Roar Guru
Joined January 2008
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There has already been too much attention paid to referees this season, but on Saturday night I’ll be watching one with keen interest, and…
Honestly, what the hell is going in Parramatta? The whole three ringed circus with Quade Cooper, while their season hangs from a thread and…
[caption id="attachment_30271" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Eric Grothe in action during the NRL, Parramatta Eels v Canberra Raiders. AAP Image/Action Photographics, Grant Trouville"][/caption] With more teams…
[caption id="attachment_32650" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Queensland player Greg Inglis (right) in action during Queensland\'s defeat over New South Wales in the 2nd State of Origin…
There are some things in rugby league that I just don’t get. One of them is the attraction of playing games at the SCG.…
A few weeks ago the “water cooler” chat about the NRL was that all you needed was to really fire in the last few…
At the start of the year I made a resolution not to blast referees this season. My resolution was made partly through a feeling…
Sunday offered three debates, but only one was answered resoundingly. There was, of course, the debate between two party leaders, which lacked any clear…
The suggestion that the NRL salary cap could be replaced with a “Fantasy League” style points system was one that intrigued me, largely because…
[caption id="attachment_13184" width="300" caption="Former Australian rugby league team coach Ricky Stuart. AAP Image/Dave Hunt"][/caption] I awoke to two of the least shocking headlines a…
So the results are in, and the Storm are an eye watering $3.17 million over the salary cap over the last four seasons, with…
If you believe the rumours, we should finally hear this week just how far the Melbourne Storm are over the salary cap and just…
[caption id="attachment_33486" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Queensland players celebrate a try by Billy Slater. AAP Image/Paul Miller"][/caption] NSW breathed some much needed life into the series…
[caption id="attachment_20310" width="300" caption="Queensland\'s Cameron Smith celebrates with Nate Myles. AAP Image/Dean Lewins"][/caption] NSW line up tonight with a team which is apparently picked…
[caption id="attachment_8526" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Mark Gasnier rallys up his team-mates. AAP Image/Action Photographics, Grant Trouville"][/caption] So he’s back. Mark Gasnier makes his NRL return…
My colleague (and former regular at the Kogarah Hill while cheering on the Dragons) Spiro Zavos wrote that he believed Qatar would win the…
Next! The new batch of NSW players have been lined up, likely to be knocked over, and who knows who’ll be around to pick…
It must have been the most public game plan in the history of Origin football from the NSW Blues last night. “Gentlemen, we must…
[caption id="attachment_20168" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Australian Rugby League player Andrew Johns, right, is handed off by Leeds Rhinos' Danny Ward. AP Photo/Paul Ellis"][/caption] So, onto…
Everyone in Australia seem to be talking about rugby league players at present. Some of them may even be aware that a competition is…
Sydboz, remember it’s the “world famous Corniche”.
Now's not the time to tackle corruption in FIFA
Fussball, and for the record I don’t the think 45 million was a waste, see my response to Aussie media further down….
Now's not the time to tackle corruption in FIFA
Aussie media,
First, I disagree that the Aussie media should have left the Aussie bid alone but gone digging up dirt on other bids. Our patch is our country, the Poms dug up on theirs and we reported that and its upto us to hold those here accountable.
However I agree with you about the line that the bid money was necessarily a waste. I actually don’t think it was…here is my reasoning.
The bid money is largely just to bring people to Australia or lift its profile. If we use the equation that the AFL uses when it signs Rugby League players then every mention in the press is worth X dollars. Seeing Karmichael Hunt’s move apparently paid itself off in teh first day due to the amount of times it was meantioned in the Aussie media, then I think the 45 million would have paid itself off comfortably given the amount of times “Australia” would have been mentioned in worldwide press during the bid.
I think taxpayers have a right to know how the money was spent by the FFA but in theory I think the decision to bid was a largely positive one…as long as the cash was simply handed to Warner et al.
Now's not the time to tackle corruption in FIFA
Ian,
As you say Jack Warner felt that a detrimental part of England’s bid was an “overly inquisitive media”. Human rights abuses no problem, investigative journalism, look out! God help us all.
Blatter has previously sold out Australia when he pronmised Ocenia a direct route to the World Cup, it was shameful how we sucked up to him this time around. The man has form,why the shock?
Now's not the time to tackle corruption in FIFA
Qatar 2022,
I’ve previously criticised the notion of having Qatar host the games and I haven’t altered my view. However, having lived there I think they’ll probably be better than most people think..in fact they may even be a huge success (if they can lobby to get them switched to january..you heard it hear first)
This article though was about Australians reaction, not to the decision.
Now's not the time to tackle corruption in FIFA
Sydboz,
As a friend of mine in the Uk said on the morning of the result “football has always been about money, but now they have stopped pretending.”
You say “FIFA have been at it for a long time” but “Qatar was the nail in the coffin”? Does that mean if we or the USA had won it everything would be okay and we’d just continue as per program??
Now's not the time to tackle corruption in FIFA
Adrian,
A good piece, a few months ago I made it clear that i thought Qatar had no chance.
In fact, I was sat in shock with my wife, both of us having lived in Qatar, we couldn’t help but laugh when we thought back to our conversation when we first heard they were bidding, I thought it was a prank. Air-con stadiums…someone tell ’em they are dreaming. Remember Initially they wanted to move it to December.
But I’ll make two points to add to the discussion.
