On the weekend we witnessed something that hasn't been done by a Broncos side all season. The side headed into the weekend on the back of a loss to an impressive Penrith side. The loss to Penrith was a combination of good play from the Panthers and the Broncos shooting themselves in the foot constantly. Handling errors and conceding penalties meant that the Broncos didn't stand a chance. The performance that the lads put on can be described as laborious, efficient and tradesman-like. You can tell more about a side winning in that sort of scenario than you can from when we flogged Souths. A sign of a good team is that they can turn on the razzle-dazzle when required but can also knuckle down and battle in the trenches when required. Low scoring games are often wars of attrition and the weekend's game was no exception.
In other news, Queensland have named their side that will contest Origin III. The line-up is:
1. Billy Slater
2. Darius Boyd
3. Greg Inglis
4. Willie Tonga
5. Israel Folau
6. Darren Lockyer (capt)
7. Johnathan Thurston
8. Matt Scott
9. Cameron Smith
10. Petero Civoniceva
11. Nate Myles
12. Sam Thaiday
13. Ashley Harrison
Interchange
14. Cooper Cronk
15. David Shillington
16. Neville Costigan
17. Dave Taylor
The unluckiest man in Australia is probably Ben Hannant - the bloke didn't put a foot wrong but due to Petero being fit, someone had to go. Shillington and Scott have been outstanding this year and it makes sense to give these 2 a bit more experience, they have more to gain than Ben.
The Blues selection team are bordering on farcical as far as I'm concerned. Picking Barrett is just about the most ridiculous thing that I've heard - the only thing worse is not using this opportunity to start building a solid foundation for the future. What's the point of picking a player for a dead rubber that is retiring at the end of the year?
All they have done is continued to provide proof as to why the selectors need to go. Lozza and co., it's time to clue up.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Highs and Lows
This past week was an absolute roller coaster of emotions for the Red Hill Rants crew. Elation, disappointment, anger and amazement were all experienced throughout the week of Rugby League.
Let's start with the positive. Jim and I were on hand to witness history in the making. We saw possibly the greatest display of domination by a QLD team that has ever occurred. There was not a player on the field that can honestly say he was outmatched by his counterpart. I'll be honest, the second half was a little blurry for Jim and myself as we immersed ourselves in the party atmosphere in the stands and may have been slightly inebriated. I've never been a part of anything like that before - a good 48,000 of the 52,400 present were Queenslanders and the camaraderie among our section of the stand was insane. In that 80 minutes, we went from random individuals to old mates from way back who had known each other for years. We were all united for the same cause - unleashing a flogging on to the NSW team like never seen before. The scenes at Caxton Street were of total jubilation - my hand and shoulder still hurt from giving and receiving an inordinate amount of high 5's. I can honestly say that I'll be heading to as many games as possible in the future.
As for the low's, these come in 2 forms. The first being the Broncos limp display against the Panthers after their demolition of the Rabbitoh's the week before. There were a number of issues - firstly, the amount of handling errors was unacceptable even for an under 11 side. Simple errors like that just shouldn't be made by professionals. The next was the forwards inability to lay the platform for the backs to do their thing. For some reason we decided to pass 2 and 3 times before the hit up, thus gaining less ground and forcing kicks from our halves deep in our own territory. Nick Kenny and Sam Thaiday were the only exceptions - Kenny had a solid game upon his return and Thaiday showed why he is a shoe in for the QLD side. The bloke was backing up from Origin Wednesday and tried his absolute best to conjure a win for the lads. To no avail it turns out.
The other negative was the refereeing. I'll be honest, I've made sailors blush with some of the language that I've sent in the ref's direction over the years. As I've gotten older I've become more accepting of errors because they do happen. What I've got no time for was the lack of a video referee referral in the Yow Yeh try. On the replay you can clearly see that both referee's were some distance from the play yet they decided instantly that it was a knock-on. The replays were quite clear in showing that Yow Yeh hit it forward himself and regathered for the try. Don't get me wrong - we probably would have lost regardless but really, the video referee exists for a reason, use it. I'm all for ref's backing their judgement and often they are right but in this case, it was a horrible decision. Henjak must have the patience of a saint when commenting on referee's - see this for proof. Hell, if I had 10k to spare I'd donate it to the Broncos just to see Ivan let fly about the atrocious decisions. Gavin Badger probably won't even be stood down for next week - time for referee boss Robert Finch to be given a kick up the backside. I don't like quoting other blogs but this bloke has it spot on.
So all in all I'd say it was a positive week for the Red Hill Ranters. Definitely looking forward to our game against the Eels next week - surely we should take the Panthers game as a reality check and blow Parra off the park.
Until next time readers,
Waldo.
Let's start with the positive. Jim and I were on hand to witness history in the making. We saw possibly the greatest display of domination by a QLD team that has ever occurred. There was not a player on the field that can honestly say he was outmatched by his counterpart. I'll be honest, the second half was a little blurry for Jim and myself as we immersed ourselves in the party atmosphere in the stands and may have been slightly inebriated. I've never been a part of anything like that before - a good 48,000 of the 52,400 present were Queenslanders and the camaraderie among our section of the stand was insane. In that 80 minutes, we went from random individuals to old mates from way back who had known each other for years. We were all united for the same cause - unleashing a flogging on to the NSW team like never seen before. The scenes at Caxton Street were of total jubilation - my hand and shoulder still hurt from giving and receiving an inordinate amount of high 5's. I can honestly say that I'll be heading to as many games as possible in the future.
As for the low's, these come in 2 forms. The first being the Broncos limp display against the Panthers after their demolition of the Rabbitoh's the week before. There were a number of issues - firstly, the amount of handling errors was unacceptable even for an under 11 side. Simple errors like that just shouldn't be made by professionals. The next was the forwards inability to lay the platform for the backs to do their thing. For some reason we decided to pass 2 and 3 times before the hit up, thus gaining less ground and forcing kicks from our halves deep in our own territory. Nick Kenny and Sam Thaiday were the only exceptions - Kenny had a solid game upon his return and Thaiday showed why he is a shoe in for the QLD side. The bloke was backing up from Origin Wednesday and tried his absolute best to conjure a win for the lads. To no avail it turns out.
