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Jarryd Hayne in action during the Week 3 Playoff NRL match between the Bulldogs and the Parramatta Eels at ANZ Stadium in Sydney, Friday, Sept. 25, 2009.The Eels beat the Bulldogs 22 - 12. AAP Image/Action Photographics, Robb Cox
There is an odd peace about the final day before the season begins. Your team is undefeated, you’re buoyed by the talk of the toughest preseason ever and heartened by that young player you’ve admired for a while getting a start while the big new signing claims he is loving it and is raring to go.
On a personal note, you stand equal first in the tipping, your fantasy league team still looks like world beaters and you are yet to have a single argument around regarding your team’s playing schedule and the social engagements your partner wants to attend as a couple.
Enjoy the peace while it lasts, most clubs outside of Newcastle have enjoyed a fairly incident free off-season as clubs went on a community driven charm offensive. If you live in the same area as a rugby league team the only danger the players posed was snatching your kids for yet another photo for the club newsletter.
No wonder Tony Abbott has styled himself as a fitness fanatic, he’ll need to be to match all the NRL players shaking hands and kissing babies at shopping centres this season.
But no matter what happens this weekend, the complaints on Monday will mark the start of the season proper.
The referees will not be up to scratch, an early penalty will have turn the game before a side is belted by 30 points. Fans will demand his head.
Crowds will infuriate fans who are forced to queue with other members of public while a particularly upset Souths fan will complain that they were not able to simply stroll into the Rabbitohs game five minutes before kick off unlike the glory days of George Piggins. This is the fault of Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes a Court.
Meanwhile, a working father will bitterly resent the cost of buying five pies for his morbidly obese 10 year old. SPOILER ALERT: Food purchased at sporting grounds tends to be more expensive than similar products sold at supermarkets, it is also unlikely to be award winning in terms of quality. Fans should also be aware that it is not compulsory to purchase said items.
Some fans may also resent the new ‘form hugging’ replica jerseys for not showing more sympathy for their sedentary lifestyle.
Constant complaining is indeed the life blood for so many fans. The routine is for the matches to provide cherished escape and enjoyment while they are on, and when they aren’t it is your duty to moan about the moronic mercenaries wearing your club’s colours and the boofheads running the game.
Listening to talkback radio, I welcome the first caller proclaiming he’ll “never attend another match” like some welcome the first day of spring.
It means the rugby league season has well and truly arrived. Bring it on.
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March 12th 2010 @ 3:18pm
Stormin Red said | March 12th 2010 @ 3:18pm | Report comment
Although they have gotten through the off season without walking into to any large objects, I am absolutely certain that the referees will require their eyes to be checked by the end of the weekend. Also, don’t forget the complaints about the Footy Show ruining the moral fabric of society.
March 12th 2010 @ 4:55pm
Steve Kaless said | March 12th 2010 @ 4:55pm | Report comment
Good call Stormin’ Red. The Footy Show seems to be the one show on TV where people demand it be exactly to the format they wish rather than not watching it if it is not to their taste. Its not like you don’t know what you are getting. With two footy shows this season will the world end twice as fast or half as fast?
Finally, as a mate of mine pointed out last season was all about games to suburban grounds, this year we have already fallen in a heap for not moving to Homebush.
Enjoy your footy.
March 12th 2010 @ 4:52pm
damos_x said | March 12th 2010 @ 4:52pm | Report comment
exactly why i would still be going to the pub 2 watch Cowboys v Broncos even if was here at home, & i live within walking distance & can see dairy farmers from my house, because if i do i will have some beers, dinner & chill out with a generally good view at the same price i can drink warm beer in plastic cups, poor quality food at high quality prices & miss sometimes up to 30 minutes of football lining up for the afore-mentioned !!, by going to the game. Not knocking the spectacle of going live, it’s great, but the whole experience is a trade-off between solely watching the game or enjoying the creature comforts which i choose to enjoy at the end of a week of work.
March 12th 2010 @ 8:20pm
John said | March 12th 2010 @ 8:20pm | Report comment
..and after all those years they still have that stupid “strip the ball”rule.
Whose nightmares was that brought in to soothe? Seriously, if you can’t hang on to the ball you should not be playing grade.
March 12th 2010 @ 9:15pm
Country Victoria said | March 12th 2010 @ 9:15pm | Report comment
Here in country Victoria the games on TV just pass midnight 12.30am Saturday morining.
March 13th 2010 @ 7:32am
bill baxter said | March 13th 2010 @ 7:32am | Report comment
No worse than in Melbourne, get used to it, nothing will improve as long as pathetic Channel 9 has the rights.
Even Fox TV showed last nights games from 11.30.pm!!!!
March 12th 2010 @ 9:38pm
OldManEmu said | March 12th 2010 @ 9:38pm | Report comment
“I’m sick of bloody tired of the referees, and look I’m not biased, but fair dinkum Tony Archer has got to go. He never gives us a go. He cost us the Grand Final last year and that try that was scored in the first half was a dead set forward pass (cue stage left – “you numbskull, the Eels scored that try from the forward pass” – cue slap pover the back of the head) and fair dinkum somethings got to be done about him.
Steve – yours is about the best RL wriritng, anywhere, suometime I wonder if you feel like a Jew in Palestine, this being a staunch Rugby Union site. Keep it up