Roar Pro
Joined June 2013
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Manly fan and proud, though I do have a massive soft spot for the Canberra Raiders. I also love the NFL.
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It was the biggest blunder of the season, a diabolical and inexplicable decision, according to the newspapers. The error cost the Tigers the game,…
The Canberra Raiders' poor form this season is masking what could be the building blocks of a future premiership run. Coach Ricky Stuart and…
For the past eight years passionate, mad and downright crazy NRL fans have witnessed one of the greatest sporting teams ever. The era has…
Since making the Superbowl in 2002, the Oakland Raiders have consistently been one of the worst teams in the NFL. In many respects they…
If the objective of the City versus Country clash is to hold a genuine State of Origin try out for NSW, then let's make…
No other club should ever have to lose in the fashion that St. George Illawarra did on Monday night, and the NRL should immediately…
The NRL has introduced some new rules for the 2014 season, based on recommendations made by experts of the game and input from fans.…
The most surprising thing about the sledging issue is that it is an issue at all. Why people are surprised sledging happens is mystifying.…
Channel Nine boss David Gyngell said yesterday that rugby league needs Sonny Bill Williams to compete with the AFL now that Buddy Franklin has…
David Furner's sacking as Canberra Raiders head coach has given a chance for new life to be blown into the club. Already this season…
I can picture NSW League fans perched on the edges of their seats, foaming with anticipation at the prospect of the Queensland game this…
Dylan Farrell lay on the side-lines at AAMI Park for minutes before play finally stopped. Two sets of six and nearly 200 metres of…
I don't really care that the Rabbitohs will miss Greg Inglis for a few rounds a year when he plays representative games. Nor do…
The NRL decided to implement the Gallen rule because the new administration felt it wasn't a good look for the game. But apparently elbows…
After Origin I, the NRL should really be looking at itself rather than Paul Gallen as the problem. Issuing a new rule where any…
NSW got into the mess they just got out of by picking players too soon. We’ve got plenty of blokes over 30 but so long as they can play they should be in the side. NSW should be looking to go up to Suncorp and beat Qld at their own game, a 3-0 whitewash with two games played in Qld is a big feat to achieve.
Choc is suspended which means there is a bench spot up for grabs, and presumably Boyd Cordner is the front runner if he is healthy, although he is an edge player, just like Wade Graham. Tony Williams can probably come in too and his use frame in the middle of the field.
After winning the series, apart from injury Hodkinson and Reynolds won’t be dropped for years. If anyone wants to take their spot they will have to do it by being better than them at club level, and finding a way onto the bench to spell Farah for 10 minutes a game. Brooks hasn’t even played a full season of first grade and simply handing him a bench spot because of his talent is setting the wrong example, and is breaking the culture NSW is trying to build.
Opportunity to blood new Origin heroes in dead rubber
Yeah it’s interesting. I have lived in Canberra since I was a young child, and consider it my home, and if it came up I would 100% represent the ACT, but I wasn’t born here.
Queensland brought greatness to State of Origin
Lol don’t think Ben Ikin has been on the 9 pregame for years.
Queensland brought greatness to State of Origin
Winning percentages don’t mean anything. They don’t take into account whether the team they are playing is good, bad, horrible or sublime. The Kangaroos’ winning percentage would be ridiculous, but that is because most of the teams they play simply aren’t up to their standard of football.
I don’t watch Rugby much so will have to take your word for it that they are good, but I think you also have to take into consideration the quality of football that Origin is played at. But having said that losing once since 2011 is pretty impressive.
Queensland brought greatness to State of Origin
Oh I absolutely agree with you there that teams create their own luck, but I still think they have had a lot of luck go their way over the years. I would also argue that the best teams make the most of their lucky breaks, which NSW haven’t always been able to do.
Queensland brought greatness to State of Origin
I think to say that kid’s NRL dreams will be put off due to the Panthers wearing pink once or twice a season is a bit ridiculous.
I do agree, however, that the Knights jersey was dumb, any other team and it would have been fine, but playing against the Tigers with orange on your back is silly. I am ok with clubs changing their jersey a bit, particularly if it’s for a good cause, but just do it sensibly, don’t wear lime green against the Raiders, don’t wear red against St. George etc
Repeated jumper changes are hurting league’s traditions
Yeah the Parramatta situation is really interesting. The thing is if a roster really is as poor as Parramatta’s was, you aren’t immediately going to come in and become a premiership contender. Some people will point to the Roosters as proof that it can be done, but they already had a few good players and made some massive buys in Sonny Bill Williams, James Maloney and Michael Jennings. Rebuilding a roster takes time and it will only be in a few years time when we can really judge Ricky’s coaching and roster building credentials. Whether the management has patience to wait for that is another question.
Canberra Raiders must learn from their Oakland cousins
If the live here comment was directed at me I have lived in Canberra for 17 years.
If it was just a general comment then yeah I agree.
Canberra Raiders must learn from their Oakland cousins
If you want to read it that way you can, I certainly didn’t mean it like that. I honestly don’t know how the Raiders will fix the problem they are in, but spending too much on players won’t solve anything.