The other negative was the refereeing. I'll be honest, I've made sailors blush with some of the language that I've sent in the ref's direction over the years. As I've gotten older I've become more accepting of errors because they do happen. What I've got no time for was the lack of a video referee referral in the Yow Yeh try. On the replay you can clearly see that both referee's were some distance from the play yet they decided instantly that it was a knock-on. The replays were quite clear in showing that Yow Yeh hit it forward himself and regathered for the try. Don't get me wrong - we probably would have lost regardless but really, the video referee exists for a reason, use it. I'm all for ref's backing their judgement and often they are right but in this case, it was a horrible decision. Henjak must have the patience of a saint when commenting on referee's - see this for proof. Hell, if I had 10k to spare I'd donate it to the Broncos just to see Ivan let fly about the atrocious decisions. Gavin Badger probably won't even be stood down for next week - time for referee boss Robert Finch to be given a kick up the backside. I don't like quoting other blogs but this bloke has it spot on.
So all in all I'd say it was a positive week for the Red Hill Ranters. Definitely looking forward to our game against the Eels next week - surely we should take the Panthers game as a reality check and blow Parra off the park.
Until next time readers,
Waldo.
Monday, June 14, 2010
One word....Queenslander
Christmas in July was created to provide a second joyous period in the calendar year. It's especially common in the southern hemisphere given it is winter for those below the equator. Personally I think it should be renamed to Christmas in May and June. Whys that you ask? State. Of. Origin.
State of Origin means absolutely nothing to those outside the eastern seaboard. In fact you'd find that not many Tasmanian or Victorian sports lovers would even know what it is. Once you venture into the Blue territory of NSW or the Maroon lands of QLD, you start to see the fanaticism that engulfs crowds and fans alike. It's that good even rugger fans get in on it. Origin is the greatest stage for football as far as I'm concerned - it's greater than the Rugby World Cup and AFL Grand Final put together.
Origin eligibility prior to 1980 was determined by what state your current club was in. This led to total NSW domination - so much so that QLD only one 3.8% of all interstate games between 1959 and 1981. It was a farce - the negative media attention these games attracted was insane. Even back at the very origins of interstate football, QLD have been bagged:
"There can be no doubt the NSW men are improving a good deal... They cannot be blamed for the farce, for it was nothing else. If the Australian team depends on Queenslanders to strengthen it, one is afraid it will be found wanting. They are quite the weakest lot of footballers I have even seen come down from Queensland. The play needs no detailed description as it was simply a practice match for NSW, and certainly did not advantageously advertise the new game."
-The Sydney Morning Herald, 13 July 1908
Once Origin established itself in the 80's off the back of brutal hits, fast-paced action and an exciting brand of football, it started to gain a cult following north of the border. This cult following has grown almost exponentially and leads us to the Origin series that we see today. Lang Park constantly sold out to max capacity, 48,000 football mad supporters screaming for the Blues blood.
The word Queenslander can be summed up by looking at how it was coined. In 1995, the Super League war was in full swing and the ARL declared that any Super League-aligned players were ineligible to play. This meant that the Broncos and their star studded backline could not play for QLD. The Blues were heavily backed favourites and memories of pre-1980 interstate games were abundant. During Game 2 and leading at half time, the cameras switch to the tunnel to see the QLD side walk out on to Lang Park. Billy Moore, a great lock for QLD, had fire in his eyes and was chanting "Queenslander, Queenslander" to get the lads fired up. We went on to win that game 20-12 and subsequently the series, albeit as massive underdogs that had apparently no chance. That image is burnt into my memory as the definition of Queenslander - never give up, work as a unit and devote every last drop of energy towards defeating the Blues.
That is what it's all about. NSW players grow up wanting to play for Australia, QLD players grow up wanting the play for the Maroons. We may no longer be the underdog for Origin games at the moment but the spirit of the past lives on through our current QLD side. The Red Hill Rants crew will be at the game on Wednesday night and I'm willing to bet that both Jim and I will be hoarse the next day from chanting that famous line....QUEENSLANDER.
State of Origin means absolutely nothing to those outside the eastern seaboard. In fact you'd find that not many Tasmanian or Victorian sports lovers would even know what it is. Once you venture into the Blue territory of NSW or the Maroon lands of QLD, you start to see the fanaticism that engulfs crowds and fans alike. It's that good even rugger fans get in on it. Origin is the greatest stage for football as far as I'm concerned - it's greater than the Rugby World Cup and AFL Grand Final put together.
Origin eligibility prior to 1980 was determined by what state your current club was in. This led to total NSW domination - so much so that QLD only one 3.8% of all interstate games between 1959 and 1981. It was a farce - the negative media attention these games attracted was insane. Even back at the very origins of interstate football, QLD have been bagged:
"There can be no doubt the NSW men are improving a good deal... They cannot be blamed for the farce, for it was nothing else. If the Australian team depends on Queenslanders to strengthen it, one is afraid it will be found wanting. They are quite the weakest lot of footballers I have even seen come down from Queensland. The play needs no detailed description as it was simply a practice match for NSW, and certainly did not advantageously advertise the new game."
-The Sydney Morning Herald, 13 July 1908
Once Origin established itself in the 80's off the back of brutal hits, fast-paced action and an exciting brand of football, it started to gain a cult following north of the border. This cult following has grown almost exponentially and leads us to the Origin series that we see today. Lang Park constantly sold out to max capacity, 48,000 football mad supporters screaming for the Blues blood.
