The Rugby League Thread 2008

WTF was there ever any doubt that they would try to contest it. Smith will have to be very carefull next year, his record is not looking to good right now.

The quality of journalism in this day and age is atrocious.

Have a look at this article on Simon Mannering, identifying the lack of knowledge about him on the other side of the Tasman.

http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/meet-the-warriors-marathon-man/2008/09/24/1222217331187.html

It features a picture of Todd Byrne.



*Sends feedback

Well done on your article on the Warriors unsung hero Simon Mannering:

http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/news/meet-the-warriors-marathon-man/2008/09/24/1222217331187.html

The only issue is the picture. That is a picture of Todd "Skinny" Byrne, infamous for being run down by Scott Sattler in the 2003 Grand Final.

Don't feel too bad though, the Footy Show recently featured a picture of Ian Henderson that they claimed was Simon Mannering, you are far from alone.

Dave

Well that was pretty fast:



They have updated the site also.

You have restored the honour of the entire leaguehq website.

Free membership for life?

R

Mannering in the All Blacks? O_o

Crazy that he played Rugby most of his life, he said he isn't going anywhere soon. And he is only 22, phew, doesn't that boy play with a maturity well above his age!

Anyone would think he is 26-27

^ Matulino switched from rugby too.


I picked the Sharks to beat Melbourne, but after this Cam Smith suspension I reckon the Storm might lift for this one. Can't see them beating Manly or the Warriors without him though.

:/

Why did I bet on cronulla :/

that was one of most one sided finals game ive ever seen.

the sharks were never once in it. the two weeks off really hurt them, they looked rusty as fuck.

hope manly are in the same boat.

and if the U20 warriors and the warriors win, thanks to melbourne, ill be $300 richer

Should have paid more attention to cronulla's bye stats.

They nearly lost to the cowboys after a bye... :/

I think the week off was not that good for them but we are talking about the Sharks here. Like I said in the lounge and to most people I talked to, there was NO WAY the Sharks was going to get over the Storm. They are THAT good and they won't play two shit games in a row.

Another thing, the Sharks looked rusty yes, but they are not a good attacking team to start with and when you are up against the best defensive team in the comp you will be made to look average.

11 QLD players in that squad, losing one player is not giong to hurt them as much as everyone thought it would. I found the Sharks was to occupied with trying to argue with the ref about grapple tackles and being a bunch of boof heads.

How shit were the sharks last night?

Why did they spend the whole game trying to get the ball to their wingers when Covell is deadset slower than me


GO THE MIGHTY WARRIORS!!

Looks like God hates people who get more excited about the Warriors than they do about the All Blacks.

Yup. Silly Australian game.

Ah well, it's been a great ride. The boys went one better than last year, so we'll be stronger for it in 09. Felt for the U20's though...leading by 8 with 3 mins to go, only to lose in the last second. Harsh.

You flip flop more than national.

Not as much as he hates Auckland rugby right now.



Last time I checked, the Warriors made it all the way through the toughest competition in the world to be one game off winning the entire thing and Auckland were languishing at the bottom of the table after having lost the Ranfurly Shield.

Ooooo! The truth hurts don't it.

Whislt im not an avid Auckland rugby supporter at the best of times, and neither am i known for my support of the Warriors, or vadz for the matter.. but @ least Auckland is still in the hunt to win their comp.. UNfortunately the Warriors are not..

(just playing the devils advocate)

I'm unhappy, but not dissapointed.

I don't think we played too badly, I think Manly played extremely well.

I don't think they allowed us to play well, just as we did not allow Melbourne to play well in the first Finals week.

A fantastic season in the end, we'll be back even stronger next year, for a lot of our boys this was some of their first (winning) finals experience as well.

^^ dude, the NRL comp started in March. NPC kicked off on July 31.

From knowing little about league, I've enjoyed it very much. So much so, I've decided to get Sky digital next year.

Gutted, they still finished winners this season though.

Big Ups Rubes, look forward to seeing him play against the Maoris in 2 weeks.

Really felt for the U20s too

I'm hurting that loss really hurt ...

Manly really played a good game and stopped us from playing out natural way.

I do think that try Manu could have scored in the corner would have shaped the game for us in a much better way. We played in a shell and for a moment in the second half it looked like we are going to get out of it, but straight back into it. Lat 20 minutes was painfull to watch the boys looked tired and out played.

