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Joined June 2013
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There was a lot of debate for and against the banning of the shoulder charge outright not so long ago. Recent events regarding Billy…
After the Cape Town Test match involving South Africa and Australia was dramatically upturned by the Australians' ball tampering, we are now beginning to…
Test match cricket is an intense sport. Concentration levels are tested as players set for and then relax after an incoming ball 540 times…
There has been a great deal of discussion around the Titans this year. There has been a steady flow of talk about their underachieving…
One of the most exhilarating and entertaining Origin series in recent times has been decided, with some stark differences between players in the three…
With the advent of the Memorandum of Understanding deadline being missed, the Cricket Australia pay dispute has become a very sorry and internationally damaging…
As an enthralling night of football came to a close and the icepacks were being strapped on in the sheds, there was a sombre…
Robbie Farah, the man is a patriot, is clearly very proud and has a wealth of supporters thanks to being a one team man…
In light of the fallout from the Todd Carney incident and the subsequent reporting of Andrew Johns' statement regarding Carney's behaviour, it is clear…
There was a time in this country when elite athletes in cricket and football were not professional. They held day jobs to cover their…
Only watched the highlights to this, but what a game. So happy that Dolphins have some good fundamentals and a few superstars. Hammer is electric and Bennetts has done what bennett does and has got Isako and Nikorima on song again. They are two players that i enjoy watching at their best. With Herbie moving to Dolphin Oval next year, they will be even stronger.
But what about Cobbo. Wow!
ANALYSIS: Cobbo steals show, Herbie goes bananas and Dolphins deja vu in Brisbane derby epic
I’ve got a fishing mate who spent most of his life in NSW and is as blue as they come. He brings up eligibility for Qld every year around late May. I explain it this way:
There is FNQ or far north Qld that stretches down to Innisfail. Then down to Ayr is north Qld. Then down to Gladstone is central Qld. Then down to the Tweed is SE Qld. The next border is a little fluid but it is generally accepted that just south of Kempsey turn off is far south Queensland for 2 month of the year 😉
Selection Blues: Here’s a novel idea - a NSW team picked on current form instead of past reputation
Walker is in the twilight of his career. NSW need to decide if they are looking for a future or if they just want to save face this series and let he coach next year (Fittler or not) sort out the next stage in the team’s evolution.
Selection Blues: Here’s a novel idea - a NSW team picked on current form instead of past reputation
The things that motivate Qld are not the same things necessarily that will motivate NSW. You could probably name a team of Qld players who over the years have drifted through the season and when rep footy comes along they grow an extra 6 inches, get an extra yard of pace and 20% more endurance.
NSW need to find what works for them. They have the same amount of history to delve into to find their own unique mojo. Someone at the NSWRL should do that instead of trying to emulate what Qld do.
Selection Blues: Here’s a novel idea - a NSW team picked on current form instead of past reputation
Ponting in commentary mentioned that Warner is playing the ball under his eyes again for the most part. After hearing that, it was noticable. Maybe he is starting to find some form. Some of the bottom hand jabs made it to the boundary in quick fire time so the timing seems to be coming back.
'A big one could be around the corner': Warner's career shows signs of life but hand injury puts opener's hopes on ice
Slater mentioned that Walsh (to paraphrase) ” can be anything that he wants to be in this game. It is up to Reece.”
Fairly confident that the way Walsh portrays himself on and off the field is at least a significant part of what Slater meant there.
Sorry situation. What an embarrassment for Brioncos team to have players in a judiciary F-ing and C-ing for a couple of hours and sounding all very pathetic.
Broncos should have made Walsh take a guilty plea. One one who gave evidence walked out of that hearing with the same integrity that they had when they walked in unfortunately.
When that credibility reality sinks in to the other Broncos players and staff, they might be feeling a little different out their star fullback.
I hope this doesn’t derail Brisbane’s season.
If the NRL are serious about protecting refs, they should have thrown the book at Reece Walsh
Would it be a straight swap of AJ Brimson for Walsh? Would you push Hammer to fullback and bring in Gagai or keep him in place and say risk Cobbo at fullback? Hammer has been excellent in attack and defense so far this season. Do you want to disrupt that?
Who else could play full back? Who else is eligible for Qld?
Ponga has ruled himself out and Slater didn’t pick him due to health and safety concerns. I’d image that health and safety concern is still in coach’s mind.
Judiciary hands down Walsh verdict over ref abuse - and it's not good news for Broncos and Maroons
Agree, The Barry. Also, he is his state and country captain. Some respect is required. Australian sport in general have a history of letting their skippers go out on their own terms.
Personally I still think that he is injured more than just the normal niggles that are carried. Surely you don’t lose a yard of acceleration and the inability to jump in an off season.
Could positional switch end Teddy's form slump?
Someone needs to have a quiet yet stern word with Walsh very soon. Not only is he putting a target on his back with other players and officials rather quickly, but that sort of rubbish can derail a team. Kevvie will want to stamp that stuff out before some players get sick of being penalised for chat back.
I’m Sure Coach Slater will be quite unimpressed. What was it that Billy said recently? It was words to the effect of “Reece and be anything that he wants to be if that is what he chooses.”
Choosing to mouth off at every dud call rather than keeping your head down and letting the football talk is probably what Slater meant.
Round 18 Team Lists Late Mail: Broncos shake-up, Dolphins pull surprise switch, Storm make Munster call, Roosters rattled
Clearly? Hardly. If you can’t understand then it is not my place to educate you.
