sidelined

Pending results this weekend, the NRL could have that supposedly terrible situation of no Sydney team in the final. What utter rubbish.

What almost excessive parochialism is what makes State of Origin, it serves not place in the overall scheme of the competition. Next weekend could see two non-Sydney teams play in the Grand Final. The only thing that concerns me that the two teams that do make it put on one hell of a game.

Sometimes it is great to watch footy without the crushing expectations of your chosen team pressing down on your enjoyment of the game.
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The Melbourne Storm fans are a little precious. It is not David Gallop’s fault that the Storm sorted the cap and were found out. And while we could debate the intricacies of the punishment he did what he had to do. The Storm had not simply paid a player or two a bit than they should have. It was a systematic attempt to dodge the cap. The Storm fans would do better to turn their ire against those that created the issue not those that had to rightly respond.

But for Gallop to make a reference to terrorists in discussing the Melbourne fans’ response wasn’t one of the great moments in league diplomacy. Yes he may be frustrated that many in Melbourne just don’t get it but still, better words could have been chosen.

And so the saga continues.

As do the finals.

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What about the teams that didn’t make the top eight? Do they have a hope in 2012? Read on for some thoughts on next season.

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League won’t really moved in terms of broadcast till they rid themselves of Channel Nine as a major broadcaster. Nine takes the league rights for granted examples being showing games on delay when it feels like it (and the Sunday delay is a relic of the past that now only suits Nine to boost the ratings for its 6:00pm news), not showing the Storm live into Melbourne and the perennial embarrassment that is the footy show. Of course there was the pathetic instance where Nine tried to talk down the money the NRL hopes to make from the broadcast deal. Nine only care about Nine. Its attitude to the NRL is harming the game.

The NRL rates extremely well and the NRL better do a damn better deal. And if Nine is not part of it I won’t be shedding any tears.

Of course, most of my attention will be on Nine this weekend.

Speaking of which…

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Here we are folks! The final regular competition round. My tipping hasn’t been crash hot this year. Every year I say to myself “Tip using your head!” but my heart leads me astray.

I’m going to ignore the fracas from Friday. Plenty has been said elsewhere. I’m more interested in highlighting Billy Slater’s wonderful sportsmanship from that game or Benji’s masterful display against the Titans.

The great thing about the comp this year is that going into the final round is most positions for the top eight are up for grabs. If the Storm lose to the Roosters and Manly beats the Broncos by a large margin, the Sea Eagles could pip Melbourne for the minor premiership.

Regardless of results, the Broncos will finish in third place.

The Warriors v Cowboys game is a huge game. The winner could snare a top four sport. But that depends on the Dragons game against the Panthers on Friday night. If the Dragons finish on 33 points then only the Tigers and Cowboys can climb above them for fourth spot.

The Newcastle v Souths games on Friday night will decide almost eight spot. yet if the Rabbitohs just scrape home and the Bulldogs thrash Canberra then they will climb over the Bunnies and Knights and take eight spot.

And at the other end of the table, if the Eels beat the Titans then the spoon will end up with either the Gold Coast or Canberra on points differential.

What a glorious three days of footy we have ahead.

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The second last round already? This season has really flown by even if following the beloved Eels has seemed like a special hell this year.

Already some are saying that the grand finalists have already been decided with the Storm and Sea Eagles to meet again for a third time in the grand final. I say balderdash! I believe that it will be revealed this week that 14 of the 16 sides have suffered serious salary cap breaches. They will lose all their points and by default the Eels and the Sharks will make the grand final. One can dream.

Onto this week’s shenanigans.

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Over the fold is a video from round 23 the cracks open a scandalous play in the Sharks v Doggies game. It is a revealing tackle where a Sharks player is taken from behind in a cheeky manoeuvre. But I really question whether Idris was back on side in all of this.
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Hmmm. The London riots and the Bunnies’ riot against the Eels. A coincidence?

To pose such a conjecture would be no sillier than the two main stories in footy at the moment. The first is Todd Carney, who is now on his 58th last chance, getting caught out again. While Carney had done nothing illegal, that is not the issue. There is the ethical question of violating his contract and also whether he is a team player. The Roosters’ players had been trying to circle the wagons and find meaning in the the last few games of the season. This incident may destroy any harmony the team had.

The other is the so called Doodlegate. Never mind the moronic, cliched title for this storm in a tea cup. The whole spat is simply The Daily Telecrap indulging in one of the their favourite past times, Gould baiting. To his discredit, Gus rose to the bait and swallowed it hole. What should of been a nothing story (and Gould should have sorted this out with Gallop behind the scenes in a professional manner) gets gleefully played by the child journalists who write for News Limited but unfortunately Fairfax has to dive in as well. No one comes out of this, apart from Gallop, with any integrity.

An integrity is what round 23 is all about for the teams with nothing to play for.

Tipward ho!

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Last week I agreed with Peter Peters. It was an unsettling moment that had me in a strange place. Until today when I read that he reckons Darren Lockyer is not worthy of being an “Immortal.” Peters can’t make that call. And neither can I. It is a decision that needs to be made outside of parochial concerns. While Lockyer’s status in the game will be based on his achievements in Origin and with the Broncos, to rank him along side other Queenslanders it wrong. His peers are those who he played the game with, and against, since 1995 regardless of where they reside.

I never saw most of the Immortals play other than Beetson (who I only vaguely remember) and Wally Lewis who I remember well. Does Lockyer deserve to be up their? Time will tell. But one thing is for sure. When the great players of the game are accounted for in decades time, Lockyer’s name will be among them when Peter Peters will have long faded into obscurity.
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One of the more ridiculous things I’ve come across this week was the call for a boycott by Central Coast folk of games at Gosford. The fact it came from a hack who scribbles crayons for the Daily Telecrap is not surprising. What is surprising is that I’ve ended up agreeing with Peter Peters. And Central Cost folks are no dummies either. I love the games up here and wish there were more. A Central Coast teams would be wonderful but if that wasn’t too be the NRL should encourage clubs to move more games to the coast.

Bluetongue Stadium is one of the great grounds to watch footy at. Sitting in the stands before a game you get to see the night fall on Brisbane Waters which is just beautiful. With regards to watching the game, the sight lines are always good and even high up the back of the stands you are still close to the action. And when the Stadium is packed, as it was for the Manly – Wests game last year, the atmosphere is tremendous.

Of course, one of key features of games at Gosford is that the beer on tap is Bluetongue lager. A very fine local brew that is superior (even in plastic cups) than the generic swill oft present at major stadiums. We Central Coasties sure get spoilt when we go to a game.

Tipping time.
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