1. Don’t write their Cup off. I’ve seen first hand what much cash Qatar can pour into a project. There Asian games were first derided but ended up being spectacular. Yes, this is step up, but they have 12 years and I can tell you every expert in the field will be offered a well paid job to get qatar ready.
2. Corruption. All I can say on corruption, well its a bit late now for people to complain. When Australia were accused there were people of people on this site claiming “who cares as long as we win” “its worth it” “that how business is done.” Well you can’t get involved in a shonky system and then complain about a shonky result. If there were genuine concerns about corruption we should have withdrawn our bid on those grounds. Playing along solves nothing.
I’m disappointed Australia didn’t win, but good luck to Qatar. My only hope now is the construction of the stadiums is regulated in way to protect the rights of the workers involved. That for me would be a real victory.
FIFA disgraces game with farcical decision on Qatar
Good shout on the caption Dean, its the AAP caption but I’ll have a word and see what I can do.
Cheers
Dragons and Bennett deserve the accolades
I’ll add further surprise to Boyd getting the CCM. I don’t remember him really doing anything spectacular and while he normally chimes in to set up some tries that wasn’t really his go either.
I would have gone for Smith. It was a forwards battle and he killed it.
Dragons and Bennett deserve the accolades
Scott, if you are the sort of person who gets excited about Lionel Ritchie we’ll have to agree to disagree.
Dragons and Bennett deserve the accolades
I second that, are you for real Jeff?
Anyone else know about SA, TAS or WA?
NRL grand final is just too close to call
If a call needs to be made, I’ll say Dragons by 7.
Boyd for the Clive Churchill.
NRL grand final is just too close to call
You’ll get no agruments here Dan, I’ve been saying it for a while.
NRL grand final is just too close to call
They don’t call it the “Insular peninsula” for nothing (although I’ve The Shire trades by that name as well). Let’s face the Sea Eagles are happy if their fans travel to Brookvale.
PS More power to your friend, it will certainly give the kids something to talk about on Monday morning, and in all seriousness some of my best memories from a child are about going to the footy with my dad. Hope they enjoy themselves.
Quit the moaning and let's all get on with the footy
Furthermore, why should a team that has snuck in and finished 7th or 8th only have to play a team ranked 5 or 6 in week one.
The only problem with your 40k home ground limit I think only four clubs have home ground that big. Bulldogs, Rabbitohs, Broncos and Roosters. (Toss in the Storm if they shift to Telstra dome).
Quit the moaning and let's all get on with the footy
Totally agree Scott and I’d imagine that a system that rewards ‘losers’ is in no way any fairer.
Quit the moaning and let's all get on with the footy
Great effort Sam.
That walk up Fouveaux St is certainly what rugby league in Sydney is all about…and so is the walk back down.
I’ll admit I’ve been in a bad mood for days after having the result of the game spoilt by a 3rd party. I’m in Perth at present and to wait for the Foxtel replay (which is still hours earlier than Channel Nine’s effort).
I was listening to the AFL on local radio only to have the bafoon calling the game proclaim “and we’ve found a winner in the rugby league after twenty minutes of extra time” before I ripped the radio out of the wall.
Must admit I was still watching the dying minutes trying to work out how the hell the scores would end up even.
Probably my own fault for trying to learn these foreign codes.
Finals heartbreak yet again for Wests Tigers
On another note, just got a tip Brian Noble was heading to Australia to look for an NRL job. Intriguing. Souths? Perhaps Burgess has had a word in the ear of Russell.
Can the Sea Eagles slay the mighty Dragons?
Only there to cheer on the underdog and your opponent hardly wins over the neutral.
How grim are things when you have to spend a Sunday arvo cheering on the Sea Eagles.
My only prediction is it will be much closer than predicted….but the Sea Eagles need Foran and Watmough.
I also hope the dozen or so Eagles fans who make the trip over the Habour Bridge do have their cameras ready to record the moment.
Can the Sea Eagles slay the mighty Dragons?
Agreed.
One upset or a cricket score on the for and against could change a lot this week.
The big question might be which of the teams that aren’t in the running actually turn up and give it a shot. Farewelling players is one motivation, but that may change for different player groups.
What will the final eight look like?
Kurt,
Thanks for your detailed response. It is also worth noting the fairly loose definition of why things are on the list “events of national importance and cultural significance.” Cultural significance? National Importance? I think given the fractured nature of Australian sporting market you’d be hard pressed to find many sporting matches which actually fulfill those criteria.
How culturally significant for the entire nation is Cronulla v North Queensland; Port Adelaide v Brisbane or even the Bledisloe Cup?
Also given the FTA networks treatment of sports outside of their “key” markets you could argue that many in the corridors of power believe Get Smart, The Iron Chef or Grease hold more cultural significance for Australia.
Anti-siphoning legislation a microcosm of Australian politics
No, I’m no Eels fans I just get very tired of their constant headline grabbing bluff and bluster. I agree that Cooper won’t be going, I must admit its been refreshing to see comments from both sides of the rugby split saying he isn’t worth the cash on offer. I wonder if someone will have the heart to tell Quade.
Forget Cooper, Eels need to get their house in order
Certainly is, that’s why I left my mobile on..I figured I’d be at the sort of number you reach at about 3am.
Forget Cooper, Eels need to get their house in order
I won’t argue with large parts of that however I do believe Qatar is representing the Middle East in the same way South Africa represented Africa.
Now's not the time to tackle corruption in FIFA