Cooper "Castro" Cronk is head of the Politburo.
Ryan "Hu Jintao" Hoffman is Secretary General.
In their own version of the October Revolution in 1917, the Melbourne Storm came of age in 2006 and have played in every Grand Final since. If it weren’t for 'Trotsky' Smith being assassinated/suspended for the decider in 2008, they may have won 3 in a row.
Cameron "Trotsky" Smith is in charge of policy.
Cooper "Castro" Cronk is head of the Politburo.
Ryan "Hu Jintao" Hoffman is Secretary General.
Brett "Fidel's little brother" Finch has just joined the 'party' and fits right in.
On the left - the new Rugby League revolutionary power. On the right - The Godfather of Communism, Vladimir Lenin. Frighteningly similar representation.
In their own version of the October Revolution in 1917, the Melbourne Storm came of age in 2006 and have played in every Grand Final since. If it weren’t for 'Trotsky' Smith being assassinated/suspended for the decider in 2008, they may have won 3 in a row.
The Melbourne club even recruit like a communist party; they reach all parts of the world in their search for loyal workers. In fact, the Storm must be the only club that has recruiting links to every league hub in the world.
Bellamy has recruited from:
NSW - His home state where communist spies have surveillance strategies in place.
NSW - His home state where communist spies have surveillance strategies in place.
NZ - The move to Melbourne is made easier due to similar climate.
QLD - Home of Storm feeder teams.
Victoria - The state's Junior League has developed into a genuine competition and breeding ground.
England - Bellamy recently went on a scouting trip to the UK with his assistant coaches.
It has all lead to success and they deserve congratulations.
However, some in league circles claim that Melbourne found a loophole in the rules and invented a controversial defensive technique that nearly destroyed the idea of Rugby League as entertainment. The grapple tackle, the cruncher, the squeezer, the wanka..... or something along those lines... were all allegedly created by the Storm to slow down the opposition attack.
The only comment I can make on this issue is that when opposition players decided to defend themselves against these dangerous tackles, the outcome made for magnificent viewing. (This is a 5 minute video - but the slow motion replays of each part of the brawl are worth it)
Retaliation always makes for gripping entertainment.
However, I'm not interested in biff alone. I also have a few questions:
Who would win a Hairy Arm Competition between Ricky Ponting and Cameron Smith? Ricky has been doing it for years, he deserves the W.
If we persist with the above Communism comparison, who would be Joseph Stalin? I couldn't possibly compare anyone to Stalin, the disgrace of Russian history - but if I did it would be Billy Slater.
An all powerful Stalin organising the Great Purge of 1930s Russia.
Is the Storm 2010 forward pack completely underrated? Yes... This blog believes they are fantastic and will do some serious damage in 2010.
How will anyone stop the defending premiers? It's possible, but you must prepare for an onslaught from the most powerful Revolutionary Russian of them all, standing side by side with his socialist comrades....Greg Inglis.
The greatest Bolshevik who ever lived.
Tip - Nobody stops them as they make a fifth consecutive GF.
X Factor – Brett White and Aidan Tolman. Historically, Storm front rowers have been the corners of Bellamy's 'Red Square of Success' and this must continue.
Premiership odds - $7.50. It probably won't get any better. Why not invest?
Breakout season – Dane Chisholm. Plays like a young Matthew Johns but quicker. The standout of Melbourne's under 20s team in their premiership victory last year and has the ability to replace Brett Finch in 1st grade this year. He will represent NSW one day.
2010 NRL Season Preiview - Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs
The key to success for the Bulldogs in 2010 could be their number 6. They have consistent and sometimes predictable performers in all other important positions so Ben Roberts' form is crucial to the Dogs premiership tilt.
This raises some early questions:
Is the five eighth position slowly becoming important again? Yes, after years of fans suffering through second row types in the 6 jersey, its time for the little men to shine again.
Is Ben Roberts one of these little men? Don't call him little. I wouldn't want to get on his bad side based on these events.