Canberra Raiders must learn from their Oakland cousins
Moneyball is a bit different, because they hire players to do one specific thing: get on base. What McKenzie is doing is essentially paying players what they are worth and not a dollar more. He is building through the draft, so he will draft young players that fit his team’s system, and sign veterans which he feels can complement his team but essentially his focus is the draft. Obviously the NRL doesn’t have that, which makes signing players for the right price even more important.
Canberra Raiders must learn from their Oakland cousins
Compared to the rest of the country, NSW in particular, Canberra is the wild west where drinking laws are concerned. Have you ever been to Canberra?
Can't recruit, can't retain: Grim times for Raiders fans
We have more than one club. And perhaps a young fella could work on becoming a really good NRL player, rather than going out and getting pissed.
Can't recruit, can't retain: Grim times for Raiders fans
If that’s how you feel can we have Greg Inglis back please?
But seriously the ACT has a population of roughly 350,000, maybe 400,000 if you take into account places like Queanbeyan and Yass and other towns nearby, it is unfeasible to think you can find 25 first grade NRL players solely from the ACT.
Also I could be wrong but I think the Raiders have decided to end their partnership with Souths Logan.
Can't recruit, can't retain: Grim times for Raiders fans
Yeah I can’t go back and watch those because they aren’t included in any of the highlights packages, so I’ll have to take your word for it. i suppose in a nutshell my point is that he didn’t have a brilliant game, but he certainly didn’t have the pitiful excuse of a game you are claiming he did either. Gus Gould said in a column the week before the game a try saved in Origin is better than a try scored, and by my count Scott had at least one try saver, and probably a few more with how much time was spent on NSW’s line at the end.
Scott selection blunder almost costs the Blues
Yeah I’m loving it. The thing I like about it most is neither of them complains too much. Sure they are disappointed when they lose, andwant to win, and you have to expect that from them, but when it is race time, they go out, and drive really hard and display some superb driving.
Cold war heats up at Mercedes
I think you were watching another game. I’ll give you that missed tackle in the first few minutes, he got caught out by the change of direction, but then again the next guy inside him, James Tamou, was forced to run around Matt Scott who had run the block line, he wasn’t obstructed because Scott clearly wasn’t participating but the fact M. Scott was in the way made Tamou late, and aided in McQueen’s line break, by creating a massive hole Scott could not hope to defend by himself. He was probably a bit late in sliding to help save that first try but then again he has to respect the guy running the fake. Trent Merrin made a defensive misread, hitting Thurston late, to allow the second try. Scott actually was the first person to make the last tackle on Slater. I’d say he had a pretty good game, and you also have to remember that Queensland is a very good team, and against good teams mistakes will be made.
Also Gallen and Merrin play in the middle of the field, they tackle the big guys, and have more help on either side. Scott lines up third from the sideline, and has to move laterally more often and cover wider gaps and faster players, so while your stats may be right, they don’t take into account the different roles they play.
Scott selection blunder almost costs the Blues
Come on mate, we’re not talking about surgeons and lawyers here, we’re talking about refereeing, there is a pretty big difference.
I’m still a bit confused as to how you think it is best to go about getting perfection from the referees. I don’t see how making referees answer media questions will help improve their performance. You say they are not accountable, and by implication you are saying they are doing a bad job on purpose because they know there is no accountability. Can you prove this?
Demerit points for referees
There is accountability though. If referees have a shocker they do get dropped. How can you possibly expect them to get up and front the media and explain every single decision they make in a game? They probably won’t recall half of them. Referees rarely lose teams games, even close games. Unless each team is perfect, there is no way you can solely blame the referees for a loss. They have a job, and I bet they do it to the best of their ability, and things do go wrong, just like things go wrong with the teams.
Demerit points for referees
A lot of the older suburbs don’t but in the town centres and the newer suburbs they are everywhere. Actually not a bad idea, keeps the traffic flowing and even though there is a rise in the number of accidents, they are far less severe than ones at traffic lights.
Also Chris, it is an annual event, goes for a little bit longer than two weeks if I recall correctly, half the year is spent tending to the flowers by the gardeners, the other half it is just a public place where anyone can go for a picnic. Consider yourself educated 😉
Ricky Stuart's five-point plan for success
That’s assuming Farah is there, he is 30, sooner or later father time will catch up with him too.
I would be far more inclined to put Jarrod Mullen on the bench, he is 27, in the prime of his career, sure this season the Knights aren’t doing well but it was only last year that they made the final four, under his guidance. Brooks is far too young, and does not have enough first grade experience to warrant selection at this stage of his career in my opinion. Look at DCE, at club level he is probably the best player in the game, but he has had two quiet games at Origin level in the halfback jersey, and he won the premiership in his first year. When Brooks is at that level, talk to me about slotting him onto the bench.
I didn’t realise Jennings was out, but that presumably means Wighton will be the left centre.
Opportunity to blood new Origin heroes in dead rubber