Quote:

Originally Posted by CheelWinston

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nr...-1226341552869

even accounting for my bias I feel that Farah is the best 9 that NSW can select, and not only that he's coming into form.

but more to the point, how can Stuart do this shit? Airing his laundry in the media? Trying to back track and provide excuses for his demise as a club coach?

as an origin coach he should leave that shit out of the media. What a fucking clown.

Unbelievable, isn't it?

The loser is Farah because it has basically guaranteed he'll never get picked while Stuart is coach just to prove his point to Sheens.

Bennett said the exact same thing about Buderus and Stuart bloody lapped it up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whitey1981

Jelly.

nah, the last thing I want to watch is my team at the moment. I wont be in here tomorrow because I wont be able to hack the 3rd 30 point loss and Zodiac being a **** and rubbing it in

I missed the Second half of the game yesterday, cant wait for the NRL to put it up. Will be downloading I think.

Danny Buderus can GTFO. Nothing against him and he has been great over the years but he is over the hill and he will not lead us to victory in Origin.

I reckon we would stand a better chance of winning if we let the guy coming 1st in Supercoach pick the team instead of Ricky Stuart....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zodiac

My Origin team:

1. Stewart/Dugan/Hayne/Mini (Don't give a fuck, they are all good)

Stewart first choice for sure. Mini cant be picked if any of the others are fit. He has to be last picked. HAS to be.

Quote:

Originally Posted by _nick_

Oh Tigers...

Even when they win it's painful.

Hey, beats watching your team play pretty well and still lose by 18

I secretly hope we win and we all have to eat some pie.

the flb jersey is snake's to lose now. he played his way into the team on friday night.. which for mine was an even better game than the dragsters anzac day match.

not even a fit and firing dugan will take it off him before the first game imo. in fact, duges shouldn't get picked for the entire series, that shoulder will be a liability. i still believe hayne should be NSW fullback, but he's also probably carrying an injury and will only get picked on the wing anyway.

pearce and carney will be our halves. unless bedsy gets injured in the next few weeks he will be hooker, with gidley on the bench to play the other 20 or 30 minutes. we will play gallen at FRF with tamou. choc, bird and lewis our backrow while scott is unavailable. maybe swap one with glenn stewart who will probably also be there. i reckon sims will get a spot on the bench - i don't think t-rex will come into contention until game 2. i think merrin's done enough to get a spot on the bench, although i wouldn't be unhappy if they picked woods. still probably a season early but the kid is going to be a superstar.

Quote:

Originally Posted by _nick_

Unbelievable, isn't it?

The loser is Farah because it has basically guaranteed he'll never get picked while Stuart is coach just to prove his point to Sheens.

Bennett said the exact same thing about Buderus and Stuart bloody lapped it up.

lol, no dude. Farah was never going to get picked. Remember he was passed over for Ennis, and now even Buderus (the 34yo with an ongoing Achilles injury) is ahead of him.

Good on Sheens for putting the blow torch on that fraud.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abziie

that's what it comes down to. until they lose either smith, cronk or slater. They still got a majority of the benefits the cheating got them.

Hold on a sec if they're under the cap now whats the problem? Whats the benefit the cheating got them they've still got now?

Not a huge Melbourne fan but seems like some people still have a big chip about this issue just because it's Melbourne and they're still really good. If it was the Tigers for example would people care as much?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davomaxi

Hold on a sec if they're under the cap now whats the problem? Whats the benefit the cheating got them they've still got now?

Melbourne are paying unders for that trio because they know how they help each other to look good. Or in other words, you'd have to pay massive overs to lure them away now. See the recent Cronk negotiations as a case in point.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davomaxi

Hold on a sec if they're under the cap now whats the problem? Whats the benefit the cheating got them they've still got now?

Not a huge Melbourne fan but seems like some people still have a big chip about this issue just because it's Melbourne and they're still really good. If it was the Tigers for example would people care as much?

I think its to do with the likelihood that had they stayed under the cap they would have had to offload one or more of them earlier. Inglis was used as a bit of a scapegoat but I have no doubt that one of either Slater or Cronk would be playing for someone else right now had they played by the rules. The reason they were able to keep Cronk this time around is because of the new TV deal and I imagine their contracts are heavily backloaded taking into account the new money that should be on offer when the new deal is done.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davomaxi

Hold on a sec if they're under the cap now whats the problem? Whats the benefit the cheating got them they've still got now?