How long does it take to recover from capsicum spray? About 6 months based on Ben's form last year.
Was Roberts' 2009 form and good behaviour enough to suggest he doesn’t deserve this kind of commentary? Yes, but its hard to resist.
Should Ben Roberts be the New Zealand halfback for the next 5 years? Most definitely. The NZ selectors are complete buffoons for picking Nathan Fein over Roberts.
Have I now asked too many questions about Ben Roberts? No
Is Ben Roberts the man to lead the Canterbury attack when Kimmorley moves on to a media career? He will be judged on this soon enough.
To digress, the Dogs have a disciplined and talented side with a lethal backline, great coaching staff and a forward pack that should carry them to the finals.
The only roadblock could be their recruitment policy. It seems that nobody is offered a contract at Belmore unless they pass certain 'good bloke' criteria. Corey Payne is a perfect example. A career club footballer with a good work ethic but chased by the dogs due to his impressive moral fibre as shown in this interview. Steve Turner was recruited because he is a damn fine human being and Dene Halatau through his impeccable character.
Furthermore, Kimmorley and Mick Ennis were signed in 2008 with unimpeachable reputations. This sends a clear message that crimes of the past, (guilty or not) will never be repeated. Bulldogs CEO Todd Greenberg understands that unfortunately in business, perception is reality.
Translation? If you tell a lie often enough in the media, people will start to believe it.
So, more questions:
Can a group of good blokes turn into a premiership winning football team? Nice guys might actually finish first.
Can Mick Ennis sledge his way back into the NSW number 9 jumper? He deserves it.
Will Canterbury leagues club be worth more than the entire economy of QLD? Absolutely.
How many Taxi drivers will end their shift inside the aforementioned club this season? 12,822.
How are the new TAB facilities at Canterbury leagues? Top shelf
How does this compare to other leagues clubs' facilities? Stay tuned for this blogs "NRL Leagues Club Review" to find out.
Why does Lee Te Maari look so angry in this profile photo? My word, it looks as though he is about to leap off his seat and rip the photographer’s arms off.
Tip - They play Parramatta twice this year - both games will be massive and this excitement will lead to a semi final replay. If we are lucky.
X Factor – Guess who.
Premiership odds - $7.00. Wait until a form slump pushes the odds out and then get right on them.
Breakout season – Gary Warburton is built like a prototype second rower. With 2009 semi final experience under his belt, he could turn into something special.
This raises some early questions:
Is the five eighth position slowly becoming important again? Yes, after years of fans suffering through second row types in the 6 jersey, its time for the little men to shine again.
Is Ben Roberts one of these little men? Don't call him little. I wouldn't want to get on his bad side based on these events.
How long does it take to recover from capsicum spray? About 6 months based on Ben's form last year.
Was Roberts' 2009 form and good behaviour enough to suggest he doesn’t deserve this kind of commentary? Yes, but its hard to resist.
Should Ben Roberts be the New Zealand halfback for the next 5 years? Most definitely. The NZ selectors are complete buffoons for picking Nathan Fein over Roberts.
Have I now asked too many questions about Ben Roberts? No
Is Ben Roberts the man to lead the Canterbury attack when Kimmorley moves on to a media career? He will be judged on this soon enough.
Can he be amongst the elite in 2010?
To digress, the Dogs have a disciplined and talented side with a lethal backline, great coaching staff and a forward pack that should carry them to the finals.
The only roadblock could be their recruitment policy. It seems that nobody is offered a contract at Belmore unless they pass certain 'good bloke' criteria. Corey Payne is a perfect example. A career club footballer with a good work ethic but chased by the dogs due to his impressive moral fibre as shown in this interview. Steve Turner was recruited because he is a damn fine human being and Dene Halatau through his impeccable character.