The word Queenslander can be summed up by looking at how it was coined. In 1995, the Super League war was in full swing and the ARL declared that any Super League-aligned players were ineligible to play. This meant that the Broncos and their star studded backline could not play for QLD. The Blues were heavily backed favourites and memories of pre-1980 interstate games were abundant. During Game 2 and leading at half time, the cameras switch to the tunnel to see the QLD side walk out on to Lang Park. Billy Moore, a great lock for QLD, had fire in his eyes and was chanting "Queenslander, Queenslander" to get the lads fired up. We went on to win that game 20-12 and subsequently the series, albeit as massive underdogs that had apparently no chance. That image is burnt into my memory as the definition of Queenslander - never give up, work as a unit and devote every last drop of energy towards defeating the Blues.
That is what it's all about. NSW players grow up wanting to play for Australia, QLD players grow up wanting the play for the Maroons. We may no longer be the underdog for Origin games at the moment but the spirit of the past lives on through our current QLD side. The Red Hill Rants crew will be at the game on Wednesday night and I'm willing to bet that both Jim and I will be hoarse the next day from chanting that famous line....QUEENSLANDER.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Brisbane Broncos vs. South Sydneys Rabbitohs - Lineup and Preview
1. Josh Hoffman
2. Antonio Winterstein
3. Alex Glenn
4. Matt Gillett
5. Jharal Yow Yeh
6. Corey Norman
7. Peter Wallace
8. Shane Tronc
9. Andrew McCullough
10. Lagi Setu
11. Ben Te'o
12. Ashton Sims
13. Corey Parker
Interchange
14. Ben Hunt
15. Mitchell Dodds
16. Scott Anderson
17. Nick Kenny
This week the Brisbane Broncos head into the familiar territory of facing a tough game during the Origin period. Thankfully and deservedly, the only players on Origin duty are Israel Folau, Darren Lockyer and Sammy Thaiday. Three of our best players this year missing will hurt but we should be able to cope on the back of our past few performances.
Given the situation, we see Matt Gillett move from the back row into centre, Corey Norman re-enters the squad to play 5/8th and Scott Anderson returns from injury at just the right time. Gillett at centre is interesting - hopefully he's given a roaming role in attack as playing centre may restrict his effectiveness across the park. Norman is a perfect fit for Lockyer - he always struck me as a natural 5/8th and with Wallace next to him, he should be free to rip it up like he did during the opening rounds of the year.
In the forwards department I'm glad to report that Anderson returns and Nick Kenny is finally back from injury. Not sure if Kenny was being brought back too early but it's good to see that he's likely to start from the bench. I'm also exited for Anderson's return - I really rate the quiet achiever and as he develops as a footballer I can see him being similar to Nick Kenny. Solid workhorse and always puts in the hard yards.
Looking at our opponents, they also are affected by representative duties. Dave Taylor has been picked for QLD and Sam Burgess is currently back in the UK playing against France. Mick Crocker hasn't been named but word has it that he's a chance of getting back on the paddock this weekend. Crocker is past it that's for sure but the firebrand still has that passion and that's enough danger for me.
I'm not entirely sold on Souths. They are coming 3rd on the table but I'm not convinced that when the going gets tough, the tough gets going. To beat this mob, we'll need to employ similar tactics to what they did to the Cowboys last week. Get up in Sutton's face and make him feel some hurt. It's much harder for a playmaker to work his magic when he's got a backrower up in his grill. I'm looking for Sims and Setu to put some massive hits on Sutton and Sandow to disrupt their chi.
As far as the Broncos go, we need to watch Beau Champion like a hawk. That lad has been carving it up like there is no tomorrow. He's big, fast and powerful. Winterstein and Glenn should be on high alert for Champion and Talanoa - don't be surprised if Parker or Sims gets placed out there to assist because those two are a definite handful.
Prediction? Broncos 30-24. Nice and high scoring football for a Sunday afternoon - I give the Broncos the edge due to having the majority of our forward pack intact and the fact that I still think Souths are a bit soft.
Until next time readers,
Waldo.
2. Antonio Winterstein
3. Alex Glenn
4. Matt Gillett
5. Jharal Yow Yeh
6. Corey Norman
7. Peter Wallace
8. Shane Tronc
9. Andrew McCullough
10. Lagi Setu
11. Ben Te'o
12. Ashton Sims
13. Corey Parker
Interchange
14. Ben Hunt
15. Mitchell Dodds
16. Scott Anderson
17. Nick Kenny
This week the Brisbane Broncos head into the familiar territory of facing a tough game during the Origin period. Thankfully and deservedly, the only players on Origin duty are Israel Folau, Darren Lockyer and Sammy Thaiday. Three of our best players this year missing will hurt but we should be able to cope on the back of our past few performances.
Given the situation, we see Matt Gillett move from the back row into centre, Corey Norman re-enters the squad to play 5/8th and Scott Anderson returns from injury at just the right time. Gillett at centre is interesting - hopefully he's given a roaming role in attack as playing centre may restrict his effectiveness across the park. Norman is a perfect fit for Lockyer - he always struck me as a natural 5/8th and with Wallace next to him, he should be free to rip it up like he did during the opening rounds of the year.
In the forwards department I'm glad to report that Anderson returns and Nick Kenny is finally back from injury. Not sure if Kenny was being brought back too early but it's good to see that he's likely to start from the bench. I'm also exited for Anderson's return - I really rate the quiet achiever and as he develops as a footballer I can see him being similar to Nick Kenny. Solid workhorse and always puts in the hard yards.
Looking at our opponents, they also are affected by representative duties. Dave Taylor has been picked for QLD and Sam Burgess is currently back in the UK playing against France. Mick Crocker hasn't been named but word has it that he's a chance of getting back on the paddock this weekend. Crocker is past it that's for sure but the firebrand still has that passion and that's enough danger for me.
I'm not entirely sold on Souths. They are coming 3rd on the table but I'm not convinced that when the going gets tough, the tough gets going. To beat this mob, we'll need to employ similar tactics to what they did to the Cowboys last week. Get up in Sutton's face and make him feel some hurt. It's much harder for a playmaker to work his magic when he's got a backrower up in his grill. I'm looking for Sims and Setu to put some massive hits on Sutton and Sandow to disrupt their chi.
