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Joined March 2014
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Raj is a lifelong Brisbane Broncos and Brisbane Lions fan (and even managed to work for both for a bit). He realised he wasn't insightful enough to offer anything original in terms of game analysis so he writes about the intersection of business, money and sport instead.
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Middle Eastern and Russian billionaires grab the lion’s share of the headlines when it comes to English Premier League. But when it comes to…
If you're anything like myself and the 20-odd guys in the office tipping comp, Origin time turns your rational footy brain into a confused…
Before we go any further, I'm not going to argue that the NRL judiciary is crazy, inconsistent or that there needs to be an…
Since we have a breather before the final four games of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, it gives us a chance to look at…
With the 2014 FIFA World Cup only days away, it seems appropriate to recap some of the biggest shocks, controversies and outrageous incidents the…
The muppets at the FFA who helped kill our 2022 FIFA World Cup bid have struck again. From the same people who thought that…
Following on from last week's article ranking the NRL expansion bids, here is Part II. This part reveals those ranked number three to number…
In a week that has been about as exciting as a buck's party thrown by NRL coaches Wayne Bennett and Steve Price, we need…
Thankfully racism in sport is a subject that rarely generates headlines. But Dani Alves from Barcelona and the Los Angeles Clippers have won praise…
Imagine for a moment you are sitting at the head of the table in the Old Trafford boardroom. You've just sacked David Moyes. The…
When it was announced in January 2014 that Melbourne Heart would be bought by Manchester City, the red and white half of Melbourne could…
Following on from last week's article about the one weakness most likely to cost each team the premiership in 2014, here is Part 2.…
Australia crashing out in the group stages of a tournament normally triggers days of trial and judgement on the back page of every newspaper.…
Every keen league fan imagines they are able to pinpoint, in one brilliant flash, the exact reason their team isn't winning. In that great…
Fortunately for most of us, we will never have the chance to lose a few million dollars in a few fateful seconds. Even James…
The danger of a single round of football played over 10 days instead of the usual three is it gives sportswriters the chance to…
Some moments in sport stay with you. I remember watching a Brisbane Broncos game in a friend's shed in the Gold Coast hinterland in…
Thanks for making the point about the name versus the colours distinction. Ultimately, if the fans get into a dialogue with the club and owners that is well reasoned and constructive I’m sure a compromise could be reached, City would be crazy to not look after their loyal fans and bring them with them.
However, in terms of bargaining table position, I think it’s important to realise that the new owners hold the majority of the chips, and any agreement would likely be closer to their wishes than anyone elses.
Heart replacement is a good thing
There’s already an even weirder one with heart fans against the change + Sydney FC vs Man City + those fans for the change. Civil war anyone?
Heart replacement is a good thing
Not belittling in the slightest Alex, passion is a great thing and you’ve shown that in your article. The point I was making is that an overly vocal 20% should not be allowed to drown out the majority 80%, no matter how passionate they are.
Heart replacement is a good thing
City have some good form with compromise, in NY the logo and elements were chosen by the fans, so keeping some red and white somewhere is probably on the cards. Or maybe even the club slogan ‘MCFC – The Heart of Melbourne’ or something like it?
Heart replacement is a good thing
More that MCFC would relish running out in the new strip after SFC’s protest – without it, you’re right, there’d be nothing much to get worked up about from the MCFC side of things.
Heart replacement is a good thing
So does that makes ODIs the girl you dated for a while which was great at first but eventually the excitement faded?
Australia just didn't care about the World T20
Cheers for the feedback James, everyone loves a team song, don’t the Tiges have a good one too? But good work getting out to Leichardt, looked like a great (if damp) game to be at
The one reason your NRL team can’t win the premiership (part 2)
That’s exactly right, there’s a reason the West Indies and the Dutch were so excited with their wins: it’s their chance to be number 1 for a day. Neither of those teams will win a ODI world cup or rise to the top of the test rankings in the next 10 years, well after everyone playing today has retired.
Australia just didn't care about the World T20
I agree the 3 or 5 game series would smooth things out a bit and get rid of one off lucky results, perhaps a double header format like baseball uses could help? Teams allowed to pick a squad of 14 or 15 and make changes between games. Thoughts?
Australia just didn't care about the World T20
Fair point Mo man, thanks for pulling me up on that
Australia just didn't care about the World T20
First, it’s not as though Lehmann (or any coach, ever) is going to come out and say “We want to dominate in some forms, but we’ll be satisfied with not losing too badly in this one”
Second, they may well have picked a specialist team, but T20 is the first form of the game our players retire from internationally, so that is a good indicator of the care factor.
Third, that’s an individualistic care factor, not a team one, and not something that we as fans are particularly interested in.
Australia just didn't care about the World T20
Love the analogy Gav. T20, short, sweet and gives me a headache if there’s too much.
Australia just didn't care about the World T20
Haha I’m interested mate, go for your life you’re almost there! Here’s Part 1 if you were interested / stuck for ideas: http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/04/04/the-one-reason-your-nrl-team-cant-win-the-premiership-part-1/
The one reason your NRL team can’t win the premiership (part 2)
There would have to be grade and first grade cricketers knowing that they would likely never get a Baggy Green hoping that some cashed up international club saw something they liked and flew them over for a stint, you’d be set for a few years
Australia just didn't care about the World T20
I do remember that, and it was a great spectacle. I’d love to go along to a game knowing that it was going to be played with a sense of good fun and with a bit of humour from the players – remember the Beige uniform the Kiwis played in?
Australia just didn't care about the World T20
A few reasons, 1) David Furner was well respected in NRL circles and within the club as well, and many of the players who had been there for several years had a good relationship with him. 2) Ricky Stuarts style is a a polarising one, as was shown at Parra, and there were trickles out of the Canberra senior and junior set up that his style when he first arrived didn’t agree with everyone and 3) a run of bad results puts the microscope on clubs, that’s when news is far more likely to emerge, just look at the Souths experience in the early rounds.
The one reason your NRL team can’t win the premiership (part 2)
I think a lot of Broncos fans would settle for him not putting down bombs in the back field to start, his support play and off the ball work has been pretty strong so far.
The one reason your NRL team can’t win the premiership (part 2)
Interesting to remember too, T20 was initially conceived as a promotional style match for ODIs, rather than a stand alone format with it’s own tournaments and teams, do you reckon it would’ve been better if it stayed that way?
Australia just didn't care about the World T20
Do you think you would’ve tuned in / talked about it at the office more if it was played in Australia or NZ?
Australia just didn't care about the World T20
That’s exactly how a lot of us feel I reckon, we want to like it, but can’t connect with it for some reason
Australia just didn't care about the World T20
That may be the case when they hold down the ball player or slow down the play, but not sure if you can call lazy tackles around the neck and face and swinging arms part of a game plan.
The one reason your NRL team can't win the premiership (part 1)
I agree, chances are someone out at Belmore was very thankful for the get out of jail free card.
How to lose $3.4 million in 3.4 seconds
I don’t know if the overcrowded argument is the sole reason that Sydney crowds are low. in direct comparison, Melbourne has sporting events coming out of its ears and crowd numbers are never a publicised problem there. That could have something to do with the sports involved (predominantly AFL vs. NRL in Sydney).
However, I think another big problem is that major events are not easy to get to and from. Public transport is terrible, the infrastructure around stadiums is not able to handle larger crowds and / or are in the middle of heavily congested traffic areas. Basically, no one wants to spend the same amount of time travelling before and after the game as they do enjoying it, and sitting at home means that you take out the most frustrating part of the day: the travel to and from the event.
Is the Sydney entertainment market overcrowded?