Furthermore, Kimmorley and Mick Ennis were signed in 2008 with unimpeachable reputations. This sends a clear message that crimes of the past, (guilty or not) will never be repeated. Bulldogs CEO Todd Greenberg understands that unfortunately in business, perception is reality.
Translation? If you tell a lie often enough in the media, people will start to believe it.
The dogs' new reputation has delivered greater profits, making possible the purchase of huge inflatable creepy looking mascots.
So, more questions:
Can a group of good blokes turn into a premiership winning football team? Nice guys might actually finish first.
Can Mick Ennis sledge his way back into the NSW number 9 jumper? He deserves it.
Will Canterbury leagues club be worth more than the entire economy of QLD? Absolutely.
How many Taxi drivers will end their shift inside the aforementioned club this season? 12,822.
How are the new TAB facilities at Canterbury leagues? Top shelf
How does this compare to other leagues clubs' facilities? Stay tuned for this blogs "NRL Leagues Club Review" to find out.
Why does Lee Te Maari look so angry in this profile photo? My word, it looks as though he is about to leap off his seat and rip the photographer’s arms off.
Tip - They play Parramatta twice this year - both games will be massive and this excitement will lead to a semi final replay. If we are lucky.
X Factor – Guess who.
Premiership odds - $7.00. Wait until a form slump pushes the odds out and then get right on them.
Breakout season – Gary Warburton is built like a prototype second rower. With 2009 semi final experience under his belt, he could turn into something special.
Monday, March 8, 2010
2010 NRL Season Preview - NZ Warriors
The greatest thing about the New Zealand Warriors is the fact that there is a time difference between here and Auckland. A Midday kick-off (Sydney time) is the best way to start your Sunday afternoon. 6 hours and 3 games of footy later you'll emerge bleary eyed and realise that you've just indulged in an absolute marriage killer.
The schedule for these special Sundays gives supreme satisfaction to the sporting senses - and ususally looks like this.
Midday - Warriors v visiting team - This early game's magnificence is punctuated by the 'home town' Sky Sports commentators. A more biased team of analysts you will not find. Simply hilarious and very entertaining.
Halftime - Lunch and perhaps your first beer of the day.
2pm - Usually a Raiders game from Canberra - it looks cold, the opposition players look freezing and you realise you were silly to tip against the Raiders at home.
4pm - Channel 9 pop in with the match of the round but this comes with a slight disappointment because you know it's not live and their will be commercial breaks. However, it's still footy and by this stage you've had a few.
6pm - You realise you have work tomorrow and proceed to pop the top off a few more.
7.30pm - Order a pizza, check how badly your tips have gone and wait for fantasy league websites to be updated.
Moving on to another positive about the Warriors…. the Under 20s team. They've been consistently impressive for two years and can play away. Ben and Jody Henry are exceptional footballers with the former recently named the under 20s captain. If these players can be blooded into first grade successfully, the future looks bright.
Ultimately the Warriors need a halfback, and here's hoping Brett Seymour is the answer.
Speaking of answers, we must first ask the questions:
Is this Brett Seymour article on the Warriors home page good news or bad news for warriors fans? Only time will tell - but it looks and sounds suspiciously like Corey Pearson announcing his intention to lead the league in off-loads in 2002. There are insufficient historical records to confirm or deny the reaching of this goal.
Can Wade McKinnon re-establish himself as one of the code's great custodians? We hope so because the kid from St. Clair has loads of talent.
Can Steve Price play until he is 50? Why not, and more importantly will he and Brett White renew their rivalry in this years Origin contest.
Will the owners of the Warriors website realise their are only 16 team members listed on the player profile page? Apparently not. Perhaps they don't need a full squad.
Tip - Ivan Cleary is the first coach to be "under fire" this year. They miss the eight.
X Factor – Lance Hohaia - he knows how to find the try line and has plenty of experience. Belongs in the number 6 jersey and should stay there.
Premiership odds - $34.00. If you are the 'mad butcher' with plenty to spend, then have a go. The rest of us should probably hold on to the cash.