Sticky Situation: Who should take over over from Brad Fittler as NSW coach?
5 million people give or take.
Sticky Situation: Who should take over over from Brad Fittler as NSW coach?
Besides his coaching credentials, Fletcher was involved in the hand grenade try celebration. There is more motivation to Qld right there.
Sticky Situation: Who should take over over from Brad Fittler as NSW coach?
No doubting Bellamy’s ability to develop players. Many times has he taken unwanted or borderline NRL level players and placed them into the system and over time developed them to be an important cog in a bigger machine. But that takes time. Origin doesn’t have that luxury of time.
Origin for a coach seems to be, from very much the outside looking in, someone who can quickly steel a team and give them a unified cause and motivate them to strive for that cause. They also need to choose those players and assistants who can come up with a robust and simple game plan.
Then the coach needs to make sure that that plan is executed to a high level.
Sticky Situation: Who should take over over from Brad Fittler as NSW coach?
A simple way to avoid unwarranted hate on social media is to remove the social media app. Problem solved. It really is no more difficult than that.
People need to realise that social media is a double edged sword. You want the accolades but you don’t want the negativity. But you will get the negativity. It is not a difficult concept to grasp. Add personality like Luai’s into the mix and it is bound to polarize the masses.
If he had death threat then the only call he should have made was to the police and he should have stopped playing social media.
'Chill, all you idiots have work tomorrow': Luai takes aim at critics as Fittler reveals Blues star copped death threats
fair call. rewatched that today.
'The Blues played like under 10s': Legends round on Fittler as NSW coach's job hangs by thread
It is hard to a see someone like Jason Ryles, who is just about to embark on an NRL career, ready to pick up a poisoned chalice. Likewise with Fitzgibbon. Why would he want to? What is the upside even if he had the time to stay away from Cronulla during the year?
NSW needs a drill sargent for a couple of seasons. Someone to sweep a broom through the NSW backline and some selective culling of forwards then get some pride back in whatever colour jersey that NSWRL choose for 2024. Put some systems in place and then reassess. in 2027.
It is like Fittler just thinks that ‘better’ players, fit or not, is the answer instead of commitment, drive, structure and execution.
Freddie’s Cooked: How tactical blunders, selection mistakes and a failure to learn doomed the Blues boss
Everyone just did their job and did it well. Catching of the high ball was of a good standard by Qld.
Freddie’s Cooked: How tactical blunders, selection mistakes and a failure to learn doomed the Blues boss
Win lose or draw, a Test analysis is always something to look forward to, Dan. Thanks.
The Liebke First Ashes Test report card: 'It's fun when England don't give up at the first sign of a challenge'
NSW have a bigger pool of players to choose from. But for mine, the difference is that Qld players don’t want to let their team mates down. NSW are happy to let someone else do the heavy lifting when times get tough.
Why NSW are destined for Origin failure
Way to alienate a vast majority of rugby league supports who need to get up and work a 9 to 5 job for a living, Luai. Speaks volumes about him by belittling supporters like that.
It seems that not only is it difficult for NSW to land a ball over the try line, JAC couldn’t even land a punch with his target being held in place by a team mate.
'Chill, all you idiots have work tomorrow': Luai takes aim at critics as Fittler reveals Blues star copped death threats
Teddy and To’o met a wall every time they returned a kick last night. And DCE’s chase down? Wow. How did that happen? Inspiring stuff.
Freddie’s Cooked: How tactical blunders, selection mistakes and a failure to learn doomed the Blues boss
DCE’s chase down was inspirational. But that passage of play summed up a lot about both teams. Qld had chasers. Crichton had noone backing up in support. NSW left it to someone else to deal with it. Qld never gave up.
Qld’s kick chase was impressive. Can NSW honestly say the same? Qld aren’t doing anything overly special. It’s just that what they are doing is done because they don’t want to be the one to let their team down.
'The Blues played like under 10s': Legends round on Fittler as NSW coach's job hangs by thread
You have a guy in Burton with a deadly kick, pace and can fill in anywhere in the backline who was deemed unworthy of Fittler’s team. Burton alone negates all arguments on injured centres. If he is fit, why isn’t he in the team? If he’s injured, he still apparently fits the current NSW criteria for being picked.
Freddie’s Cooked: How tactical blunders, selection mistakes and a failure to learn doomed the Blues boss
With so many suspect / borderline unfit players picked or considered it was clear in hindsight that NSW were against it.
The lack of cohesion from a rep side was hard to fathom. It is like they met a few hours before the game for a barefoot walk on the grass and a meet and greet.
And for Fittler to admit that he planned for Cook to cover in the centres if Turbo went down is astounding! Fittler’s rationale for picking Cook and Robson was to bring on the second rake to capitalise on tired opposition around the ruck. We now know that he planned for a hooker to cover for Turbo or anyone else in the backline rather than a reshuffle with Murray or Yeo.
What would have happened if Robson came off about 25 minutes and Cook was at Hooker when Turbo tapped out?
Let’s hear Alexander, Gould, Johns and the other brains trust explain their logic on these selection choices and tactics.
'The Blues played like under 10s': Legends round on Fittler as NSW coach's job hangs by thread
Stefano Utoikamanu has got to feel hard done by. Given 12 minutes on the field and then dropped. Way to kill a player’s confidence.
Origin III predicted teams: Blues cop fresh hits on injury front, Slater coy over Maroons fullback options with Walsh out