Roar Guru
Joined April 2014
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Men are born for games. Nothing else. Every child knows that play is nobler than work. He knows too that the worth or merit of a game is not inherent in the game itself but rather in the value of that which is put at hazard. Games of chance require a wager to have meaning at all. Games of sport involve the skill and strength of the opponents and the humiliation of defeat and the pride of victory are in themselves sufficient stake because they inhere in the worth of the principals and define them. But the trial of chance or trial of worth all games aspire to the condition of war for here that which is wagered swallows up game, player, all. What man would not be a dancer if he could? It's a great thing, the dance.
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The 2017 season may end up as a testament to what could have been for North Queensland. After two dramatic golden point victories to…
After a three-year sabbatical, I have decided to return to writing Roar articles. I believe there is a greater opportunity now than there was…
We are gathered here today to hear the case of Inglis v Slater, with the judgement to decide who will play fullback for Queensland…
He’s one of my favourite players Barry. I feel sorry for him and Dogs supporters who will be without one of their most loyal servants next year.
No Thurston, no worries as Cowboys beat hapless Bulldogs
Well said Barry. Coote is a complete footballer and suits the Cowboy’s structure better than Ponga. That’s why he’s the starting fullback. Our defence went from abysmal against the Eels to fantastic in the space of two weeks. Coote played a huge part in that turnaround.
No Thurston, no worries as Cowboys beat hapless Bulldogs
Gavet has been playing very well and should be in the World Cup squad. He’s a real firebrand.
Shocked Packer to start for Kiwis over experienced teammates
300 tackles per game? Dallas Johnson and Nathan Hindmarsh sit down! In all seriousness, James is a quality player and NSW would be daft not to pick him on the bench this year. I wish he were a Queenslander. He comes across as nice, well spoken man as well.
Ryan James out of Country Origin, not far off the mark for Blues
The Kiwis are in with a good chance, that’s for sure. Whilst it is true that NZ will have their full strength spine back for the first time since they last beat Aus back in 2015, the Kangaroos pack is also significantly stronger. Klemmer and Fafita as starting bookends, ably supported on the bench with Frizell, J Trbojevic and, sigh, Thaiday. At least Thaiday lifts for representative matches, and I am at odds to recall a match in recent times where he has played poorly.
Foran's return a big threat to Aussie Test dominance
Woods for James Graham? I know who will be coming out for the better and worse after that deal.
Ex-Tiger Sironen tells fans to get a grip
It’s all part of the game. Without the fans turning up to games, whether to support their team or vent frustrations, players would be out of a job and working 9-5s like the majority of people in this country. Fan interaction and input should be encouraged. I thought the banner was quite clever personally. The water bottle incident was a different story, and people like that should be punished accordingly.
Ex-Tiger Sironen tells fans to get a grip
Fantastic signing for the Knights then. They need a forward leader and big James is one of the best.
Ponga could take the Knights back to the top
Fair points, however I’m yet to be won over by him. I think Coote is a better fit for the Cowboys structure. Ponga’s passing and kicking game is still too limited for him to be considered better than Coote. That being said, he is getting better every game he plays. I do agree with you on the re-signings, Cooper and Linnett should probably be moved on at the end of the season when they come off contract. Hess to start in the 2nd row with Lowe. Enari Tuala to take Linnett’s position. Winterstein and Bolton still have a couple years left in them.
Ponga could take the Knights back to the top
Tigers need a 5/8th for this season, a “mature” head to guide the young players around. Throw the chequebook at him.
Anthony Mundine is seriously considering another tilt at rugby league
It looks like it should be a good game, with the Kiwi’s shedding some dead weight and the Kangaroos pack being bolstered by inform players due to injuries. The Kiwi’s surely cannot blame a lack of preparation if they get toweled this time, their spine has been playing together for the better part of a month.
How will the Kiwis line up?
He is indeed not the most robust kick returner Max. As Jimmy pointed out above he gets decimated by opposition players whenever he carries the ball back. Which is why when Coote returns he shouldn’t play on the wing, we need bigger bodies carrying the ball back. Perhaps a #14 jersey is the way to go? Using his flashy footwork and acceleration to make meters from dummy half at the bank end of each stanza. Then again, the Cowboys ruck defence has been suspect enough of late and I shudder to think of men like Pauli Pauli, Klemmer and Shannon Boyd targeting Ponga in the line.
