Weekend Wrap

What a weekend of talking points. 

As already mentioned the Broncos were knocked out by Manly.  I won't go over the issues in that game again as I may start using words of which are not family friendly.  In the other game the Warriors deserved their win over the much rated Manly.  All month everyone has been saying it would be a Manly v Melbourne Final.  Not quite.  The Warriors once again showed that they can account for Melbourne and had no trouble in doing so.  Melbourne just didn't seem to be able to spark and maybe if they spent as much time in practicing their ball skills as they did wrestling they would be in the final.

The biggest news for me out of the games was that there are no suspensions.  Williams has a clean record and will be able to play i he pleads guilty.  Fair enough.  But Matei who has one of the worst records in the NRL at the moment supposedly doesn't even have a case to answer.  This I find hard to believe.  If Melbourne had won I wonder if Beau Champion would have gotten off so easily.  Looks like the NRL has made sure that Manly get every opportunity to win the Final for a Sydney team this year. Lets hope the Warriors wipe the arrogance of the Sea-eagles next weekend.


On bigger news Liverpool are back in the winning circles and the superstar Luis Suarez was on the scorers sheet again.  If Suarez can keep injury free this will be a big year for him.  And on the Liverpool note I can proudly say that there is now a touch of Liverpool in the pool room. 

The World Cup is kicking on and the Aussies had a big win over the USA.  Not to sure about the details but look for a detailed reports on the Rugby World Cup from my sideline reporter Johnnyjojoshabadoo on his blog.  Guaranteed he is as passionate as I and does not hold back on his opinions either.
Hot off the press while writing this Argentina have knocked off Scotland 13-12.  This is great for Rugby.  Scotland might no be struggling to get to the next stage.

AFL also had a couple of games.  I proudly go for the Lions but this year the AFL has really lost me.  Going to take a lot to gt me interested next year any where near what I was in the past.

To come will be a forecast of the NRL Final.

As always, keep reading, pass on, and inform of any sporting stories that warrant reporting.

What a crock!!!

Well I always believed that Manly would get a free ride and guess what?

Brisbane clearly missed Lockyer but after one minute I knew that Brisbane never had a chance.  For the first six tackles Manly were offside and held on for as long as they wanted. Two tackles later Manly get a tackle for holding down or hand on the ball. Their kick for touch didn't get them as far down field as required and guess what?  Another penalty for the same thing. They score off what should have been a penalty to the Broncos.  Watch the replay and tell me where the guy playing the ball was facing. All through the game and Manly go back as far as they want have as many markers as they want.  At one stage Brisbane get penalised for 3 markers.  The 3rd supposed marker didn't even get involved and was only trying to get back onside.

What else can I point out.

Gillette scores a try, ref goes upstairs and it is ruled that the ball didn't get grounded because the hand carrying the ball got in the way.  Absolute rubbish, under the rules this is a try.

Then we have two instances that should have resulted in a player getting sent off.  Firstly a deliberate high shot with a stiff swing arm to Yow Yeh.  Hand clenched, that means a send off.  Then we have the grub called Matei come in on the same player with deliberate knees to stop a try.  Same thing, a send off.

All I can hope know is that Manly get those two players suspended and get flogged next week.  At least I can say that with as much as I hate all NSW based clubs and the NRL which is controlled by the idiots south of the border Queensland rule when it comes to Origin and the winner next week is playing tomorrow.

Weekend Finals

Let's start off with with the Broncos vs Manly game.

With Lockyer not playing most have written off the Broncos chances.  He will be a big loss but he is only one player.  After watching the Broncos all season I would say that Wallace is the key player for the Broncos.  Watch for Wallace to play a big game and with McCullough also there, the Broncos still have plenty of options in kicking.  Manly are without Jason King, Darcy Lussick and Glenn Stewart while the Broncos have a full strength pack with the return of Sammy Thaiday.  I have said it before and I will say it again.  Forward packs win finals, if the forwards lose the battle there backline has no room to attack.  The only thing that will help the Manly forwards will be the refs and cheap shots by the likes of Matai that take out key players for the broncos.  If it is obvious that I am favouring Brisbane and disliking Manly then you are spot on.  I am Brisbane born and Brisbane Proud.  Even before the Broncos I did not like Manly.  How can one like a team that openly bought anything they wanted before there was a salary cap.

Storm vs Warriors

Hard to pick this one.  Stats and form indicate that Melbourne should walk away with this one I have a feeling that the Warriors will come out on top in this one.  The Warriors are a team that always does well against Melbourne and my tip is Warriors by eight.  The warriors got totally outplayed by the Broncos and the ref did everything he could to let a pitiful Tigers team win against them last week.  If the warriors get some form going and a decent referee performance this will be a good game to watch.

Also there is some AFL finals this weekend, won't watch but all I want to hear is that Collingwood lose.

Should he play?

Seems that the raging sporting headline for the week is whether or not Darren Lockyer should play after suffering a broken cheekbone and have three titanium plates inserted.

Seems that South of the border there is a strong push for him to be forced by the NRL to ensure Lockyer is not to play.  To me it is quite simple.  If he wants to play and feels he can play then let him play.  As long as he knows the consequences then what is the problem.  If during the game he cops a legal knock then so be it.  If he cops a deliberate cheap shot as it seems Manly are slyly talking about then there is a problem.  Not with Lockyer playing but for the fact that it could quite easily be proven that the player went into the game with the intent to hit Lockyer with a foul and cheap shot.  A lengthy suspension would then be warranted and possible legal action.

This is an issue that could be debated every week as many players come back early from injury or play through the pain all season, but because it is not a finals game or involve such a big playmaker there is no talk of the ramifications.

