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The Gurgler

Roar Guru

Joined July 2015

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A fan of NRL but really love my Queensland Cup and anything PNG league related. Love my Football, but really enjoy the Football League in the UK. Love F1, and still trying to convince the world that Alain Prost is one of the all time greats. I support a lot mediocre sporting teams. South Sydney having achieved the most recently. Redcliffe Dolphins are making a comeback, PNG Hunters are always thereabouts. And Ipswich Town are the most mediocre sporting team in the world. But someone's got to support them. Would like to know more about AFL and US Sports but simply don't have enough time now with Bein Sports on Foxtel. I save some of my "better" or discussion-worthy work and more popular sports here for The Roar, and hope people enjoy. The more obscure sports like English Football League, Queensland Cup and the more light-hearted look at sports and life, and celebrating the forgotten and forgettable along with some wild theories and suggestions I leave at my own small blog. It's thegurgler.com if anyone has time to kill or fill. Love The Roar though, best place for sport in Australia.

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It’s a fantastic idea that works really well for the Qld Cup because the teams arrive early and get out in the community beforehand.

Sadly I can’t see the NRL going for it but a trade off could be declaring the Saturday 3pm kick off the Grow the Game fixture every week (for at least 16/17 rounds) and force every team to take one game on the road. Including Broncs.

Grow the Game Round: How the NRL can take top-grade footy to untapped areas

Some of us do, as our team is so rubbish we have no choice. If anyone is genuinely interested in League One, I wrote a preview for the season which kicks off this weekend.

A 2019-20 EFL League One season preview

Why do fans compare the A-League to England's lower leagues?

Thanks all. Looking forward to it all.

Good news is that Sunderland v Charlton is televised on BeIN Sports tomorrow night, so good early guide for two of the better teams.

Hoping to see Wimbledon and Wycombe on a few times this year as well.

Got some thoughts on the Championship elsewhere if anyone is interested as well….

http://www.thegurgler.com/2018/08/01/2018-2019-championship-season-preview/

A quick 2018-19 League One season preview

Too true on the Lab front.

The dog aka Muttstradamus is a Border Collie.

Alternative ways to find a World Cup winner

Result from overnight in League One Playoffs – Shrewsbury won 1 – 0 away at Charlton with a pretty decent strike with about 10 minutes to go.

Is it time to care about the English Football League yet? An EFL playoffs preview

I believe this can be the year.

With two of their very best from their sensational 2015 season returning, plus other recruits, they are well placed to have a real go.

The two I speak of are Israel Eliab and the big man Willie Minoga aka The Freight Train, Raging Bull or Mack Truck. Big fan of the big unit, and glad he is back with the Hunters. Can’t wait to see them in action at Davies Park in Round 3.

They need to pick up their way form though as they were pretty ordinary on the road last season.

Would also like to see a little more flair return in 2017.

But take your pick out of Redcliffe, Townsville and PNG in the Grand Final. Sunshine Coast look very interesting too. That’s a bit of a cop out picking favourites, but hard to see anyone else challenging. Although few would have picked Burleigh as winners last year.

With familiar names like Benji Marshall, Chris Sandow, Kevin Locke, Travis Burns kicking around this year, plus the quality of fringe NRL players, it will be really good viewing this year.

And that’s before the influx of the former Youth Competition hits the ISC clubs next season. The second tier comp may start matching the UK Super league for quality.

And for those in Brisbane, the only way to see rugby league on a Sunday afternoon.

Nice to see the Qld Cup getting a run on The Roar too.

Will this be the PNG Hunters' year in the Queensland Cup?

Sunday afternoon FTA games continues the theme of previous seasons for Channel Nein Sydney bias. 16 of the first 20 games are in Sydney – 14 of those all Sydney affairs. We know Rabs doesn’t like to travel and Gus loves his Sunday footy, but Jeez.

I’m a Rabbitohs fan, but would love some more variety for that timeslot.

Although I won’t be watching it on Nein as I’m a Fox Sports snob, but please.

Hopefully unlike last year they haven’t already worked out the last 6 games already and not telling us until June. Maybe giving Fox Sports the Minor prem showdown means they learn their lesson.

NRL releases draw for 2017 season, defending champs to kick things off

Agree completely with the above. Problem is that even GP2 is incredibly expensive to do.

Although I will say that thanks to Fox I watch GP2 and GP3 when it is on, and is usually fantastic to watch. Sergio Canamasas is one I always keep an eye out for, gotta have a villain.

What Formula One can learn from MotoGP

The only time the Constructor title is of any interest is when the Driver’s Champ does not come from that team which doesn’t happen very often.

A few times in the 80’s from memory including my hero Alain Prost in 86.

Although it used to be of interest in the days of pre-qualifying too. Especially when the half year reassessment happened.

The Constructors' Championship is a waste of time

Tremendous read. Good to see there’s still plenty of room for light hearted stuff here. I got shot down for trying to suggest Semi Radradra themed Half time entertainment here last year.

As for Keith Urban, as fine as a musician as he is, the percentage of Australians who could name just one of his songs would be microscopic.

As for Caboolture – they finished fourth in the Sunshine Coast district comp, and lost in the first week of finals to eventual premiers Maroochydore/Coolum Swans.

Half-baked NRL halftime entertainment predictions

Agreed. To beat PNG up there was a great result, and the way they shut down Townsville was very good. Good progress over past three seasons. They only won one game in 2014. Thought Troy Giess was their best whenever I saw them play. Curtis Scott will be some player too for Melbourne.

Dolphins vs Bears: Queensland Cup grand final preview

I’m hoping Burleigh play like they did in the first against Redcliffe and the Dolphins play like they did in the second half against the coast. That’ll be a game then.