Well done though, we now have big hopes for '09!

Yeah word.

The boys looked absolutely gutted at the end. One rule that Wayne Bennett says about chip kicks - don't stick your foot out to block it, trust your man at the back to clean it up. Kevin Locke had it covered but the kick got a bad deflection from one of his forwards.

Not too gutted about the game to be honest. Manly were just sublime -- I hope they fucking destroy the Storm

Exactly what I was thinking, but the way Manly were playing I really don't think it would've made a huge difference- they were on another level.

I'm not too gutted though, we still exceeded all expectations. High hopes for the 09

Hope Melbourne get owned too.

Matai was awesome. Man, aren't we looking good in the centres for the Kiwis. Kearney has ditched Ben Roberts (thank god!). Hohaia and Marshall in the halves please.

Fully agree Bundy

Intl rugby league is a bit of a joke though.

Kearney: "Yeah, nah, Ben, um, listen mate, it really doesn't look like you'll make the cut for the world cup. Yeah, nah, sorry mate. Samoa are looking for a five-eighth though..."

The Samoan side are actually looking quite strong. They'll threaten the big three.

I understand Manly has shoulder surgery scheduled for Matai? :/

I hope and think Melbourne will win it


Im not sure where all this Manly favourtism has come from Melbourne were preseason favourites, minor premiers, defending champions, clobbered Manly at Brookvale mid-season, clobbered manly is last years final, beat a very good Brisbane side in Brisbane in their minor semi, zilched Cronulla in their major semi .......I dunno, maybe Im missing something

not watchign the games, perhaps? (sry had to beat yous to it)

btw Im cos the bookies are backing Manly

Tonga is looking strong too. Samoa v Tonga will be BRUTAL.

1. The grapple tackles have made Melbourne the NRL's hated team. There will always be one team and right now they are it.

2.People think that Cameron Smith's suspension hurt the Storm and then to top it off they have a few injuries.

That is pretty much why people think Manly will get over them. But like I always do when my team is involved I think with my heart and not my head. Emotion is a horrible thing when it comes to sport and seeing things clearly.

The Storm will nail Manly this weekend, like I said at the start of last week, you can't keep a team with so many super stars down.

Yes finally the voice of reason (imo) I have few doubts that Melbourne will get up over Manly, again.... I also have much less time for Hasler as I do Bellamy


Might change my view a bit if Kite gets suspended tho

I used to be a Melbourne fan but I just can't stand them now, because they're so filthy.

I think the final is too close to call. Manly have played some superb rugby league this year and let's not forget Melbourne were only minor premiers based on for and against, right?

Was good to see most of the warriors fans going around congratulating the sea eagles, on the condition they smashed the storm :>

Gracious in defeat.

I'm backing Manly, cause I want Steve Menzies to finish off as a winner

Yout gotta pick on current form, not stats, and on current form right now, Manly are fucking hot.

The Storm have had a lot of disruptions to their finals run which can't be helpeful to their cause. Also there was a period during the Cronulla game where they just looked dead. No energy, no momentum, Cronullas own ineptitude at scoring was the only thing that saved them. You can't write enough about the absence of Cameron Smith, that guy is not only their leader but he is also their chief playmaker, Cronk be damned, it's Smith who makes the calls and makes the plays. Inglis is a great player but he is stifled at five/eighth, he needs space out wide to really shine, look how much better he played when he was playin in the centres for Queensland!

Manly have everybody on form and firing, their defense is amazing, their offense is deadly, but most importantly. They lost last year. This year they are HUNGRY.

The Warriors will be at Aotea Square tomorrow morning (7.45am) for a big shave-off to raise money for Kidz First Children’s Hospital in Manukau City.


http://warriors.sitesuite.ws/plugins/newsfeed.cgi?rm=content&plugin_data_id=25080

I think that might have already been this morning? I saw one of the players on tv this morning at Aotea being interviewed about their beards being shaved off.

doh! you're right.

Think I might actually support the Melbourne Storm now.

Reason – I absolutely cannot stand the sight of Matt Orford.
Reason 2 – Craig Bellamy is hardcase, and I respect him giving shit to the NRL judiciary.

