The Ferrari F40. One of the finest supercars of all time, mostly because of its simplicity. No power windows, no door handles on the inside, no carpets. Simple yet effective.

SImplicity is often a good thing.

The NRL should be lobbying the NSW Government to have a stadium constructed in the airspace over the rail lines between Eveleigh and Central station in Sydney. The under-utilised rail infrastructure has been earmarked for high rise apartments – but here’s my plan: build a 55,000-60,000 seat Suncorp sized stadium and some apartments above the rail lines. BOOM – you finally have a well connected stadium in Sydney close to bars, nightclubs and restaurants in the city…a big contrast to ANZ which many sports fans will tell you feels like it’s in the middle of a wasteland.

To fund the plan: for the clubs that commit to play their home games at the new stadium, trade the housing that could have been developed at the Eveleigh-Central site, and build it on the sites of the the local grounds that will no longer be used. Charge a small levy to developers that will construct the housing and have those funds contribute directly to the stadium construction.

It sounds like a cold horrible plan that will steal footy from the suburbs – but in reality – the NRL needs to take a step forward into the future and do something big and bold. It needs to give an inter-generational gift to rugby league in Australia somehow…

The Dragons/Steelers are a match made in heaven…I think there’s only a few bitter souls on the South Coast who will never don a Red V, but for the most part it has been a really successful merge and the club shows due respect to both its St George and Illawarra heritage.

I really think Gallen should play more like a genuine back-rower than a quasi-prop in Origin. The experts say Gallen is a tight runner, not an edge runner…but I think the reality is when he’s named as a prop for Origin, he ends up costing a genuine prop a spot on the field. It’s like robbing Peter to pay Paul.

In the twilight of his career, I think Gallen would be a better quality player if he ran angles and ran hard at smaller men rather than doing his best impersination of a prop every Origin.

Or that arrogant shop owner that has an EFTPOS machine, but won’t do card transactions for less than $10. Every day they watch customers walk out and not spend anything because they’re “right”.

Benji needs to change his attitude big time to keep up in 2013. You have kids like Daniel Tupou and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck who are going to take the league by storm and leave fogies like Marshall in their dust.

Can you call him a ‘superstar’ if he never delivers?

Whinging like a child because he got dropped to the bench. Sobbing because the Tigers may or may not keep him. He’s shown he’s weak and vulnerable and can’t take it like a man. Sounds perfect for rugby actually.

Saw Benji Marshall out on the town one night…Asked him how he thought he would go in the match the coming weekend. He told me to eff off and I walked away with my tail between my legs.

Great ambassador? No. Egomaniac. Yes.

When he said on the Footy Show he’d never play against the Tigers and would rather play rugby than get traded, I cringed inside. He thinks he’s bigger than the game…

I couldn’t believe Benji on the Footy Show last night saying he categorically and absolutely would never play for another club out of ‘respect’ for the Tigers. The audience clapped, but it all seemed so forced. I was cringing inside.

The reality is, players move clubs all the time, it doesn’t mean they’re less passionate or love league any less. I don’t know why Marshall thinks he’s above the game. Marshall should take a leaf out of Lance Thompson’s book. He took paycuts to stay with the Dragons, but always looked like he’d be a one club man. In the end, he finished his career at the Sharks. An unpleasant situation, but he was full of grace throughout.

Benji seems bitter and washed up. If he was the best in the game, or even the best at the Tigers – maybe he could make the crazy demands that he is currently making. Truth is – he’s not as good as he used to be and will never recapture his 2005 form ever again.

That’s a long bow to draw…There’s wriggling and milking for a penalty, and then theres deliberate upwards thrusting with your elbow.

So next time someone sticks their middle finger up at you, you just gotta take it…it’s just a finger so it’s not offensive.

Next time someone swears at you, just smile back…it’s just a word.

Next time an indigenous player is called a monkey, he should just take it on the chin – it’s just an animal.

What a ridiculous comment.

It was offensive to the non Queenslanders to sing the ‘yipee’ song. Everyone, including New South Welshman, gave their all to wear a Kangaroo jersey and deserve far better.

Smith’s non-repentant demeanour after the event showed just how shabby a leader he really is.

I think you’ll find this article was about Cameron Smith.

In journalism school, we were taught to write to one angle per piece and not get too muddled up introducing a thousand other things. If you want to write about how much you dislike Paul Gallen, go ahead.

So ‘yawn’ yourself, your comment is embarrassing.

I wish there was a downvote or dislike feature on The Roar – because your mindless “nonsense” comment would have you disliked into oblivion.

When it comes to NSW v QLD – we will never agree. You and your folk like maroon, the rest like blue, and that’s just fine. The author has made some fairly astute observations about your fearless leader, and even taken the time to write about them…and all you can come up with is a one word response.

You, and the rest of you Queenslanders should try engaging with and responding to some of the points the author has raised. if you THINK and ANALYSE rather than just dismiss without even reading the whole article, you and everyone else will get a lot more out of the exercise.

I think Cam Smith constantly plays the victim – like he’s hard done by and tries to pressure the refs to see it his way. It’s all well and good if you support the Storm or QLD, but from the opposition’s perspective it becomes wearisome…especially when the refs buckle to it.

This angle should never be forgotten. We wring our hands violence and corruption in RL, and we need look no further the ‘partners’ of the game – the bookies and alcohol companies.