Not a huge Melbourne fan but seems like some people still have a big chip about this issue just because it's Melbourne and they're still really good. If it was the Tigers for example would people care as much?

Simply coming under the cap isnt enough because the market value of those players is greater than their book value. If their market value wasn't greater than what they were on their registered books, why would they have been handing out brown paper bags to 11+? of their players.

They should have been made to shed 2 of the big 4 and close to half their starting line up imo.

Yes, if it was another team I would still be calling them out on their *classy* performance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davomaxi

Hold on a sec if they're under the cap now whats the problem? Whats the benefit the cheating got them they've still got now?

Not a huge Melbourne fan but seems like some people still have a big chip about this issue just because it's Melbourne and they're still really good. If it was the Tigers for example would people care as much?

They have been living in Melbourne a long time now and their family's are well established there. At 28, they are in the back end of their playing careers so it would take significantly more than market value for them to leave..........much more so than perhaps it would have taken 3 years ago and much more than it would have taken if they were playing with Sydney based teams. Melbourne are effectively taking advantage of those circumstances, but those circumstances are all linked to the cheating.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abziie

Simply coming under the cap isnt enough because the market value of those players is greater than their book value. If their market value wasn't greater than what they were on their registered books, why would they have been handing out brown paper bags to 11+? of their players.

They should have been made to shed 2 of the big 4 and close to half their starting line up imo.

Yes, if it was another team I would still be calling them out on their *classy* performance.

What are you trying to say? Are you implying that they're still cheating, that they are being paid their "market value" instead of their "book value" under the table?

Quote:

Originally Posted by buffed

They have been living in Melbourne a long time now and their family's are well established there. At 28, they are in the back end of their playing careers so it would take significantly more than market value for them to leave..........much more so than perhaps it would have taken 3 years ago and much more than it would have taken if they were playing with Sydney based teams. Melbourne are effectively taking advantage of those circumstances, but those circumstances are all linked to the cheating.

At the back end of their career, it's even more incentive to earn more money when the opportunity presents itself in the few years they have remaining. Jeez talk about some assumptive bullshit. League's your life isn't it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by budoo

At the back end of their career, it's even more incentive to earn more money when the opportunity presents itself in the few years they have remaining. Jeez talk about some assumptive bullshit. League's your life isn't it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by buffed

They have been living in Melbourne a long time now and their family's are well established there. At 28, they are in the back end of their playing careers so it would take significantly more than market value for them to leave..........much more so than perhaps it would have taken 3 years ago and much more than it would have taken if they were playing with Sydney based teams. Melbourne are effectively taking advantage of those circumstances, but those circumstances are all linked to the cheating.

What other team doesn't take advantage of certain circumstances here and there.

They broke the rules, they paid the price, now they're following the rules, everyone just needs to deal with it. Show me a team out there that doesn't 'take advantage' of their circumstances in one way or another.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davomaxi

Show me a team out there that doesn't 'take advantage' of their circumstances in one way or another.

Parramatta.

Quote:

Originally Posted by budoo

What are you trying to say? Are you implying that they're still cheating, that they are being paid their "market value" instead of their "book value" under the table?

I dont see what is so difficult to understand about the storm cheating to building a team and the storm still enjoying the benefits of that cheating.

If you cant see it, I cant help you....but its a fact not an opinion.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davomaxi

What other team doesn't take advantage of certain circumstances here and there.

taking advantage of circumstances =/= systematic cheating

anyway, i have no problem with the storm now. in fact, over the past couple of seasons i have enjoyed watching them play even more because before they were just cheating cunce that wrestled all day. now they actually play some exciting footy to punish you on the scoreboard after wrestling you all day.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davomaxi

What other team doesn't take advantage of certain circumstances here and there.

They broke the rules, they paid the price, now they're following the rules, everyone just needs to deal with it. Show me a team out there that doesn't 'take advantage' of their circumstances in one way or another.

they paid *a* price. Should have been forced to dismantle the bulk of team the team that would have been 1.5 mile over the cap last year alone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abziie

I dont see what is so difficult to understand about the storm cheating to building a team and the storm still enjoying the benefits of that cheating.

If you cant see it, I cant help you....but its a fact not an opinion.

