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.
My lock of the week is the knights to beat the dogs.
ReplyDeleteReasoning: the dogs have their eyes on september football, they have not tapered down from their pre season fitness regime.
The knights want desperately to redeem themselves, playing footy to them is what it is all about.
My lock of the week is focused on picking an upset based on the psychological state of both teams.
sincerely
Pistol Pete