Season 2008: Round 11

From The Couch

Suburban Rugby League…It was wonderful to see 17,493 people pack into Leichhardt Oval to watch a game of rugby league on a Sunday afternoon at a venue that has an iota of atmosphere. The Wests Tigers are a well run club and are one of the few who pay adequate consideration to the wishes of fans. Steve Noyce should be applauded by all fans of the game for the manner in which he ran the Tigers. Clubs such as the Bulldogs should pay more attention. It is all very simple: we want to watch rugby league at a ground with atmosphere. ANZ Stadium is a blight on the sport and the NRL should consider itself lucky if the AFL does purchase the venue.

Relocation, Relocation, Relocation…David Gallop on Friday reiterated the NRL’s promise of $8 million for teams who relocate. He also noted the difficulty of sustaining nine Sydney clubs. While I am a traditionalist, it must be said that all Sydney clubs should look at relocation to remain viable. The Central Coast, with its suitable demographic, promise of corporate backing and a fantastic suburban ground, is in need of a rugby league team and they should have one. Professions of regional ties in Sydney should barely register in consideration, particularly for those clubs who have decided the monstrosity known as ANZ Stadium is there home ground. The Central Coast offer provides stability, identity and survival. I would certainly be pleased if the Bulldogs moved there.

Bang Goes Lang…South Sydney have made the right move in hiring John Lang as a football consultant. Lang is a fine coach who is respected throughout the game. He did the best he could with Cronulla before winning a title with Penrith. They haven’t been the same since he left. Lang will provide a bit of life to the morbid Bunnies attack while giving Jason Taylor his first lessons on how to coach. John Lang is a legend and he has a sharp rugby league brain. It is good to have him back in the game.

Welcome Back, To That Same Old Place That You Laughed About…Welcome back, Steven Price. Both the Warriors and the Maroons are in desperate need of Steven Price and he didn’t disappoint in his return from a hamstring injury with 112 metres and 27 tackles in 57 minutes of play. Price was strong and he will only get stronger over the coming weeks. Oh, to have him back at Belmore in these dry and weird times.

Witticism #1…The quick-wit of Scott Prince, a player I am not overly fond of, caused quite the chuckle in many homes on Sunday when having a frank and free-flowing exchange with referee Shayne Hayne. After Hayne had sin-binned the Tigers Bryce Gibbs and the Titans Nathan Friend, Prince confronted Hayne with: “You’ve sent a dumb forward off and you’ve sent off our smart hooker. It’s unfair.” Prince, in a way, was right. Friend did nothing and copped ten minutes.

Witticism #2…In an injury that seems to get more amusing with each passing day, Warriors goal-kicker Michael Witt has still not recovered from the brutal hip injury he sustained when attempting a shot on goal against the Raiders two weeks back. Commentator Peter Ropati said that Witt was out indefinitely while Warriors coach Ivan Cleary said he may still be a few weeks away. Who knew goal-kicking could be such a dangerous and harmful art. His injury absence is second only to Jarrod Sammut’s, who last week was ruled out with an iron deficiency, in the run for weakest excuse of the season.

Vale, Cameron Phelps…You continued on the great tradition of slow outside backs at Canterbury that has included the likes of Shane Marteene and Todd Polglaise. Always described as “safe”, Phelps won the hearts of few but the admiration of some. I was among that some. He will excel with regular rugby league at Wigan.

For Entertainment Purposes Only…This is what a seventy-five year old Croatian man in a pimp suit scratching tunes on a gramophone and bellowing with gay abandon looks like. click here

