Roar Guru
Joined April 2016
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Avid Tigers supporter, but also a soft spot for the Bulldogs.
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Billy Slater had a powerful presence in the second two Origin games this year, but to label him as the best in the series…
There’s been a retro atmosphere in the air recently when it comes to the Tigers. Not only has Robbie Farah just resigned with the…
The 2018 season opener has to be one of the most exciting in recent memory. In the first two weeks alone, we've seen many…
The Eels may have been unlucky to be unable to make the most of Mitchell Moses and Corey Norman, but there can still be…
All of a sudden, this year's grand final is an exciting prospect. Over the last couple of weeks, a Storm victory has seemed inevitable.…
Sunday afternoon's match at Leichhardt Oval was the first time in a long time that the Tigers have genuinely felt like a force to…
The Blues have played their best game of football in ten years, delivering a decisive victory – perhaps their only really decisive victory –…
Ivan Cleary's announcement that he intends to give James Tedesco and Aaron Woods a 24-hour window to decide on their future at Wests Tigers…
It'd be unfair to expect Round 7 to compete with Round 6 in terms of pure entertainment value. Still, there was drama aplenty, with…
After last week's field-goal loss to the Rabbitohs, the Panthers were hungry for a win at Pepper Stadium on Easter Sunday, and they came…
It could have been one of the major comebacks of the 2017 season if Manly had prevailed, but even so the Storm's 30-26 win…
Without a doubt, Round 6 has been one of the most exciting in the 2017 season so far. While I didn't catch the Panthers-Rabbitohs…
Even after a round of pretty dramatic footy games, the best was saved for last. The 2016 grand final rematch between Melbourne and Cronulla…
With such a dramatic trilogy of games opening Round 7, it was only inevitable that there was going to be a decrease in excitement…
I don't really know what I was expecting from this week's clash between the Cowboys and the Tigers at 1300SMILES Stadium, but I certainly…
The Thursday night game between the Broncos and the Roosters was so packed with drama that Friday night's match between the Knights and the…
After the last couple of weeks of Wests Tigers games, it was a breath of fresh air to watch tonight's match between the Broncos…
Last night the Bulldogs put in their gutsiest effort of the 2017 season so far. In pelting rain at ANZ Stadium, Canterbury-Bankstown ploughed through…
It's been a difficult couple of weeks for Tigers supporters. One of our best players has been deregistered in the most unflattering circumstances. We've…
Yesterday's match at McDonald Jones Stadium was one of the high points of the season so far. As the Knights start to regain form,…
No doubt, but still pretty depleted compared to what they regularly muster. Agree with you re: best sides but I also think this was more than a matter of luck as well. Interesting to see how they go over the next few weeks – perhaps Cleary really will have an immediate impact (if only because of the emotional relief of moving past the Taylor era).
Tigers break Cowboys' hearts in Townsville
Yeah I agree – they did look kind of drab during the warm-up (was it the heat?)
Dragons outplay Manly to the final minute
Not sure why I put Thompson there instead of Nightingale, but you have to be joking about that being a legitimate try?
Dragons outplay Manly to the final minute
I know right? He already feels like a full-blooded member of the team. Exciting to think how he might step up in the next couple of weeks. The pass to Morris was brilliant.
Dogs edge out Knights in three-act thriller
Gagai was a force of nature – so glad he got that final try.
Dogs edge out Knights in three-act thriller
Yeah I agree – really classy performance from the Knights. They’re starting to regain momentum.
Dogs edge out Knights in three-act thriller
Yep, definitely passionate – and, as you’ve said, there’s something so special about local juniors remaining with their club all the way to the top. I’ve got no doubt we’ll eventually find good replacements, but for a team like ours that’s torn between two quite disparate catchment areas, that local sense of camaraderie was pretty special – hard not to feel sad at the prospect of it dissipating (and in such unpleasant circumstances too!)
Tigers' 'Big Four' is about spirit, not talent
At the moment the schisms within the club seem to have (understandably) produced quite a bit of self-interest, but I think the “Big Four” are unique among many of the other spine groupings in how they have come up through and remained within the same club system for so long, despite considerable opportunities elsewhere (as well as the fact that they were all local players to begin with). For a club like ours, that’s a big deal, especially in the wake of Farah’s departure for Souths.