Breakout season - Jody Henry - Looks dangerous with the ball in his hands and hopefully will get some time in 1st grade. Has the talent to be a good NRL halfback.
The schedule for these special Sundays gives supreme satisfaction to the sporting senses - and ususally looks like this.
Midday - Warriors v visiting team - This early game's magnificence is punctuated by the 'home town' Sky Sports commentators. A more biased team of analysts you will not find. Simply hilarious and very entertaining.
Halftime - Lunch and perhaps your first beer of the day.
2pm - Usually a Raiders game from Canberra - it looks cold, the opposition players look freezing and you realise you were silly to tip against the Raiders at home.
4pm - Channel 9 pop in with the match of the round but this comes with a slight disappointment because you know it's not live and their will be commercial breaks. However, it's still footy and by this stage you've had a few.
6pm - You realise you have work tomorrow and proceed to pop the top off a few more.
7.30pm - Order a pizza, check how badly your tips have gone and wait for fantasy league websites to be updated.
Warriors home games on pay TV are always a highlight.
Moving on to another positive about the Warriors…. the Under 20s team. They've been consistently impressive for two years and can play away. Ben and Jody Henry are exceptional footballers with the former recently named the under 20s captain. If these players can be blooded into first grade successfully, the future looks bright.
Ultimately the Warriors need a halfback, and here's hoping Brett Seymour is the answer.
Speaking of answers, we must first ask the questions:
Is this Brett Seymour article on the Warriors home page good news or bad news for warriors fans? Only time will tell - but it looks and sounds suspiciously like Corey Pearson announcing his intention to lead the league in off-loads in 2002. There are insufficient historical records to confirm or deny the reaching of this goal.
Can Wade McKinnon re-establish himself as one of the code's great custodians? We hope so because the kid from St. Clair has loads of talent.
Can Steve Price play until he is 50? Why not, and more importantly will he and Brett White renew their rivalry in this years Origin contest.
He should play forever.
Will the owners of the Warriors website realise their are only 16 team members listed on the player profile page? Apparently not. Perhaps they don't need a full squad.
Tip - Ivan Cleary is the first coach to be "under fire" this year. They miss the eight.
X Factor – Lance Hohaia - he knows how to find the try line and has plenty of experience. Belongs in the number 6 jersey and should stay there.
Looks happy to be on the field. Lance Hohaia needs more playing time.
Premiership odds - $34.00. If you are the 'mad butcher' with plenty to spend, then have a go. The rest of us should probably hold on to the cash.
Breakout season - Jody Henry - Looks dangerous with the ball in his hands and hopefully will get some time in 1st grade. Has the talent to be a good NRL halfback.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
2010 NRL Season Preview - North Queensland Cowboys
They have missed the finals the last two seasons and it's hard to predict otherwise for 2010.
Aaron Payne's injury last year was a disaster for the 2009 Cowboys and 2010 will be a lot similar unless they take the pressure off Jonathan Thurston. Matthew Bowen is already missing the first part of the season and as we know, it takes footballers at least 18 months to properly recover from knee surgery. E.g. Willie Tonga and Willie Mason.
How do they become more than a one man team? Here are a few things that might help....
Aside from the above suggestions, what they may already have on their side this year is the retirement of Shannon Hegarty. If you have a mate who is a Souths fan, ask him/her what they think of 'Hegs'. Souths supporters have never hated anyone more than they hated S. Hegarty from 2005 to 2008. So much so that they were resigned to losing if he was named in the starting line up.
Why?
From what I heard, it was something about his defence. He allegedly cost the bunnies a few games during his tenure at Redfern. One of the positives to come out of this insanity was when Hegarty signed with the Cowboys for 2009. The tipping competition I was in (traditionally a very spirited affair) suddenly had a few Souths fans at the top of the table. Reason? They were tipping against the Cowboys everytime Hegarty started and subsequently predicted the horror season that ensued in Townsville. Was he really that bad?