Coaching Stocks…

Value	LW	Coach	Comment
5	5	Craig Bellamy	Blues win in Origin I further cemented his reputation as the number one coach in the game.
4.5	4	Brad Fittler	The Roosters are back on song and the win against the Warriors was one of their best.
4.5	4.5	Wayne Bennett	Brisbane had the bye.
4	4	John Cartwright	The Titans lost no admirers in a close loss to the Tigers. Biggest problem is getting a road win.
4	3.5	Tim Sheens	The Tigers are a team on the up after a tough win against the Titans.
4	4.5	Ricky Stuart	The Sharks are vulnerable in games that become a shootout. Stuart must open the Sharks up.
3.5	3.5	Brian Smith	Newcastle had the bye.
3.5	4	Des Hasler	Hasler must take a good deal of the blame for Dragons loss. Needs to set his backline free.
2.5	2.5	Michael Hagan	Parramatta had the bye.
2	2	Matt Elliott	Penrith had the bye.
1.5	1	Steve Folkes	Formulated a smart game plan designed to open the game up. It worked perfectly.
1.5	1.5	Neil Henry	Canberra had the bye.
1.5	2.5	Ivan Cleary	A shocking home loss to the Roosters has the Warriors looking at a long season.
1	0.5	Nathan Brown	He will take plenty out of upset win over the Eagles. Still, has little to aspire to after being axed for 2009.
0	0	Jason Taylor	Souths are in disarray on and off the field and moves are afoot to bring in John Lang to oversee Taylor.
*******	*******	Ian Millward	North Queensland had the bye. Millward has been handed the reins after Murray was punted.

 

The Colin Best Express Fan Revue…Players who have applied for a position in the Colin Best Express School of Rugby League Play:

• Luke Covell
• Bronx “The Bronx Bomber” Goodwin
• Michael Gordon
• Mark “Sexual Chocolate” Henry
• Ben Jeffery
• David “The Axe” Milne
• Michael Robertson

 

Round Eleven in 2007…The Broncos had twelve different point-scorers in their 71-6 demolition job of the under-the-pump Newcastle Knights with Brent Tate, Justin Hodges and Tonie Carroll all posting doubles…A Matt Orford field goal was the difference between Manly and Melbourne in what would turn out to be a Grand Final preview…A lone point was also the difference in the Sharks-Roosters encounter with a rare Anthony Minichiello field goal the decider…Adrian Purtell scored three tries in another Raiders demolition of the Dragons at Bruce, this time the score being 30-6…Matt Bowen was electric in scoring two tries against the Bulldogs in the Cowboys 26-16 victory…The Tigers and the Panthers played out a 25-24 classic at Penrith Park…Manu Vatuvei would have one of the most unforgettable games in the history of the sport in the Warriors 30-6 loss to Parramatta.

Game of the Year Nomination, Round 11…Wests Tigers-Gold Coast, 20-18. This game was a real rattler. A packed Leichhardt Oval on a Sunday afternoon. Tough and rugged defence. Individual brilliance. Intensity and the foray into violence. A close scoreline. Preston Campbell was simply sensational while Robbie Farah was back to his best. A real classic.

Great Canterbury Backrower of Yesteryear…Robert Tocco. Known, in some circles at any rate, as Taco Bob, Tocco fit the mould perfectly. Dour, hard-working, uncredited. Tocco only spent four years at Canterbury but he was solid and is still remembered by Canterbury fans everywhere. The Dogs could certainly use someone like Tocco these days.

Fantasy Players of the Week…Braith Anasta, Sonny Bill Williams, Andrew Ryan, Mitchell Pearce, Brett Hodgson.

Surprise Fantasy Players of the Week…Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Preston Campbell, David Fa’alogo, Beau Scott, Reni Maitua, Matt Geyer.

Rebecca Wilson-Danny Wiedler, Scorecard…Wiedler gets the points. Just. Wiedler resorted to his low-rent ace, Hot Girls Who Have Slept with Daniel Conn, but at least had the decency to provide pictures. Wilson went with her usual incoherent rant as copy. Both were painful but a deeper dislike of Wilson and the use of attractive females by Wiedler gives Danny Boy the nod.

And One Final Thought…There has been plenty of comment on the timing of the representative season with many calling for a general bye before each Origin to ensure clubs are not penalised for having quality players. That option is totally unworkable. The NRL already has one too many byes in its draw and there is no room for the season to be extended. Rather, the NRL should stage Test Matches and State of Origin games on Friday nights with all clubs playing on the Sunday and Monday after. All Origin players would be eligible to play the round before. This would ensure no club is forced to lose its star players by rule. If the NRL adopted such a model, the clubs would be appeased and the fans would be happy as the product would be stronger. And the throwback to multiple games on a Sunday afternoon will be enjoyed by all.