As far as the Broncos go, we need to watch Beau Champion like a hawk. That lad has been carving it up like there is no tomorrow. He's big, fast and powerful. Winterstein and Glenn should be on high alert for Champion and Talanoa - don't be surprised if Parker or Sims gets placed out there to assist because those two are a definite handful.
Prediction? Broncos 30-24. Nice and high scoring football for a Sunday afternoon - I give the Broncos the edge due to having the majority of our forward pack intact and the fact that I still think Souths are a bit soft.
Until next time readers,
Waldo.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
QLD Origin Team Selections and Artie Beetson
The team for Origin 2 was selected late Tuesday afternoon and there were 2 changes and one big surprise. Ben Hannant in for the injured Petero Civoneciva and Cam Smith back for Matt Ballin. Ballin can consider himself slightly unlucky but it was always on the cards.
The biggest issue to come out of the selection was the naming of recent code defector, Israel Folau. In case you've been under a rock, Izzy signed one of the biggest contracts in Australian domestic Sport. Ross Livermore from the QRL was quite vocal about not picking Israel and only picking 'committed' players. I disagree wholeheartedly with the comments made by Ross and it is a tad of a shock to see Izzy selected on the wing. Just the other day I was discussing the topic of QLD backs and the lack of established wingers available. For mine, Lote Tuqiri would be next in line but you'd have to think Livermore wouldn't want that considering his past defection to the lesser game. To me, the only wingers within cooee of a shot on the QLD side are Joseph Tomane, William Zillman or Jharal Yow Yeh. The issue with those three however is that they are not fully developed footballers - they have a way to go yet in terms of making mature decisions on the football field. Look at Yow Yeh in recent weeks - he's made a few blunders that just cannot happen in the Origin arena. Their time will come - with another year or two of experience these three guys should all be in contention for an outside back spot.
I'd like to take the rest of my rant to have a crack at old footballers; namely, Artie Beetson. For those of you who may be new to league, he was the inaugural QLD Origin captain back in 1980. Artie now is part of a seemingly large contingent of ex-sports people who don't work in the media but feel they have the right to impart their misguided and archaic wisdom to the sports loving public. Another former athlete that falls into this category is Jeff Thompson. His rants about what is wrong with the cricket world are enough to drive me crazy. Last time I checked the world had changed a lot since their day. An example of Beetson's ancient logic can be viewed in this article - what right does he think he has to demand to know what a total stranger is doing with their life decisions?
It isn't an issue of lack of respect - Artie and Thommo paved the way for the athletes of today and their performances were of the highest standard. My issue is that essentially these two sit on the front porch like 2 elderly men complaining about the youth of today and that back in their day, a bottle of milk cost a threepence. I hate to say it but for better or for worse, we live in a modern world and their archaic opinions about the state of the game are horribly irritating. Everyone is entitled to their opinion however out-dated views are annoying and quite frankly a pain to endure.
Until next time,
Waldo.
The biggest issue to come out of the selection was the naming of recent code defector, Israel Folau. In case you've been under a rock, Izzy signed one of the biggest contracts in Australian domestic Sport. Ross Livermore from the QRL was quite vocal about not picking Israel and only picking 'committed' players. I disagree wholeheartedly with the comments made by Ross and it is a tad of a shock to see Izzy selected on the wing. Just the other day I was discussing the topic of QLD backs and the lack of established wingers available. For mine, Lote Tuqiri would be next in line but you'd have to think Livermore wouldn't want that considering his past defection to the lesser game. To me, the only wingers within cooee of a shot on the QLD side are Joseph Tomane, William Zillman or Jharal Yow Yeh. The issue with those three however is that they are not fully developed footballers - they have a way to go yet in terms of making mature decisions on the football field. Look at Yow Yeh in recent weeks - he's made a few blunders that just cannot happen in the Origin arena. Their time will come - with another year or two of experience these three guys should all be in contention for an outside back spot.
I'd like to take the rest of my rant to have a crack at old footballers; namely, Artie Beetson. For those of you who may be new to league, he was the inaugural QLD Origin captain back in 1980. Artie now is part of a seemingly large contingent of ex-sports people who don't work in the media but feel they have the right to impart their misguided and archaic wisdom to the sports loving public. Another former athlete that falls into this category is Jeff Thompson. His rants about what is wrong with the cricket world are enough to drive me crazy. Last time I checked the world had changed a lot since their day. An example of Beetson's ancient logic can be viewed in this article - what right does he think he has to demand to know what a total stranger is doing with their life decisions?
It isn't an issue of lack of respect - Artie and Thommo paved the way for the athletes of today and their performances were of the highest standard. My issue is that essentially these two sit on the front porch like 2 elderly men complaining about the youth of today and that back in their day, a bottle of milk cost a threepence. I hate to say it but for better or for worse, we live in a modern world and their archaic opinions about the state of the game are horribly irritating. Everyone is entitled to their opinion however out-dated views are annoying and quite frankly a pain to endure.
Until next time,
Waldo.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Manly Review and Maroon Mumblings
One thing you’ll always get from me on this blog is honesty. So, shamefully I must admit that I tipped the Sea Eagles to give us a right thumping down at Brookvale. Even though they were missing the influential Jamie Lyon, I didn’t think our pack would be able to match the Sea Eagles’. Thankfully I was very wrong, and that was actually where we won the game mostly thanks to Sam Thaiday. He’s having the season of his career, unmatched by anyone else in the NRL for effort in my opinion.
We surrendered a try early, but that was about as happy as the night was going to get for Manly. All the forwards played their part, defending well and making great yardage. You could be excused for thinking it was the Broncos of old. I’m really enjoying having Tronc on board. He looks a little lethargic, but a prop with good go-forward that can make 35 tackles without missing a single one is quite special.
I love beating Manly. It was one their typical performances too, where they dropped knees and elbows on faces in just about every tackle they made. They have such a dirty culture at that football club, and it’s certainly gotten worse since Hasler took over as coach. Just watch the highlights if you need any proof. In the lead up to our last try Thaiday makes another inspirational hit up. For his troubles he cops a swinging elbow and a knee to the chin as he’s bending to play the ball. I fucking hate Manly.