I say no - and Shannon, we bid you a fond farewell and hearty thanks for your years of service to the Greatest Game of All. Except the years you played for Souths and your appearances for QLD.
Moving on, the questions must be asked:
What will Shannon Hegarty do in retirement? The mind boggles.
Will Shannon Hegarty turn up coaching juniors in the near future? Stop talking about him!
Has Shannon Hegarty fever made me start yelling at myself on this blog? Make it stop!
Do Fox Sports executives think Shannon Hegarty is a future league analyst and if so, is he up to the standards set by Laurie Daley, Simon Woolford and the ever informative Gary Freeman? Maybe... but more importantly where is the sarcasm button on this damn keyboard?
Tip - The Cowboys find Shannon Hegarty irreplaceable and just miss the semi finals.
X Factor – Aaron Payne. Very simple - if he goes well, they win.
Premiership odds - $26.00. In all seriousness, if Carl Webb moves to the bench and the rest of their pack really aim up, they can give it a shake.
Breakout season - Ray Thompson. Played one game of 1st grade last year and could be the answer to their problems at five-eighth. Keep an eye out for him.
Aaron Payne's injury last year was a disaster for the 2009 Cowboys and 2010 will be a lot similar unless they take the pressure off Jonathan Thurston. Matthew Bowen is already missing the first part of the season and as we know, it takes footballers at least 18 months to properly recover from knee surgery. E.g. Willie Tonga and Willie Mason.
How do they become more than a one man team? Here are a few things that might help....
Inspiration. The Cowboys need to be correctly motivated.
Support. Cowboys fans are a rare breed (as you can see) and need to get right behind their club.
Aside from the above suggestions, what they may already have on their side this year is the retirement of Shannon Hegarty. If you have a mate who is a Souths fan, ask him/her what they think of 'Hegs'. Souths supporters have never hated anyone more than they hated S. Hegarty from 2005 to 2008. So much so that they were resigned to losing if he was named in the starting line up.
Why?
From what I heard, it was something about his defence. He allegedly cost the bunnies a few games during his tenure at Redfern. One of the positives to come out of this insanity was when Hegarty signed with the Cowboys for 2009. The tipping competition I was in (traditionally a very spirited affair) suddenly had a few Souths fans at the top of the table. Reason? They were tipping against the Cowboys everytime Hegarty started and subsequently predicted the horror season that ensued in Townsville. Was he really that bad?
I say no - and Shannon, we bid you a fond farewell and hearty thanks for your years of service to the Greatest Game of All. Except the years you played for Souths and your appearances for QLD.
Moving on, the questions must be asked:
What will Shannon Hegarty do in retirement? The mind boggles.
Will Shannon Hegarty turn up coaching juniors in the near future? Stop talking about him!
Has Shannon Hegarty fever made me start yelling at myself on this blog? Make it stop!
Do Fox Sports executives think Shannon Hegarty is a future league analyst and if so, is he up to the standards set by Laurie Daley, Simon Woolford and the ever informative Gary Freeman? Maybe... but more importantly where is the sarcasm button on this damn keyboard?
Tip - The Cowboys find Shannon Hegarty irreplaceable and just miss the semi finals.
X Factor – Aaron Payne. Very simple - if he goes well, they win.
Premiership odds - $26.00. In all seriousness, if Carl Webb moves to the bench and the rest of their pack really aim up, they can give it a shake.
Breakout season - Ray Thompson. Played one game of 1st grade last year and could be the answer to their problems at five-eighth. Keep an eye out for him.
Friday, March 5, 2010
2010 NRL Season Preview - Sydney Roosters
The 2009 Sydney Roosters resembled a group of high school graduates on a 'gap year'. A bunch of backpackers rather than a 1st grade football team.
This Roosters team started their 'end of season trip' in about April, 2009 and in charge of festivities was a more than capable Brad Fittler. Now they are back from holidays and about to start Uni with a new professor: Brian Smith.