Melbourne Storm are given harsher treatment than any other team in the NRL, fact. The grapple-tackle thing is completely overblown out of their favour. Anyone count the grapples in the Warriors semi? Shitloads from the Eagles..

I reckon the Melbourne will be psyched on Sunday. Should be a sick game. If Cronks on form they'll take it.

Nah, Melbourne can fuck off with all their childish tactics. It's not just the tackling. It's stuff like the staying in their dressing room and leaving the opposing team standing around on the field for 5 minutes. I remember one game where the opposition team stood around for so long they decided fuck this and started to walk back to the sideline.

And they only have themselves to blame for all the attention they get for the grapple tackles etc.

All Golds team

All Golds: Lance Hohaia, Sam Perrett, Iosia Soliola, Krisnan Inu, Manu Vatuvei, Benji Marshall, Stacey Jones, David Fa'alogo, Logan Swann, Setaimata Sa, Ruben Wiki (captain), Issac Luke, Nathan Cayless. Interchange: Greg Eastwood, Nathan Fien, David Kidwell, Thomas Leuluai, Sam Rapira, Jerome Ropati.

Looks pretty solid

Agree with harvey.

Faggots.

That was the Warriors in round one of this season.



Also agreed. I used to really admire the Storm with their well drilled moves and lines but fuck them. I won't endorse the sort of bullshit that they do. I laugh at Smith's continued grievance with his suspension. Mate... You were trying to pull his head off!!

G. That doesn't mean I automatically support the Sea Eagles, I've never been a big fan of theirs but in this instance, they're the lesser of two evils.

I'm revising my original estimation of the score now though, given the amount of emotion starting to get into it. I pick a 4 point ball game with the Sea Eagles coming out on top on account of being that little bit fresher.

*against* the Warriors that should be...

I am sure they have done it more than once.

So is Wiki finished with Warriors or he will be playing next year?

He's finished.

I guess he might play in the UK or something next year.

Why for being at the top of the table for 3 consecutive years?

As I said, if you think Melbourne are the only grapple-tacklers in the NRL you're a chump.

The NRL Judiciary, well three members of, are taking Bellamy and Storm CEO Waldrom to court for defamation and they refuse to push the dates back beyond the Grand Final this weekend.

Scandalous!

Bellamy should have said sorry for his outburst when they asked for it. Now he has to put up with more off field bullshit distracting him and his team.

Like we say G, they deserve everything they get.

And like I say, you're a chump.

You think the players deserve everything they get because their coach didn't apologise?

Now you're just being a knob.

Cameron Smith and Jeremy Smith deserve everything they got re the dangerous tackle because let's face it, it was dangerous.

Craig Bellamy and Brian Waldrom threw a totally unreasonable spaz about it and accused the NRL Judiciary of being biased and dishonest and totally deserve to get fined and suffer the penalties of a defamation suit filed against them.

It's also true that they are coached in illegal tactics in the tackle (a former Storm player came out this year and confirmed that they are coached and then disciplined after video sessions for not using these techniques) and therefore deserve all the backlash they are getting for it.

They don't have a leg or a chicken wing to stand on my friend.

All you Manly backers are also unpatriotic as far as Im concerned, theres 5 ....or 6? kiwi boys in Melbournes 17 ......and a pesky ONE in Manlys

die all you Manly Australians

Actually ....I just did a proper count of Kiwi Stormers, ok its 4. Plus Kearney = 5

Could you BE any more wrong?



Melbourne were done by the semi against Brisbane.

Talk about a bitch slapping.

And chur to the return of the daytime Grand Final

Props to Manly for a brilliant season; they were so far ahead of every team they played in the finals that they deserved to win the gf in such style.

Could Beaver have had a more fairytale ending? Right down to being teh last Manly player to get his ring.... fucking EPIC!

Also nice to know we got beaten by easily the best team in the comp

Only one team turned up on the day, Falou imo had a solid game given the score and post match sob reflected that.

The beaver deserved to be sent off in such fashion, great knock really, I highly doubt you will ever see another player deadicated to a single team for their entire career

Didnt actually see the game cos I had to work, but for me to be that wrong dalai the whole thing was obviously a set up by News Ltd

Manly's defence was just awesome.

And 112 points in three finals matches with only conceeding two tries. That has to surely be the best finals performance every?