Moving on... NSW have just named their team. I care very little about anything to do with their team, but they’ve named Gidley again which means that even if Hayne is available to play he’ll be on the wing where the damage he can do will be limited. The decisions the NSW selectors come up with have boggled minds for years now, but they’ve outdone themselves again by dumping Kimmorley in place of young Mitchell Pearce. Their problems in game 1 had nothing to do with their number 7, who was actually one of their better players on the night. Oh well, it’s their loss.
The QLD team will be announced tomorrow. Lockyer has done a backflip on what he said last week about selecting Folau and he’s now pleading to have him named in the side. It sounds very unprofessional from Lockyer, who’s apparently suddenly realised that we don’t have much to choose from now that Tate has gone and broken his jaw. State of Origin positions are influential in keeping our players in the NRL, and now that Folau has decided to turn his back on the game we simply must cut our losses and give his jersey to someone else that is worth investing in. The logical choice is Tuqiri, even though he’s only just returned from another code himself. Tahu has slotted straight back into his NSW jersey after returning to the NRL from union, so there’s no issue on whether or not Tuqiri should be allowed to do the same for QLD. The only thing that might stand in the way of that decision is a rumour that Tuqiri wants to play for the Fijian national rugby league side.
I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens tomorrow, but I’m confident that our selectors will make a decision that’s in the best interests of our game. Until then sports fans.
We surrendered a try early, but that was about as happy as the night was going to get for Manly. All the forwards played their part, defending well and making great yardage. You could be excused for thinking it was the Broncos of old. I’m really enjoying having Tronc on board. He looks a little lethargic, but a prop with good go-forward that can make 35 tackles without missing a single one is quite special.
I love beating Manly. It was one their typical performances too, where they dropped knees and elbows on faces in just about every tackle they made. They have such a dirty culture at that football club, and it’s certainly gotten worse since Hasler took over as coach. Just watch the highlights if you need any proof. In the lead up to our last try Thaiday makes another inspirational hit up. For his troubles he cops a swinging elbow and a knee to the chin as he’s bending to play the ball. I fucking hate Manly.
Moving on... NSW have just named their team. I care very little about anything to do with their team, but they’ve named Gidley again which means that even if Hayne is available to play he’ll be on the wing where the damage he can do will be limited. The decisions the NSW selectors come up with have boggled minds for years now, but they’ve outdone themselves again by dumping Kimmorley in place of young Mitchell Pearce. Their problems in game 1 had nothing to do with their number 7, who was actually one of their better players on the night. Oh well, it’s their loss.
The QLD team will be announced tomorrow. Lockyer has done a backflip on what he said last week about selecting Folau and he’s now pleading to have him named in the side. It sounds very unprofessional from Lockyer, who’s apparently suddenly realised that we don’t have much to choose from now that Tate has gone and broken his jaw. State of Origin positions are influential in keeping our players in the NRL, and now that Folau has decided to turn his back on the game we simply must cut our losses and give his jersey to someone else that is worth investing in. The logical choice is Tuqiri, even though he’s only just returned from another code himself. Tahu has slotted straight back into his NSW jersey after returning to the NRL from union, so there’s no issue on whether or not Tuqiri should be allowed to do the same for QLD. The only thing that might stand in the way of that decision is a rumour that Tuqiri wants to play for the Fijian national rugby league side.
I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens tomorrow, but I’m confident that our selectors will make a decision that’s in the best interests of our game. Until then sports fans.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Something a little different....Waldo's NSW Side
So in addition to our standard QLD team predictions, I thought we'd take a crack at the NSW side as well. Besides the fact that I think NSW are doing it wrong, it's a much more entertaining side to pick given the state of NSW football. So here we go...
1. Jarryd Hayne
2. Brett Morris
3. Michael Jennings
4. Jamie Lyon (Jamal Idris if Lyon unavailable)
5. Michael Gordon
6. Jamie Soward
7. Brett Kimmorley
8. Brett White
9. Michael Ennis
10. Michael Weyman
11. Anthony Watmough
12. Ben Creagh
13. Paul Gallen
14. Kurt Gidley
15. Luke Lewis
16. Jason Ryles
17. Tom Learoyd-Lahrs
So I've gone with a different squad to the one you'll see the Blues name. I've gone with playing players in their position, not just as a creative stopgap. Hayne, although the most overrated player in the NRL, deserves the fullback spot mainly because Stewart is out. The reason I say overrated is that he is being talked up to be of the same ilk as Lockyer and Johns. Lockyer and Johns play well in struggling sides and single-handedly win games when they are up against it. Hayne hasn't done enough of either to convince me he is the real deal. Morris, Gordon, Jennings and Lyon pick themselves.
Soward has been overlooked for many years due to his size and the fact he has a penchant for getting monstered by a barnstorming Greg Inglis. Give him a shot - I think he has what it takes. He is the primary play-maker at St George and can't really put a foot wrong this season. Kimmorley had not much to work with in Origin 1 given the forwards played like they were for Brisbane Girls Grammar, not New South Wales. With a slightly dominant pack, Kimmorley will have room to move.
All of the run on forwards select themselves. Paul Gallen is made for Origin, anyone who disagrees needs to actually watch a game of football. He's tough as teak, will give you 110% every time and never stops running.
My bench is fairly predictable however I must admit I struggled to find a spot for Gidley. The bloke makes too many errors to be run-on fullback but he does have something to bring from the bench. Learoyd-Lars is there as an enforcer à la Neville Costigan and also the fact he can play Prop as well. Ryles should have been there from the start and even in the Australian side in my opinion. Luke Lewis is a machine and tough as nails - for any naysayers, watch a replay of Penrith's game last night and tell me how he played on after copping a hideous head knock.
Even if the above side is picked, QLD is set to secure an unprecedented 5th consecutive Origin series. The Red Hill Rants crew will be at the game to hopefully witness history.