Fucking rubbish, they lost a bunch of players to get the team under the cap and they are now legit. They could've just as easily have dumped those players before the cheating began and ended up at the same position with Cronk, Slater, and Smith staying choosing to stay together due to being best fucking buddies. It's a viable scenario and obviously didn't play out this way, but who the fuck cares? They are under the cap now, move on. It's a game dude, maybe find some other hobbies so you don't put your whole life into this. You might be able to enjoy it more when your team keeps losing.

That game was followed up by another great game between the Storm and the Warriors. The Warriors really worried the Storm, but it shows what champion qualities the Storm team are by running away with the game in the final twenty minutes. Lesser teams would have caved under the onslaught

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abziie

they paid *a* price. Should have been forced to dismantle the bulk of team the team that would have been 1.5 mile over the cap last year alone.

They did. They got rid of the enough players to bring them under the cap and here we are. Oh, that's right, you meant break up the group of players whose "market value" is still well over the cap but have accepted a salary well under this perceived value due to wanting to be with their families at the end of their career. Right. Can't you help you there, they are well within the rules to take a massive pay cut even though their professional footy career ends at what 35? Good on them for thinking of their families... oh wait.

Quote:

Originally Posted by budoo

League's your life isn't it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by budoo

It's a game dude, maybe find some other hobbies so you don't put your whole life into this.

It's clear from your alarming lack of perspective that it's only a passing fancy for you. Nothing to be proud of.

Quote:

Originally Posted by b_bop

alarming lack of perspective

Oh dude, seriously. Get a grip.

How did Matai have no case to answer? I thought he cocked his elbow a bit as he ran through. At the very least he could have done more to avoid the contact.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abziie

they paid *a* price. Should have been forced to dismantle the bulk of team the team that would have been 1.5 mile over the cap last year alone.

Oh for pete's sake man 'forced to dismantle' how ridiculous. They got rid of heaps of players to fit in the cap after the scandal, they're under the cap now, end of story.

Rumour is Matai going to the Sharks. I hope so, he's served us well but he's too much of a liability these days. Still has some great footy ahead of him when he's fit... oh wait, he's never fit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by b_bop

How did Matai have no case to answer? I thought he cocked his elbow a bit as he ran through. At the very least he could have done more to avoid the contact.

They let is slide because normally Matai's such a good bloke and violent play 'isn't his go'.

matai is such a good player. will be a big loss to manly.

I hope we let Kite (Can't imagine he is on big money) go too, hes so average these days.

If we had to shed three or four players my preference would be to let B.Stewart, Matai & Kite/King/D.Williams go.

I hope we are able to keep TRex. I'd much rather keep he and Buhrer and let both the Stewart brothers go if push came to shove.

I'd have Matai at the Warriors in a hearbeat, but we've lacked decent centres for a while. I think Hurrell & Henry will be good long-term but they're pretty fucking green right now.

surely hurrell makes it back into the team next week?

which reminds me, may have missed it earlier in the thread, but all the ben roberts talk made me forget about inu.. what a bag of lulz he continues to be. sad part for eels fans is he probably would've played every game this season under kearney

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigGroovyFcuker

surely hurrell makes it back into the team next week?

which reminds me, may have missed it earlier in the thread, but all the ben roberts talk made me forget about inu.. what a bag of lulz he continues to be. sad part for eels fans is he probably would've played every game this season under kearney

Fucking Inu... everyone was calling for McLennan's head for not picking him until last week, now we see why he wasn't there... it's pretty rare to lose by 3 tries and be able to blame a single player for it, but I reckon if Locke had stayed at FB for the whole game we'dve won that... The Storm only got on top after Inu's bone-headed fuck-up carrying the ball out of our own in-goal, and we were playing catch-up after that.

I think Hurrell will be back but not sure about this week. I suspect they'd rather partner him with someone experienced.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigGroovyFcuker

unless bedsy gets injured in the next few weeks he will be hooker

bedsy off at HT with achilles problem. dun dun dunnn?

the hooker he replaced should be picked

gidley and jennings now both off too. all 3 probably certainties for the blues

Gidley shoulder?