Ponga could take the Knights back to the top
Well said Jimmy. He has raw talent and an x-factor to his game. Yet, he has glaring flaws to his game which are not being discussed in the media for whatever reason. His cover defence is suspect, and as you mentioned, his decision making is not there yet. He sometimes is prone to making rash decisions and attempts to score a try whenever he makes a break. His passing and kicking is not at the same level as Coote. That should develop over time. But for Cowboys fans you can see why Coote is still the clear preferential fullback, as Ponga simply does not offer the same plethora of skills as Lachlan.
Ponga could take the Knights back to the top
The Cowboys should definitely be focused on getting off to good starts. Keeping opposition teams honest during the first 20 minutes. The right edge was also a serious problem for large periods of last season but improved dramatically during the finals. Hopefully it remains that way now. Sometimes we also struggle to score points in the opposition 20 m zone so hopefully they’ve worked on some new plays or will at least mix things up a bit to keep opposition defences guessing. Also since the Cowboys now know their best 17 players, unlike the beginning of last season where Tamou was playing off the bench and Robert Lui started at pivot, they should get off to a good star this year.
Which way up? How your NRL side needs to improve in 2016
It’s been a long time coming but the show is back in town. I’m backing all home teams this weekend, barring the Broncos and Warriors. It’s usually a pretty safe bet to begin the year. I’d have backed the Eels for an upset if Foran was playing because their early season form of the past couple of seasons has been pretty good. However I think the Broncos will be too hungry. And despite the Warrior’s abysmal trial form, I think they’ll be too good for the Tigers. On paper the Warriors have a much stronger side, and they should be looking to prove the doubters wrong by getting off to a good start this season.
The Roar's NRL expert tips and predictions: Round 1
Excellent writeup Lachlan. Certainly more comprehensive and engaging then the one presented on The “Footy” Show last night. I would have backed the Eels for the upset in this match if Foran were playing. However I think the Broncos will come storming out of the blocks to make their intent clear. They want to go all the way this season. It also remains to be seen whether Parramatta’s defence has improved drastically so I’ll back the Broncos in this one.
NRL Thursday Night Forecast: Eels vs Broncos
Bring back Michael ‘The Grub’ Ennis!
Robbie Farah in doubt for Origin 2 with a shoulder injury
Love Hodges. He’s a grub, but my god I am glad he plays for Queensland. “I’ll buy you a beer!”.
Robbie Farah in doubt for Origin 2 with a shoulder injury
I agree fellers. We need a big win to buff our for and against and I reckon this is the game to do it. The gulf between the Cowboys pack and Manly’s is ridiculous. They may have an advantage in the centres but without any go forward, what use are they? I wouldn’t be surprised to see a cricket score racked up in favour of the Cowboys come 80 minutes.
NRL Round 12 preview: Titans, Broncos and Cowboys to bolster QLD's dream week
Q. Where was the toughness?
A: Farah played through most of the game with a busted shoulder, and topped the tackle count.
Q. Where was the passion?
A: Queensland rising in the second half to belt the Blues in their own 40 and turned the game on its head.
Going through the motions? Perhaps this statement is applicable to the Blues, who did drop off in intensity a bit in the second half, but a lot of it was forced by the Queenslanders absolutely bludgeoning them. An absolutely baseless comment. Defence is king at this level. I will agree however, that I haven’t seen a good attacking series in 2010. Since then, I think Queensland’s attack has looked a bit disjointed without the presence of Lockyer. However, to suggest that the quality of that game the other night was poor is ridiculous.
Weak Origin shows Test football is now the pinnacle of rugby league
If the referees are foolish enough to fall for their cheap tricks then good on them. If it works and is beneficial for your team, why not do it?
State of Origin 2015 early edition: NSW’s hookers
Yep he sure was. The films were great watching them whilst they were fresh but looking back, yeah they are a bit cheesy. The dialogue in some parts anyway. But the action sequences still hold their own in my opinion. The younger generation still watch the films too, at least the ones I know. Old Angry Anderson did what he does best in that last movie, he’s a pretty funny bloke. I think the game is called Jenga, I used to play it a bit before such games went out in favour of X-boxes and Playstations. But yeah, whatever the shrink did seems to have paid off.
Are the Cowboys now road warriors?
Kicked winning field goal in Round 5? He did kick a field goal but Goodwin kicked the winning goal for the other mob, the Rabbitohs.
State of Origin 2015 early edition: NSW’s halfbacks
I think Linnett is pretty consistent Squidward. He is a wall in defence and often proves to be a handful running off a sweet Thurston pass close to the line. Bani was just, well, not very good.
My two top Australian rugby league teams since 1948
You’re a very astute game analyst and predictor Scott. Nice call.
Canterbury Bulldogs vs North Queensland Cowboys highlights: NRL scores, blog