Until next time readers,
Michael Waldron.
1. Jarryd Hayne
2. Brett Morris
3. Michael Jennings
4. Jamie Lyon (Jamal Idris if Lyon unavailable)
5. Michael Gordon
6. Jamie Soward
7. Brett Kimmorley
8. Brett White
9. Michael Ennis
10. Michael Weyman
11. Anthony Watmough
12. Ben Creagh
13. Paul Gallen
14. Kurt Gidley
15. Luke Lewis
16. Jason Ryles
17. Tom Learoyd-Lahrs
So I've gone with a different squad to the one you'll see the Blues name. I've gone with playing players in their position, not just as a creative stopgap. Hayne, although the most overrated player in the NRL, deserves the fullback spot mainly because Stewart is out. The reason I say overrated is that he is being talked up to be of the same ilk as Lockyer and Johns. Lockyer and Johns play well in struggling sides and single-handedly win games when they are up against it. Hayne hasn't done enough of either to convince me he is the real deal. Morris, Gordon, Jennings and Lyon pick themselves.
Soward has been overlooked for many years due to his size and the fact he has a penchant for getting monstered by a barnstorming Greg Inglis. Give him a shot - I think he has what it takes. He is the primary play-maker at St George and can't really put a foot wrong this season. Kimmorley had not much to work with in Origin 1 given the forwards played like they were for Brisbane Girls Grammar, not New South Wales. With a slightly dominant pack, Kimmorley will have room to move.
All of the run on forwards select themselves. Paul Gallen is made for Origin, anyone who disagrees needs to actually watch a game of football. He's tough as teak, will give you 110% every time and never stops running.
My bench is fairly predictable however I must admit I struggled to find a spot for Gidley. The bloke makes too many errors to be run-on fullback but he does have something to bring from the bench. Learoyd-Lars is there as an enforcer à la Neville Costigan and also the fact he can play Prop as well. Ryles should have been there from the start and even in the Australian side in my opinion. Luke Lewis is a machine and tough as nails - for any naysayers, watch a replay of Penrith's game last night and tell me how he played on after copping a hideous head knock.
Even if the above side is picked, QLD is set to secure an unprecedented 5th consecutive Origin series. The Red Hill Rants crew will be at the game to hopefully witness history.
Until next time readers,
Michael Waldron.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Brisbane vs. Manly Preview - A look back to the past...
Sports fans are a strange breed. You will struggle to find a more fanatical bunch. There aren't many people who will continually turn up to a stadium and support their team during the blistering cold, brutal storms or howling winds. Rain, hail or shine, a true fan turns up each and every time, for better or for worse.
The other characteristic of a sports fan is that they tend to foster rivalries that are sometimes decades old. Manchester United and Manchester City. New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. Ferrari and McLaren. All vaunted rivalries driven by a genuine dislike for their opponent.
Manly and Brisbane might not be a rivalry that many recognise but for me, Manly are the true enemy. Recently the Melbourne Storm have challenged that mantle - the Broncos squashed their Grand Final dreams in 2006 and Melbourne proceeded to knock us out of the finals for 3 consecutive years, albeit illegally.
Prior to the Broncos entering the NRL (then ARL) in 1988, Manly were known as the Silvertails. Why the Silvertails? Back in the 70's and 80's, they went on a buying spree that cannot be compared to even the Storm of the late 2000's. They plundered the playing stocks of other teams without remorse.
You are probably saying "Well, that was before your time so why concern yourself with it". During my younger years, Origin was just as special as it is now. Watching Renouf, Langer and Walters are fond memories of mine. Not so fond memories are of watching players such as Terry Hill, Geoff Toovey, Mark Carroll and Cliff Lyons run amok. Mark Carroll, dirty player extraordinaire. Toovey, the little whinging halfback/hooker. Terry Hill, possibly the most lacklustre footballer but managed to always talk it up. Cliffy Lyons for purely being successful in a Manly jersey.
This weekend sees the Broncos ventures to Fortress Brookvale, the home of the some of the most despised fans in the NRL. Manly always step it up a gear at home similar to us at Suncorp and I expect 110% from the lads this weekend. Manly are without Lyon which robs them of one of their stars this season. The Broncos need to lay the foundation with the forwards and shut down players such as Watmough and Stewart. I sound like a bit of a broken record but completion rates and error free football will get us home here. We were a little average against Cronulla so I expect the boys to turn it up.
Prediction? 18-12 Broncos.
The other characteristic of a sports fan is that they tend to foster rivalries that are sometimes decades old. Manchester United and Manchester City. New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. Ferrari and McLaren. All vaunted rivalries driven by a genuine dislike for their opponent.
Manly and Brisbane might not be a rivalry that many recognise but for me, Manly are the true enemy. Recently the Melbourne Storm have challenged that mantle - the Broncos squashed their Grand Final dreams in 2006 and Melbourne proceeded to knock us out of the finals for 3 consecutive years, albeit illegally.
Prior to the Broncos entering the NRL (then ARL) in 1988, Manly were known as the Silvertails. Why the Silvertails? Back in the 70's and 80's, they went on a buying spree that cannot be compared to even the Storm of the late 2000's. They plundered the playing stocks of other teams without remorse.
You are probably saying "Well, that was before your time so why concern yourself with it". During my younger years, Origin was just as special as it is now. Watching Renouf, Langer and Walters are fond memories of mine. Not so fond memories are of watching players such as Terry Hill, Geoff Toovey, Mark Carroll and Cliff Lyons run amok. Mark Carroll, dirty player extraordinaire. Toovey, the little whinging halfback/hooker. Terry Hill, possibly the most lacklustre footballer but managed to always talk it up. Cliffy Lyons for purely being successful in a Manly jersey.
This weekend sees the Broncos ventures to Fortress Brookvale, the home of the some of the most despised fans in the NRL. Manly always step it up a gear at home similar to us at Suncorp and I expect 110% from the lads this weekend. Manly are without Lyon which robs them of one of their stars this season. The Broncos need to lay the foundation with the forwards and shut down players such as Watmough and Stewart. I sound like a bit of a broken record but completion rates and error free football will get us home here. We were a little average against Cronulla so I expect the boys to turn it up.