I say let him play, let him show Manly what true toughness is and let him send Manly back south with the tails between their legs.

Weekend Wrap 2

What a weekend of sport.  Theme of the weekend was "Appalling refereeing". 

 Darren Lockyer puts on scare on the Broncos Finals Series

As far as the NRL goes the results were great.  A mighty Broncos overpowered a team of red and white that were helped in a large way by the ref.  It was amazing that the St George players didn't fall asleep in the tackles as they layed there that long without moving.  And what an amazing and courageous performance by Lockyer.  To be able to stay on the field after a sickening friendly fire hit to he head and still win the game was pure class.  And to hear that he has had surgery and needed 3 plates for a broken cheekbone this morning confirmed how tough he is.  And as previously reported the Tigers were put out of there misery for another year.  Only one more Sydney team to be removed and I think the Broncos team will make sure of that.  Then we can have another grand final with no teams in Sydney and wonder why they get the final every year and put it on a Sunday night.

Rugby World Cup or should I say Rugby World Farce.  I have not been able to watch every game but I am at a loss as to what the refs are doing.  And my expert commentator on the sidelines (Johnyjojoshabadoo) has informed me that the Wallabies must have thought they turned up to a World Cup for a different sport as the decisions we that bad.  And watching Wales play Samoa today I was at a loss to understand how the Samoans could be penalised for the same things being done by the Welsh without penalty.  Lets not hope this trend continues.

AFL had finals and it didn't even rate on my agenda this weekend.  Happy to hear Carlton got knocked out but that's about as much as I know and want to know about.

In the cricket the Aussies are toiling well and Marsh and Hussey have done well again.  Unfortunately this test will be remembered for how bad technology is when interpreting the LBW rule.  If the ball pitches in front of the wickets and is going on to hit the wicket it is out.  It does not matter how much of the ball is hitting the wicket.  Simple as that.  You find me in the rule book where it says at least so much of the ball needs to hit the wicket.  Especially when you are using technology that cannot be perfect as the camera is not in the right position to start with.  Until it is perfect scrap the technology.

Only one more game of importance this week and that is later tonight.  Liverpool v Tottenam.  Liverpool should bounce back into the winning circles with a convincing performance here.  I think the players are pumped for a big one here with many disappointed with there last outing..  3-0 is my prediction.

Keep posted and spread the word.

Bye Bye Benji

How sweet was it to see the Tigers go out with a try that has many of there supporters and as usual there coach not too pleased.  Watching this game I will find it amazing if the refs get any more action this finals series.  The made some terrible calls, missed knock-ons, ruled knock on strips and strips ruled knock ons.  Not to mention how often the Tigers were never onside and that Benji Marshall yet again got away with forward passes.

Due to the fact that the Tigers enjoyed such favours from the refs is why I enjoyed so much to see them go out in such a way.  If you get the rub of the green for a whole game and still can not put a team away you are never going to be a championship team. 

On a side note it must be commented on the actions of  a particular commentator during the game.  When Galloway scored Ray Warren stated how Gus (ugly toad) Gould was jumping up in the box punching his arm in the air.  We all now this bloke is overally bias in his commentary but I think it is time he was sacked.  Now that he is contracted to a club in a coaching capacity, if he is seen to be barracking for another team, somewhere he has to be in conflict.  Same way that Bennett should have been sacked by the Dragons the moment he signed with Newcastle. 

Which game is bigger???

Seems that the old debate keeps on raging and now that the finals are under way everyone wants to have their say.  So why not me.

Let's compare the 4 Australian codes :  Aussie Rules , Football (Soccer), Rugby League & Rugby Union.

Right off the bat I will dismiss Aussie Rules - AFL.  Yes it gets big crowds but that is about it for AFL.  This season I have almost completely stopped watching AFL as the rule changes and the ever increasing bias towards Victorian teams is making this a game that is not fun to watch.  Once the Grand Final is over all this sport has to talk about over the off season is the draft and not much else.  Plus it must be great to be picked for the All-Australian team and only get to play Ireland in a hybrid game every now and then.  This is why I rate AFL at 4.  Outside of Melbourne this game starts to dwindle in it's popularity.  South Australia and Western Australia has a good following for this sport but three states is not enough to make this game any bigger than it is.

At number three I will slot in Rugby League.  Hard to believe for some but there are reasons. It easily outweighs AFL due to the fact that League has the biggest three games of the year in Australia.  State of Origin.  Not to mention Test matches against the Kiwis and a Four nations at the end of the season.  And also Australia can play other teams around the world clearly shows why it is greater than AFL.  Add on to this a greater TV audience over the last weekend, it did have smaller crowds but Sydney has always been disappointing when it comes to getting out unless it is a one off spectacular event.  Also it has now been shown that League players can play AFL but not the reverse.

At 2 is Union.  At a national level I think NRL has a greater product but Union has such a large international following.  The Super 15 is a broader competition to start with.  Then there is the tri-series, European tours, and the rugby world cup is always bigger than the NRLs.  The only thing Union is lacking is good free to air coverage.  Even the World Cup has been ordinary so far in this regard.

And that leaves Football as number 1.  When a sport is played by every country then you know it is going to be hard to argue with.  The national competition has teams in every state bar Tassie & the territories but it does have NZ.  The World Cup is the biggest sporting event bar the Olympics.  You just have to look at the money thrown around to realise how big a game Football is.  Then you can look at it historically.  Football came first, then some kid called William Web Ellis decided to pick up a ball and run, that is when Union was created.  Down the track a group of players were not happy with the amateur game and wanted to be professional, thus Rugby league was born.  As for AFL, it was just something thought of to keep cricketers fit in the off season.