I’ll be there, always a great day out. The Colts is Easts v Wynnum too so good rivalry there. Funny though that the first Sunday arvo game at Suncorp this year is the QCup final.

Either team will take it to the NSW Cup equivalent too. Hopefully another win for the Qlders. That State Championship is the best thing the NRL have done to GF day in decades. Well, since it moved from daytime anyway.

Dolphins vs Bears: Queensland Cup grand final preview

Thanks Mike, glad you replied as I know you’re always good for a Q Cup chat. I did overlook Easts a bit, as I do some stuff for another website and Matt Crowhurst from your TigerTV does the Easts stuff and does a great job.

Looks like we were both spot on about the Sunny Coast winning. PNG haven’t been near as good this year as they were last year, but still a good effort beating them up there.

Agree on Tommy Butterfield. I think I used him as last year’s player to watch so changed it up this year. Since he’s your son and have the inside word, how come he never got a crack at the NRL, he is quality. Is there still a chance with PNG at the World Cup or at least against PM’s XII. Cody Walker’s season proves that things can still happen in mid 20’s.

Queensland Cup Finals 2016: 7 bloody great reasons to follow

For those wanting to stay up to date here’s today’s results.

Townsville 46 Easts 4.
Sunshine Coast 18 PNG 12

Next week:
SATURDAY 4pm @ Jack Manski Oval, Townsville
Townsville v Sunshine Coast
(Loser eliminated)

SUNDAY 1:40pm @ Dolphin Oval, Redcliffe
Redcliffe v Burleigh
(Winner to Grand Final – loser to play Townsville of Sunshine Coast)
TV – Coverage on Channel 9 from 1:40pm

Queensland Cup Finals 2016: 7 bloody great reasons to follow

I’d have the three qld teams playing in country qld somewhere but not somewhere which has already had a taste of nrl. Get Melbourne to take a game to country victoria say Bendigo or Ballarat. Newcastle to take a game to somewhere in the Hunter. Canberra could cover far west nsw. Then that leaves two sydney clubs for anywhere in nsw. Grafton, Dubbo, Parkes even Broken Hill.

Pipe dreams though.

Queensland Cup goes on the road for Country Week: Could the NRL be interested?

Cheers for the link, very interesting. Makes this bit a little irrelevant now. Hard to believe that was how it was all done. I still don’t think there would be a massive change given how Channel 9 run things.

The last six rounds of the NRL have been confirmed by Channel 9 - I mean, the NRL

Great read as ever and comments too. At last somewhere to go for informed and excellent F1 gear. That doesn’t involve which designer Lewis is wearing. Look forward to more as the season rolls on.

Self-interest nearly derailed the Australian Grand Prix

I’m a big Hunters fan based in SEQ and have even written a piece on them here in the lead up to last year’s finals.

I’ve been to 7 games around different Brisbane venues and the png fans wouĺd sometimes be at least half of the crowd and at Davies park about 90%.

Agree the game against penrith was a big step and pity I couldn’t find a live stream as the twitter updates made it sound great.

The next step for Png is to link up with an NRL club for at least one NRL game a year. During origin in 2015 the Hunters actually got a bigger crowd than all NRL games, so would be an ideal time. And a good news story aside from origin and terrible half arsed Nrl rounds..

This will no doubt become another debate over png and their inclusion into the nrl and whilst I’ll love it if it did happen, I just can’t see it ever happening with the current nrl set up. Sad but true.

For now all I can do is urge people to find a game nearby and take a look live. They are always entertaining and a great atmosphere. And who knows if the crowds start to match the port moresby crowds elsewhere, the buzz will be hard to ignore.

Panthers in PNG just as important as Auckland Nines

Great read, and surely we couldn’t get much worse.

I suggested sms voting for batting and bowling line ups to spice up the recent Windies test series but was told that was too ridiculous.

Australia's selection crisis: Time to return the team to the people

I re-read that this morning in horror. Poor form on my behalf for getting that wrong so apologies to all for that rubbish. Hopefully still a good game though.

An FA Cup fourth round preview

Great article. I always love to Reminisce about sporting days of old. I loved the old Gabba and am thankfully old enough to have attended one game on the hill as an 18+. Best part was when they opened up the old greyhound track on the really busy days. Was antiquated no doubt, but had atmosphere. Lakeside Motor Track was also great – ridiculously small for the drivers but great.

The impossible bucket list of forgotten stadiums

No, Ferrari probably won’t give them the best engine, but given their reliability and performance in 2015, a slightly inferior Ferrari power unit would have to be a step up from the Renault this year. It’ll probably only be a temporary situation anyway until they can convince VW/Audi to build an engine or take over the team.

Alonso to Red Bull in 2016? Yes, please

Agree. You probably couldn’t have 16 of them, but at least one similar in the NRL would be great.

A guide to the Queensland Cup finals

The PNG v Ipswich game is actually at Wynnum, as someone obviously didn’t like the idea of a home final in PNG, You’d think the Hunters would get to choose the neutral venue at least. It will kick off a little later than usual due to being the only game of the weekend on Channel 9 at 3pm.

After seeing what the Jets have served up two weeks in a row, and how the Hunters played on Saturday, Ipswich will fancy their chances. But PNG won’t be as poor again.

One thing for sure is that it will be entertaining. I saw the game at Ipswich a month or so ago and it was brilliant end to end side to side stuff.

A guide to the Queensland Cup finals

Nice article.

Big fan of Semi, and Warren Smith’s joy in saying his name on broadcasts. Would be in favour of any plan to include him in more games.

The NRL finals need a Semi makeover

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