Prediction? 18-12 Broncos.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Sea Eagles Lineup and Folau
It's been easy to forget that there is a round of NRL competition this weekend. Here's our lineup for the Manly Sea Eagles game.
1. Josh Hoffman
2. Antonio Winterstein
3. Alex Glenn
4. Israel Folau
5. Jharal Yow Yeh
6. Darren Lockyer [c]
7. Peter Wallace
8. Shane Tronc
9. Andrew McCullough
10. Lagi Setu
11. Ben Te'o
12. Sam Thaiday
13. Corey Parker
14. Ben Hunt
15. Matt Gillett
16. Mitchell Dodds
17. Ashton Sims
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this might be the first unchanged line-up we've had all season, 13 weeks in. As surprising as that statistic might be, there are no real surprises in the team list. Nick Kenny is still struggling with injury, and is now expected back in round 15. You have to wonder what the problem is there, are we trying to rush his recovery process?
Anyways, enough about these crazy NRL games on the weekend. Let’s talk about Folau. As a rugby league fan, whenever this kind of thing happens I can’t help but feel ripped off. The NRL has spent a lot of money on this guy. Life-skills, training, and his big contracts he’s been on since he was a boy. The NRL has turned him into what he is today, the NRL made Israel Folau. At only 21 years of age, the NRL had already provided him with what any sane person would call a very, very successful life and it was only going to get better. So how does one repay that? By signing a deal with the AFL’s expansion into NRL heartland of course.
It’s a complete kick in the cock, and not just to the NRL administration. We have a young man who is still a long way from being the complete footballer saying, “I’m bigger than all of you, your league can’t support the likes of me. I’m worth more than most of you combined”. So it’s a pretty big punch in the guts to the 400+ other players in the NRL. AFL players have a right to be feeling dirty as well. Some of them have spent the last 10 years giving everything they have to what is, let’s face it, a terrible sport. The AFL is handing someone who’s never even kicked an AFL ball a $6 million deal, while some of them are playing for peanuts.
Now, we have a rather vocal bunch of moral high ground searching people saying that you can’t blame Israel, anyone would have done the same thing in his shoes. I’ve thought long and hard about this today, and I for one can say that I wouldn’t have. Rugby League has been very good to Israel Folau. The contracts he has been on since he started were very flattering, his last one with the Broncos being worth approximately $450 000 a season. Add QLD and Australian representative match payments onto those contracts and you have what a simpleton like me would call a fuckload of money. With a new TV deal coming soon for the NRL, he would have been looking at significant pay increases over the coming years as well. For him to turn his back on what rugby league has done for him in search of more wealth is just poor form.
I’ve tried not to use the word loyalty today. The salary cap killed out loyalty a long time ago. There are instances where clubs simply can’t afford to pay a player what he is worth, and he is forced to move on. Sometimes this even means a move abroad, or in extreme circumstances a switch of code. In the case of Folau, we didn’t have an extreme circumstance. He was on a beyond-fantastic deal for a player of his age with the Broncos and being looked after very, very well. He’s then chosen to upgrade from wealthy success, to a little more wealthy success with another code. Make no mistake, what Folau has done boils down to one thing, and that’s greed.
I find it interesting that people’s feelings on this kind of issue differ so much. There are lots of things to consider, and everyone gets hung up on different aspects. Everyone has their own interpretations too. Have at it in the comments if you wish sports fans, but before you do spare a thought for all those people who forked out ~$160 for a QLD jersey with Folau's name printed accross the back of it last week. Out!
1. Josh Hoffman
2. Antonio Winterstein
3. Alex Glenn
4. Israel Folau
5. Jharal Yow Yeh
6. Darren Lockyer [c]
7. Peter Wallace
8. Shane Tronc
9. Andrew McCullough
10. Lagi Setu
11. Ben Te'o
12. Sam Thaiday
13. Corey Parker
14. Ben Hunt
15. Matt Gillett
16. Mitchell Dodds
17. Ashton Sims
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this might be the first unchanged line-up we've had all season, 13 weeks in. As surprising as that statistic might be, there are no real surprises in the team list. Nick Kenny is still struggling with injury, and is now expected back in round 15. You have to wonder what the problem is there, are we trying to rush his recovery process?
Anyways, enough about these crazy NRL games on the weekend. Let’s talk about Folau. As a rugby league fan, whenever this kind of thing happens I can’t help but feel ripped off. The NRL has spent a lot of money on this guy. Life-skills, training, and his big contracts he’s been on since he was a boy. The NRL has turned him into what he is today, the NRL made Israel Folau. At only 21 years of age, the NRL had already provided him with what any sane person would call a very, very successful life and it was only going to get better. So how does one repay that? By signing a deal with the AFL’s expansion into NRL heartland of course.
It’s a complete kick in the cock, and not just to the NRL administration. We have a young man who is still a long way from being the complete footballer saying, “I’m bigger than all of you, your league can’t support the likes of me. I’m worth more than most of you combined”. So it’s a pretty big punch in the guts to the 400+ other players in the NRL. AFL players have a right to be feeling dirty as well. Some of them have spent the last 10 years giving everything they have to what is, let’s face it, a terrible sport. The AFL is handing someone who’s never even kicked an AFL ball a $6 million deal, while some of them are playing for peanuts.
Now, we have a rather vocal bunch of moral high ground searching people saying that you can’t blame Israel, anyone would have done the same thing in his shoes. I’ve thought long and hard about this today, and I for one can say that I wouldn’t have. Rugby League has been very good to Israel Folau. The contracts he has been on since he started were very flattering, his last one with the Broncos being worth approximately $450 000 a season. Add QLD and Australian representative match payments onto those contracts and you have what a simpleton like me would call a fuckload of money. With a new TV deal coming soon for the NRL, he would have been looking at significant pay increases over the coming years as well. For him to turn his back on what rugby league has done for him in search of more wealth is just poor form.