Have you ever been to a boardroom meeting of an elite sport? I have. It’s usually a gathering of rich white men schmoozing for the corporate dollar – just like any other business.

You want to see the original dog shot? Rewind the tape a few minutes and watch Myles leading with the head on Hayne.

While this is a great win for the NSW Government, I reckon these games will turn out to be duds. Imagine the atmosphere…a neutral crowd, with so many baseball novices in a ground not built for baseball. By the bottom of the 3rd Inning, everyone will be bored wondering what the point of coming was. There’s just no context.

They’ll also have some lame-o interrupting every play to explain over the PA what’s going on…

It will be a nice novelty at best.

I’m getting a bit sick and tired of hearing that QLD weren’t playing their best and they’ll be better next game.

What if they were at their best last night? NSW were dominant despite plenty of dropped ball.

I can’t wait to see the Blues dominate in QLD on a fast dry surface.

Tamou wasn’t in great form last night – I thought he would be one of the best on field, but he was disappointing.

I wouldn’t go dropping him for game 2 though…

From what Gould said, and Panthers fans correct me if I’m wrong, Lewis is a left edge runner as well. HE can play right, but prefers left.

He can play anywhere actually so I’m glad we have him – but I’m sure you’re right, Laurie will have it covered.

Yeah the SFS is ok…just a tad bit further than comfortable walking distance from the city I reckon.

It would cost billions, but I reckon you could sink all of the lines leading up to Central station underground, and build a 60,000 seater rectangular stadium right there on top of that new space.

Billions..

lol. it’s a sports forum, enlighten us with your wisdom o great one. If you actually engage with some of the issues I’ve raised, I’m sure you’ll understand where I’m coming from.

I agree. Daley performs so well in the press conferences I’ve seen so far, I can only assume that he’s got a similar demeanour in the sheds. Cool and calm.

I still think Ricky was the right man to rebuild the Blues after the Bellamy years. Ricky brought the passion back. But Daley seems the right man at this stage. If only he didn’t play favourites with Gidley and Pearce – then he’d be the perfect coach.

I honestly think the Sydney Olympics has been an overall negative for sport in Sydney. We’ve overcommitted too many events to Homebush and 83,000 is just too large a number to aim for. Nobody wants to be up in the nosebleeds of ANZ – sure, the lower tiers are movable and that’s great, but nobody wants to be upstairs for rugby league. Those seats are a mile away from the action.

If we had a Suncorp Stadium scale venue in the CBD, Origin would be a sellout every match guaranteed. Even a dead rubber would sell out. If it weren’t for the Olympics, NSW wouldn’t have had to sell off Origins to Melbourne and given away home ground advantage so often – I’d go as far as saying and we wouldn’t have lost 7 in a row .

Just heard Gus Gould on the radio. His analysis is that NSW is packed full of middle specialists, and only one edge specialist, Ryan Hoffman, who prefers to run on the left edge. Gould’s conclusion is that NSW will run middle-middle-left, which is unfortunately QLD’s stronger defensive side.

NSW will need to make opportunities for J. Morris and Ferguson somehow, and not be one dimensional in attack.

NSW can and will win…but I agree, Cam Smith is one of the most influential players out there – but not because he’s the best – because he’s always approaching the refs trying to influence their decisions. I’d like to see that kept to a minimum tonight.

As much as I desperately want the Blues to win the series…it’s a shame that the selectors would justify all future selections of M. Pearce based on a victorious 2013 campaign (if we were to win). All the past flops, his poor form at club level, his weak kicking game, his inability to force a repeat set, his tendency to go missing when under fire….all will be forgotten because the Blues did it in 2013.

What am I thinking? Even if we lose, Daley and Bozo will still find a way to give him a blue jumper somehow.

Ben Creagh. What was Ricky thinking?

He had a great combo going with Hornby at the Dragons – Hornby could put him into a hole 5 metres out with a short flat ball almost every time…but in a Blue jersey, he is well deserving of the nickname “cat”.

Also, he’s just not built to play down the middle. His specialty is sniffing out holes between back rowers and centres – or outjumping smaller backs under the high ball. He started his first grade career on the wing for heavens sake!

Mistakes, like picking Ben Creagh out of position, should never be repeated again

I don’t mind if Pearce is selected. He is the incumbent and he is in form…HOWEVER (and this is a big however), he needs some caveats attached to his selection. If I were Laurie, I would say: Mitch, you have to meet these following criteria, or you’re out at the end of the series:

1. Improve your kicking game. Set some sort of KPI so Pearce can measure the success of his contribution. 70% of kicks find open space, 0% of kicks find Slater on the full, 60% of kicks within the attacking 20 should force a repeat set. Add measures and let the numbers decide whether he is successful. We all have to live up to measures in our jobs – whether we’re a copy boy or a CEO. He should have to live up to a certain standard as well.

2. Promote the game. Front up to the media and change perceptions. The public think that you’re an entitled snot who gets around on your surname. Show them it means something to you.

3. Be a leader. Even if the Blues are down on the scoreboard, don’t you dare go missing. Keep talking, keep motivating. It’s not over til the hooter goes.

If he fails on any of the agreed terms, he’s out at the end of the series…because Adam Reynolds will be waiting on the bench ready for his shot next year.