Not quite, more a half n half eh?



Bring back the 2.30 kick off IMO

Better spectacle in daylight, better ball security etc

They called it the first 'twilight GF'. But yeah, daytime HEAPS better.

It was fine at 5 o clock nacoa. Don't be picky. The ball security was fine and the weather all good, it was really only in the final minutes that the sun went down, remembering that NSW starts its daylight savings this weekend as well.

5pm kickoff is a good compromise between the tv networks wanting a primetime final and the players wanting a daytime game.

Excellent time for us here in NZ too

Yeah, it was a real shame the game didn't make the grade as a spectacle.

The Storm just looked so flat, more so than any grand final team I've ever seen. Like the Roosters a few years ago, it looks like the Storm "dynasty" has come to an end

Losing a few players too

The Brisbane centre pairing next year will be lethal


Pffft, sorry Dale, but I'm a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to Grand Finals. Never once enjoyed a night GF. OG 2.30pm hick off IMO or GTFO

How bout the 13 missed field-goal attempts in the extra-time NSW Cup final? 13! Someone just lost a union contract.

Meh, I don't think it makes too much of a difference. Origins and Internationals are all played at night, why not the Grand Final too? It's as big a spectacle as origin, if not more so...

RLWC discussion time

Your thoughts on player movement between countries?

I am all for it in league, IF it helps bolster the weaker nations. It looks like it does in most cases, as fringe kangaroos and kiwis are allowed to play for their nation of birth or ancestry if they don't make the squad. Flag the two year rule, IMO. At least for world cups.

Def all for it being relaxed for World Cup time, there really is no point in the tournament otherwise....may as well just have the tri nations

There should be exceptions for the big 3 though, ie no swapping between Aus/NZ/GB.... the situation with Toni Carroll was completly ridiculous


If you scratch the surface of ummm "anti world cup player swapping" people you will mostly find rugby wowsers

I agree with both of you, but I can't stand the half-arsed nature of it all... e.g. Moi Moi and someone else have been disallowed from playing for Tonga because they've recently played for the Kiwis.

This just a few days after Toupo was dragged out of the Tongan camp to go back to the Kangaroos...

They need to either make it very strict, like other football codes (in which case, like Maestro has said, the WC would be a total farce) or disregard totally any rule which takes into account who the players have paid for recently, but only for players going to the minion nations... i.e. heritage should be sufficient for selection in these teams, nothing else.

Actually looking forward to it, should be pretty cool

I wish SA had a team though

You would think that SA would be able to produce very good leaguies....given the brutal nature of the Boks

I should start a team of ex-pat saffas in NZ!

I did play a season in teh same rugby team as Roy Asotasi after all

That try by Rubes at the end of teh game was awesome.

And what a kick by Logan Swann

How lol were Nightingale and TeMaari faces chasing...neither of them wanted to be the stink dude to tackle him and ruin the moment

Matai has been clear to play. No surgery required.

isnt surgery after the world cup?

No immediate surgery required. But I don't care what happens after the world cup as I am not a Manly fan.

Ruben Wiki announced his retirement today.

Not off to Super League.

Bigs Ups

Did we put money on it??

I picked the starting 6/7 combo that we have played pretty much the last 2 games.

So I'm the only one with the nouse to pick them, and you all disagreed with me

Stick that up ya

Well we didn't know Webb would be injured back then did we ya numbnutz. Webb being injured puts Hohaia to fullback and takes him out of the halves contest. Only reason why Leuluai is there and not training as back up halfback in the greater squad.

So pipe down in the cheap seats thanks.

pwnt! :>

That wouldn't of happened!

Don't get sad that I'm right for once

While I tended to agree with you at the time dalai....Kearney has come out and say that Thomas is the long term solution at half back

Well he has to show faith doesn't he? His hand was forced and it doesn't look too good if the coach comes out and expresses doubts in his starting halfback.

Actually I just re read what you quoted. It says: "unless someone gets injured". Which someone did!

So I'm right thank you very much.

exactly. kearney's assertions are entirely empty; he was never going to say otherwise given the state of affairs

dalai: often licked, never beaten.

We looked really good imo; seems as though Kearney's got them well-drilled and up for it.

How about that hit by Matai after the 1st set and kick-chase of the game? Boo yow!!!