I’ve tried not to use the word loyalty today. The salary cap killed out loyalty a long time ago. There are instances where clubs simply can’t afford to pay a player what he is worth, and he is forced to move on. Sometimes this even means a move abroad, or in extreme circumstances a switch of code. In the case of Folau, we didn’t have an extreme circumstance. He was on a beyond-fantastic deal for a player of his age with the Broncos and being looked after very, very well. He’s then chosen to upgrade from wealthy success, to a little more wealthy success with another code. Make no mistake, what Folau has done boils down to one thing, and that’s greed.
"When it comes to playing for Queensland and Australia it's an honour and privilege. When you decide to turn your back on that, I think the jersey is bigger than any one player."The QRL looks set to announce that Folau won’t be selected for the remaining two State of Origin matches, and that will absolutely be the right decision. Darren Lockyer sums it up perfectly above. Wise words indeed. We can’t be showcasing defectors in the ultimate form of our game, especially when the defector is leading the AFL’s march into Rugby League’s traditional heartland.
I find it interesting that people’s feelings on this kind of issue differ so much. There are lots of things to consider, and everyone gets hung up on different aspects. Everyone has their own interpretations too. Have at it in the comments if you wish sports fans, but before you do spare a thought for all those people who forked out ~$160 for a QLD jersey with Folau's name printed accross the back of it last week. Out!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Israel Folau - Another Man Overboard
Good Evening from the Red Hill Rants team. Due to a combination of the Broncos week off and my own personal technical issues (got to love PC's sometimes), there hasn't been a whole lot of action going on here. Happy to report that I'm back on deck with what seems to be impeccable timing.
Unless you live on Mars, you will have heard the news that Israel Folau has jumped ship and signed a multi-million dollar deal with the Greater West Sydney AFL franchise. With the deal being worth an alleged $1,000,000 a season, it would make him close to one of the highest paid domestic footballers outside of Matt Giteau and Stirling Mortlock from the rugger game and Chris Judd from AFL. Naturally he's not the first to leave the NRL to chase riches in other games - Wendell and Lote did the exact same thing, as did Rogers and Hunt. He's not the first and definitely not the last.
Can you really blame Israel for this? After talking to a few people about it, claims of greed and immorality are flying around. Loyalty has been mentioned more times than the phrase "Indigenous Game" by Big Dell on NRL on Fox. Is Izzy really disloyal? Not really. He hasn't broken his Broncos contract and he's more than obliged to shop around with other clubs or codes. Has he made a morally questionable decision? Probably not. League has invested a lot in Folau and off he goes to another code. Plenty of other players have done that yet the crucifixion of them lasted only long enough until the next wunderkid was discovered. In my eyes, he's a young man (21 years of age, as hard as it is to believe) who has just been offered double the salary to essentially do the same job in another city. If an employer offered me double the salary to move to another city and work, I'd give it strong consideration.
The real issue lies with the NRL and the feeble salary cap that our game is subject to. David Gallop has said repeatedly that the game doesn't have a money tree and I accept that. What I find difficult to accept is that the current TV deal that the NRL has is worth $500m over 6 years yet the AFL, who has a city centric league as well (Melbourne instead of Sydney), has a deal for $780m over 5 years. If, and that's a big if, the NRL pulls their finger out and gets a decent TV deal it must upgrade the salary cap. Even a boost of $2m per club funded by the TV deal would go a long way to preventing Gasnier's and Folau's from leaving for greener pastures. The other benefit of a new TV deal is that Channel 9 can stop punishing viewers by forcing us to listen to Fatty and Sterlo on a Sunday. That's another issue for another time however.
Yes, it's sad that Izzy is going to another code and yes, it could possibly be perceived as immoral but honestly, who wouldn't do the same if they were in his shoes?
Unless you live on Mars, you will have heard the news that Israel Folau has jumped ship and signed a multi-million dollar deal with the Greater West Sydney AFL franchise. With the deal being worth an alleged $1,000,000 a season, it would make him close to one of the highest paid domestic footballers outside of Matt Giteau and Stirling Mortlock from the rugger game and Chris Judd from AFL. Naturally he's not the first to leave the NRL to chase riches in other games - Wendell and Lote did the exact same thing, as did Rogers and Hunt. He's not the first and definitely not the last.
Can you really blame Israel for this? After talking to a few people about it, claims of greed and immorality are flying around. Loyalty has been mentioned more times than the phrase "Indigenous Game" by Big Dell on NRL on Fox. Is Izzy really disloyal? Not really. He hasn't broken his Broncos contract and he's more than obliged to shop around with other clubs or codes. Has he made a morally questionable decision? Probably not. League has invested a lot in Folau and off he goes to another code. Plenty of other players have done that yet the crucifixion of them lasted only long enough until the next wunderkid was discovered. In my eyes, he's a young man (21 years of age, as hard as it is to believe) who has just been offered double the salary to essentially do the same job in another city. If an employer offered me double the salary to move to another city and work, I'd give it strong consideration.
The real issue lies with the NRL and the feeble salary cap that our game is subject to. David Gallop has said repeatedly that the game doesn't have a money tree and I accept that. What I find difficult to accept is that the current TV deal that the NRL has is worth $500m over 6 years yet the AFL, who has a city centric league as well (Melbourne instead of Sydney), has a deal for $780m over 5 years. If, and that's a big if, the NRL pulls their finger out and gets a decent TV deal it must upgrade the salary cap. Even a boost of $2m per club funded by the TV deal would go a long way to preventing Gasnier's and Folau's from leaving for greener pastures. The other benefit of a new TV deal is that Channel 9 can stop punishing viewers by forcing us to listen to Fatty and Sterlo on a Sunday. That's another issue for another time however.
Yes, it's sad that Izzy is going to another code and yes, it could possibly be perceived as immoral but honestly, who wouldn't do the same if they were in his shoes?
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