Official NRL 2006 Thread

[Simon]

Skando kicking the crap out of him would've served plenty.... Slater is a smug little grub... it would've served alot of satisfaction :P :P

smug little grub? you writing poetry now?

 

[Blewy]

What do you mean now, i always have

 

[Burpey]

Slaters was lucky to only get 7 weeks for kicking a bloke on the ground helpless.


And Penrith , 44-18 over Parra.

 

[Simon]

oh dear, i there anything you cant do...

 

[Simon]

Slaters was lucky to only get 7 weeks for kicking a bloke on the ground helpless.


And Penrith , 44-18 over Parra.

i think the fact it was a tigers player and therefore he probably deserved it helped him out a bit...

 

[howardj]

i think the fact it was a tigers player and therefore he probably deserved it helped him out a bit...

A few points on the Test team:

- Mini has to be the fullback. Been the form player, at all levels, for the past couple of years now.

- Lockyer should be 5/8 th. His form is not that bad, and his wonderful service to Australia over the past couple of years should outweigh the struggles that he has had of late.

- Gasnier and Hodges should be the centres. I know they both play the same side, however this is not new in Rep footy. One of them will be able to adjust to playing on the right hand side - that's what makes them Rep players.

- Thurston has to be in the squad somewhere. I'd have him on the bench ahead of Barrett.

- The selectors should just pick the team they think can give us the best chance of winning the game. Put aside: State bias; what position players play at club level; whether players are thinking of going to rugby etc

 

[Simon]

couldnt really disagree with any of the points, Locky is the test captain and has always stood up for australia even when his form hasnt been that great, minichiello is our best fullback and should be picked there.
forget what Hodges past with Ricky Stuart is, the man is a freak at the moment, his form is as good as Gasnier's and hes just in fantastic form, hes also running 5th in the dally m's.

Thurston should be in the side somewhere, with Johns and Locky in the halves it looks like his only hope is a bench spot though...

 

[Simon]

Canberra are apparently holding a press conference at the moment to announce that Cowboys assistant coach Neil Henry will the the Raiders head coach for 3 years from 2007. interesting move imo, hardly the big name coach the management were promising supporters...

 

[chaminda_00]

he may bring some of the young cowboys with him, which is probably better then having to pay the double the price for some big name flop.

 

[Umpire Money]

Maybe after yesterdays showing people will stop writing off the Panthers. Without their best player for most of the game and still trampled the eels.
Us panthers supporters know we are capable.

We need to find a decent replacement for campbell as well unless they intend to keep lewis there.

 

[chaminda_00]

The Parra side was pretty average yesterday, Souths could have beat them. If Lewis plays 5/8 next season, then you need to find a replacement for him in the centres. Which could be difficult considering you still haven't really found above average replacements for Whatiwera(sp) and Roberts.

 

[Umpire Money]

Well your right there. Hookey is alright galea i dont see there all the time either. Either way there needs to be some good recruiting going on. I still see the panthers in the 8 at season end.

 

[Son Of Coco]

A few points on the Test team:

- Mini has to be the fullback. Been the form player, at all levels, for the past couple of years now.

- Lockyer should be 5/8 th. His form is not that bad, and his wonderful service to Australia over the past couple of years should outweigh the struggles that he has had of late.

- Gasnier and Hodges should be the centres. I know they both play the same side, however this is not new in Rep footy. One of them will be able to adjust to playing on the right hand side - that's what makes them Rep players.

- Thurston has to be in the squad somewhere. I'd have him on the bench ahead of Barrett.

- The selectors should just pick the team they think can give us the best chance of winning the game. Put aside: State bias; what position players play at club level; whether players are thinking of going to rugby etc

The only point I disagree with is Lockyer...but you already know that.

 

[chaminda_00]

Yeah same with me, one minute you say lets pick players on form, then you say lets base some selections on previous performances for Australia, so we can get Lockyer in. Either pick everyone on form or pick everyone on previous performances. Its seems just stupid to start going horses for courses depending on the player.

 

[howardj]

Yeah same with me, one minute you say lets pick players on form, then you say lets base some selections on previous performances for Australia, so we can get Lockyer in. Either pick everyone on form or pick everyone on previous performances. Its seems just stupid to start going horses for courses depending on the player.

For goodness sake. Read what I actually wrote (as distinct from what you wish that I wrote). Not saying pick on form - not that Lockyer's form has been poor anyway. As stated, I said pick the team that is most likely to win us the game. To that end, given Lockyer's performances for Australia in the past (where he's invariably risen to the occasion) and his experience, he would satisfy the above criteria.

 

[Burpey]

I think Lockyer has been crap for Brisbane, Queensland, and Australia ever since he moved to five-eighth. The simple truth is he isn't one and people should not be afraid to say so. I feel the media for some reason is reulctant to say anything negative about him.

 

[howardj]

I think Lockyer has been crap for Brisbane, Queensland, and Australia ever since he moved to five-eighth. The simple truth is he isn't one and people should not be afraid to say so. I feel the media for some reason is reulctant to say anything negative about him.

Hardly. I mean, people do like to talk in extremes. It's either 'someone's a legend' or 'someone is hopeless'. Clearly, Lockyer has not been 'crap' for the last three years, and, on the contrary, has been one of the best performed players for Australia in that time. His final game in Australian colours in 2004 (to seal the series) was widely acknowledged as one of the finest individual efforts for quite some time.

EDIT: Hardly 'crap'

 

[Simon]

he hasnt been as good as he was, but considering hes regarded as one of the greatest fullbacks of all time who actually expecting him to be as good at 5/8?
hes the best option in this position for australia without a doubt, just because he hasnt played as brilliantly as he did at the back doesnt mean he is crap...

 

[Burpey]

Hardly. I mean, people do like to talk in extremes. It's either 'someone's a legend' or 'someone is hopeless'. Clearly, Lockyer has not been 'crap' for the last three years, and, on the contrary, has been one of the best performed players for Australia in that time. His final game in Australian colours in 2004 (to seal the series) was widely acknowledged as one of the finest individual efforts for quite some time.

EDIT: Hardly 'crap'

Okay, I may have been exaggerating, but ever since his move to five-eighth, Lockyer isn't half the player he was at fullback. I find claims he is one of the best players in the world and an automatic selection for Australia to be unjustified.

 

[Simon]

imo he still is one of the best players in the world, Johns is clearly in a league of his own and Thurston is in sensational form, Marshall while he has a lot of potential he is still prone to mistakes, but he's young...
theres clearly a lack of world class players and this is evident because Lockyer is still one of the worlds best players despite being in a form slump...