Tigers' 'Big Four' is about spirit, not talent
I thought Hodkinson’s comment was pretty mild too, although I’m happy for it to be a sin-bin so long as that’s applied consistently.
I still think Burgess deserved more though – that was really ugly and petulant. Terrible sportsmanship.
Knights vs Rabbitohs: More for Burgess, less for Hodkinson
Interesting take. I didn’t feel the Eels were quite as impressive as you’ve argued (after all, Manly is a pretty soft side at the moment) while it’s hard to say if the Dragons are totally revitalised either – part of what I think will be interesting about the match is seeing which team really manages to make good on their Round 1 promises (or whether both teams manage to make good). I agree that the Tigers-Panthers match is more clear cut: Tiges will be anxious to continue their momentum, Panthers will be anxious to rebuild momentum and the team that wants it most will get it (although I’m backing and hoping for the Tigers – personal bias!). Thanks for the writeup – nice work.
NRL Round 2 preview (Part 2): Parra to remain unbeaten
It’s tricky isn’t it? On the one hand, betting against your own team is such a huge transgression (how could any player trust you again in the medium term?) and yet there are players who have committed other indiscretions that are much more disturbing (if not as directly related to their form on the field). I’m not really sure – to be honest I’m still quite shocked that it happened (and from Simona of all people!)
Should Tim Simona get a second chance?
Right, I didn’t know that – interesting. Does that mean they have troubles at Brookvale as well?
Bulldogs vs Storm: Ten key questions from the 2012 grand final replay
Yep I hear you…maybe I meant self-styled hard man!
Bulldogs vs Storm: Ten key questions from the 2012 grand final replay
Yep, Kasiano seemed angry at Vunivalu too…maybe it was just the way the camera happened to focus in on those crazy eyes during the altercation with Chambers! Agree the kicking game needs work…
Bulldogs vs Storm: Ten key questions from the 2012 grand final replay
Right, only seen highlights so far. Next one to watch…
Bulldogs vs Storm: Ten key questions from the 2012 grand final replay
Weird, I had no idea it wasn’t shown in Victoria…
Bulldogs vs Storm: Ten key questions from the 2012 grand final replay
Yeah I agree – I actually felt the same way but I have a tendency to overstate how good the Tigers are so I tried to tone it back a bit! Littlejohn was great – looking forward to seeing more of him this year. Interested to see how he might go with Brooks. I reckon Moses at halfback and Littlejohn at five-eighth could be interesting. Relieving to see Matt McIlwrick holding his own at no. 9. Agree with you about Josh Aloiai too – I’ve got real hopes for him this year. We need some depth in the forwards and I reckon he could become a real leader/presence (even more so than last year, when he was a real workhorse).
Cowboys pip Tigers in Campbelltown trial
Thanks mate. Yeah I’m hoping Michael Chee-Kam will really build on things this year. Nofa is the best – biggest Tigers asset after Tedesco I reckon. So reliable. Lachlan Coote seemed to be having a particularly bad night!
Cowboys pip Tigers in Campbelltown trial
Yeah fair call. I deliberately left out much on Lyon just because, as you said, he doesn’t seem to quite fit the one-player Manly mould, although he was definitely an integral part of that club spirit by the end.
Farewell Brett Stewart and Steve Matai
Yeah fair enough I was thinking that as I wrote it. I guess another one of the reasons why Slater and Matai were so often linked in those early days was because they could be quite grubby players. Maybe I’m idealising Matai a bit in respect – I just often feel that the big men are a bit devoid of humour in the contemporary game.
Farewell Brett Stewart and Steve Matai
Good recommendation! I’d totally forgotten about that – it’s actually on YouTube as well, so there’s my weekend watching (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3An436Dmdes). Burgess doco is up there as well (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNVUwyFox5s)
2017 should be the year of the NRL doco
Fair enough, maybe I got caught up the furore – although the Bunker footage did look conclusive! Agreed that it was ridiculous to blame the loss on that opening moment. It certainly sapped the Sea Eagles for the first part of the game, but the Dragons were so consistently dominant – right up until the last minute – that they really deserved the win on their own terms.
Dragons outplay Manly to the final minute