The party is over for these blokes - imagine the difference between Smith and Fittler? If you'll permit another vague analogy, this must be like when your regular teacher comes back from a sick day. The substitute teacher was just killing time and you took full advantage. The 2009 Roosters team did just that.
So many questions about this fantasy classroom:
Were Nate Myles and Jake Friend the two class clowns? One got suspended, the other expelled.
Was Braith Anasta the class nerd? I can picture him drinking breezers and heading home early.
Was Willie Mason the serial truant? Absolutely, and when not recovering from knee surgery last year, Willie's ADHD must have been a great source of entertainment during bonding sessions.
Moving on to this year:
Is new signing Jason Ryles the missing link for 2010? In more ways than one.
Will Todd Carney be banned from another city apart from Goulburn? He can’t possibly get into any trouble living in the Eastern Suburbs!!!
One final question...
Tip - The Roosters begin their re-education this year and will be better for it. They finish outside the 8 but fans will find out which players are fairdinkum.
X Factor – Mitchell Pearce is a star who will be better off listening to Brian Smith's advice as opposed to a slurring Freddy Fittler.
Premiership odds - $26.00. This year is not about premierships for the Bondi club.
Breakout season - Ciriaco Mescia. He is our tip to be a truly inspiring figure as High Performance Manager for the Roosters this year. For those of you who remember ‘Cherry’… you’ll know he was always about 'High Performance' as shown in these career statistics.
Craig Fitzgibbon couldn't quite get the boys motivated for last year. Here's why...
The Roosters adopted the following backpackers travel itinerary, which replaced their fixture card for season 2009:
- Land at Heathrow
- Drinks every night to settle in. (read 'pre-season training')
- Jump on a train to Prague for more drinks. (read 'away game at Brisbane')
- Head back to our pad in London for a party. (Read 'Coogee Bay Hotel')
- Over to Amsterdam for the long weekend. (read 'Central Coast Hotel which apparently had no ensuites')
- Back to London to work in a pub. (read 'Bondi Hotel during the bye weekend')
- Over to the Greek Islands. (read 'away game against Melbourne')
- Visit Rome and Paris for a taste of European culture. (read 'Canberra and the Gold Coast')
- E-mail Mum and Dad asking for more money. (literal)
The Roosters 'gap year'? Photo from SMH website and I couldn't resist using it. So apt.
Mitchell Pearce asking father Wayne for some holiday spending money.
The party is over for these blokes - imagine the difference between Smith and Fittler? If you'll permit another vague analogy, this must be like when your regular teacher comes back from a sick day. The substitute teacher was just killing time and you took full advantage. The 2009 Roosters team did just that.
So many questions about this fantasy classroom:
Were Nate Myles and Jake Friend the two class clowns? One got suspended, the other expelled.
Brisbane players begging Nate Myles to hold it in.
Was Willie Mason the serial truant? Absolutely, and when not recovering from knee surgery last year, Willie's ADHD must have been a great source of entertainment during bonding sessions.
Moving on to this year:
Is new signing Jason Ryles the missing link for 2010? In more ways than one.
Will Todd Carney be banned from another city apart from Goulburn? He can’t possibly get into any trouble living in the Eastern Suburbs!!!
One final question...
Will Roosters fans once again turn out in record numbers for 2010?
Tip - The Roosters begin their re-education this year and will be better for it. They finish outside the 8 but fans will find out which players are fairdinkum.
X Factor – Mitchell Pearce is a star who will be better off listening to Brian Smith's advice as opposed to a slurring Freddy Fittler.
Premiership odds - $26.00. This year is not about premierships for the Bondi club.
Breakout season - Ciriaco Mescia. He is our tip to be a truly inspiring figure as High Performance Manager for the Roosters this year. For those of you who remember ‘Cherry’… you’ll know he was always about 'High Performance' as shown in these career statistics.
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