The Football (all sorts) Thread

[Fungal Infection]

Yeah I forgot Gidley...

Hayne will probably end up in the second row, but the outside back moving into the pack isn't a new trend. Those that tend to stay in the backs are usually those who don't rely on speed in the first place, like Sailor & Mick Hancock. Wendell had speed, but it was never his greatest asset.

BTW Sam, I'm curious. What made you follow the Storm? A 20 something yeah old Sydneysider into league would normally have had a team already by 1998. Did you suddenly start following league (a late bloomer) or did you switch from Norths?

I actually used to support the Doggies but then Super League happened and I became disillusioned with the Doggies for turning their backs on the regular comp. Then when the NRL comp started, and the Dragons were playing the Storm in the 99 finals, everyone around me was going for the Dragons (being Sydney and all) so I decided to go for the underdogs. Been a supporter since.

[dirge]

Fair enough. You do realise the Storm were Superleague's baby, right? (just askin)

[i_amtrunks]

Fair enough. You do realise the Storm were Superleague's baby, right? (just askin)

But at least they never defected from the NSWRL/ARL...

Does anyone else find it sad that Sydney media is waxing lyrical over a team they all were bagging as a spoon contender 2 months ago?

At least it isnt Manly this time!

[Fungal Infection]

Fair enough. You do realise the Storm were Superleague's baby, right? (just askin)

Yup, but as trunks stated, they didn't defect like the dogs did and turn their backs on their fans.

[dirge]

How did the Dogs turn their back on their fans? I know there was the Oasis development thing which would have seen them move from Belmore to Liverpool, but I wouldn't call that turning their back? I'm not disagreeing with you, just not sure what you're referring to.

Of course the whole "loyal" thing is relative - I recall how weird the perspectives got back in 1996/1997.

For instance... when Penrith went to Superleague, Brad Fittler was seen as "loyal" by signing with the ARL (and then being able to sign a big fat contract with Easts). Effectively he dumped Penrith and went to the cashed up club (Easts were spending an awful lot on players in the mid 90s). It's a nice way to walk away mid contract and sign a bigger one. I'm not saying that Fittler went to Easts with this motivation (he might have, he might not have), but yeah, despite walking away from his club he was perceived as "loyal".

Ian Roberts was seen as "defecting" when he left Manly and went to North Queensland, because he went to Superleague. Of course, he was defecting from his club. I doubt that North Queensland would have offered a whole lot more than Manly, but he's really in the same boat as Fittler - both walked away from their clubs.

To me it seemed (and still seems) warped that players were expected to be loyal to a competition rather than the team - after all, it's the _team_ that the player signs for, it's the _team_ that the player sweats for (against other teams).

The clubs were very much walking away from the competition, of course - and in many ways that is disloyal. They weren't contractually obliged to stay with that competition (which is what the Supreme Court ruled when it gave Superleague the green light, anyway), but were certainly disloyal. It could be argued that they had justified reasons for abandoning the ARL (Brisbane certainly felt shortchanged, whether or not their reasons were sound is another matter) although some jumped simply because Superleague had signed all their players (Perth, Cronulla).

[Fungal Infection]

When I can't follow my team because I have to pay extra to do so (with super league being a Pay TV exclusive), then as far as I concerned, they've turned their back on me.

How did the Dogs turn their back on their fans? I know there was the Oasis development thing which would have seen them move from Belmore to Liverpool, but I wouldn't call that turning their back? I'm not disagreeing with you, just not sure what you're referring to.

Of course the whole "loyal" thing is relative - I recall how weird the perspectives got back in 1996/1997.

For instance... when Penrith went to Superleague, Brad Fittler was seen as "loyal" by signing with the ARL (and then being able to sign a big fat contract with Easts). Effectively he dumped Penrith and went to the cashed up club (Easts were spending an awful lot on players in the mid 90s). It's a nice way to walk away mid contract and sign a bigger one. I'm not saying that Fittler went to Easts with this motivation (he might have, he might not have), but yeah, despite walking away from his club he was perceived as "loyal".

Ian Roberts was seen as "defecting" when he left Manly and went to North Queensland, because he went to Superleague. Of course, he was defecting from his club. I doubt that North Queensland would have offered a whole lot more than Manly, but he's really in the same boat as Fittler - both walked away from their clubs.

To me it seemed (and still seems) warped that players were expected to be loyal to a competition rather than the team - after all, it's the _team_ that the player signs for, it's the _team_ that the player sweats for (against other teams).

The clubs were very much walking away from the competition, of course - and in many ways that is disloyal. They weren't contractually obliged to stay with that competition (which is what the Supreme Court ruled when it gave Superleague the green light, anyway), but were certainly disloyal. It could be argued that they had justified reasons for abandoning the ARL (Brisbane certainly felt shortchanged, whether or not their reasons were sound is another matter) although some jumped simply because Superleague had signed all their players (Perth, Cronulla).

[dirge]

When I can't follow my team because I have to pay extra to do so (with super league being a Pay TV exclusive), then as far as I concerned, they've turned their back on me.

Fair enough.

Mind you, both sides actually shunted a lot of their stuff to pay-TV (ARL on Optus, Superleague on Foxtel) and both comps were on Channel 9. But the entire thing did make league more expensive to the average punter.

[i_amtrunks]

hahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaa!

The NRL tried so hard to give Parramatta the title, and the stuffed it. The refs may as well have been wearing blue and gold.

Completely outclassed, the score makes the game look much closer than it actually was. The Storm set plays worked a treat, the Storm dominated for 65 minutes before that nice Fui try (cant believe Melbourne was penalised for Parra not kicking a drop out ten metres...).

Hindmarsh was great as usual, and that was the first game that Grothe has ever played where I think he did okay, but the eels were soft in defense, and woeful for the first 50 minutes with their kicking game.

Not going to argue with Slater getting the Churchill medal, even with that clanger knock on, but I think Cronk probably deserved it.

Pretty good game, but Parra were steamrolled... just like in 2001!

[Bartrim]

No!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...018866,00.html

[1AZRAEL1]

Bet those of you that go for the Storm won't be happy

melbourne storm stripped of premierships for salary cap breaches