If Gidley isnt fit for Origin 1 do we run with Lewis on the bench as a backrower/utility, and 2 props plus Tariq? I think thats our best option even if Gidley is fit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zodiac

Gidley shoulder?

yeah again.. fark me. no word yet on whether it was the same one he did just a few weeks back. this is now getting beyond ridiculous for gids..

hoping jennings isn't too bad. was beasting it in a beaten team. jennings = the new hodges

Fuck you CLint Newton, your two tries could cost me my supercoach H2H. I'm now only 20 points in front after being 100 in front.

God I feel sick thinking about the Melbourne game. We might not even be able to field a full side and they've been resting since last Wednesday. It's going to be a cricket score. Get some money on Melbourne at 50+

It's at your home at least, but yeah I'd expect a big one from Storm after they were sloppy at times last week.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davomaxi

What other team doesn't take advantage of certain circumstances here and there.

They broke the rules, they paid the price, now they're following the rules, everyone just needs to deal with it. Show me a team out there that doesn't 'take advantage' of their circumstances in one way or another.

Quote:

everyother****intheWorld "No Davo, you don't understand - they're Melbourne and they're not my team, therefore anything they do must be wrong and they're cheats - did you know they rorted the cap and I believe they should have been forced to field one armed midgets for 50 years out of Timbuktoo as punishment, just like the Bulldogs were when they did the same

gormlessjealousmoron.

Fuck me it makes me sick to hear the rubbish spouted about Melbourne and 90% of it is jealousy. Melbourne have sourced these players without the benefit of a massive local junior competition. The club has to offer players more than other clubs to lure players away from their friends and family in the first place or pick players that no one else wants and they have a habit of turning very average players into extremely competent players. They don't get any credit for this - they are just criticised for trying to retain Cronk, Slater and Smith. They offloaded Inglis due to the salary cap issue and had already offloaded Folau before the salary cap issue rose.

Yes they held onto three players of exceptional quality, but they did offload Ryan Hoffman, Brett Finch, Brett White, Jeff Lima, Aiden Tolman, Willie Isa and others in order to retain their big three at the end of 2010. But still people only complain about what they were allowed to retain, not what they were forced to lose.

In 2002 the Bulldogs gave their entire existing squad a pay cut and kept everyone - yet no one seemed to mind that so much. Why is that?

Every club uses it's own advantages - Brisbane have the pick of a City - North Queensland play games in high levels of humidity - Manly take the competition to court to stop players from going other clubs (salary cap hello) - The Tigers players all lie on the floor and hold their noses every time someone tackles above the waist - Souths make other teams laugh so much they drop the ball - yet no one seems to mind any of that cheating. No it's only Melbourne that are the demonic bad guys and it's a load of fucking cobblers.

Sorry about that rant - I really came in here to say once again how fucking enjoyable the football has been this weekend.

After the dirge that has been served up - especially by Newcastle, Parramatta and St George most teams really entertained this week.

Other than the Anzac Day games which were both great, the Souths v Cowboys game was a cracker on Saturday night. Yes Souths went to sleep and let the Cowboys back in but both teams were inventive and moved the ball about.

The Dogs v Manly game on Friday night was great too. Both sets of forwards passed the ball to open gaps in the middle of the park for smaller men to run into and they both did it really well. A combination of poor decision making and hard as fuck defence kept the score down, but it highly entertaining and there was a lot of quality on display.

Then the Sharks - wow - how fucking good are they going at the moment? 44 points in a game and they should have scored more!

Thank you Rugby League - I really enjoyed this weekend's games - maybe the mid season break actually did everyone the World of good

Quote:

Originally Posted by b_bop

How did Matai have no case to answer? I thought he cocked his elbow a bit as he ran through. At the very least he could have done more to avoid the contact.

There is no test match coming up

After tonite's injuries

1) Dugan/Hayne
2) B.Morris
3) Idris/J.Morris
4) Lawrence
5) Uate
6) Carney
7) Pearce
Galloway
9) Farah
10) Gallen
11) Watmough
12) Bird
13) Stewart
14) Merrin
15) T-Rex
16) Sims
17) Tamou

T-Rex could cover any injuries in the backs and Bird could cover injuries in the halves.

This team I feel could stop the QLD forwards dominating us all the fucking time.

Gidley is a god send being injured...

None too happy with Gidley and Jennings going down so close to Origin, but Buderus getting injured has to be a blessing for the Blues

Now we can get it wrong by picking Ennis for the Blues instead of Farah.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lambretta

There is no test match coming up

He also didn't pretend he had hurt his shoulder