The media narrative around Souffs and Easts

[HunchoRooster]

Now I know this a Chooks forum and we don't want to discuss other teams too much, particularly the vomit green and red. But from an Easts fan perspective, if we played like that last night and had that result against us, the media would be writing our season, our players and our coaching staff off. In fact, we would probably get linked to the latest big money free agent as a "contingency plan to get us back challenging again" yada yada.

Whilst its no secret there is a Souffs bias in a lot of the NRL media, they cannot write off how awful they were last night. The media is waxing lyrical about Johnston breaking a try scoring record he is another 70-80 tries off from, but won't mention he looked like an absolute fraud against Ravalawa last night. They were outplayed horrifically last night and have had the same poor results as us this season but worse (conceding more points and having heavier defeats), yet the narrative for them is "wait til Latrell comes back then Souffs will fire".

Our narrative seems to be we aren't good enough anymore and won't ever be until we buy another superstar again. Very strange indeed.

[The Axe]

Well Latrell is the worlds best FB………for the handful of games he plays during the season

[player 1]

It sickened me watching that pathetic scum Cody Walker massaging the ref and demanding the dragons player be binned for grabbing his jumper, when he was in no position to take a pass, and having his wish granted.

You're right, the vermin deserve to be copping it big time from the media for that pathetic display.

[Kelby]

True but they won the second half 12 - 0.

[mightyrooster]

I really enjoyed watching that first half last night. Pity the second half was a snooze fest.

[Headless Chook]

True but they won the second half 12 - 0.

That's what I took away from the reporting on the game too!

[roostermcgregor]

I agree that Alex Johnson is a fraud. Ravalawa showed him up last night , that he cannot tackle.
The whole V'landys / Abdo rules on fast play the balls and six agains were designed so that guys like Johnson benefit.
You don't need to tackle in V'Landys ball. Its all touch footy stuff.
He is the beneficiary of 30, 40, 50 and 60 points being scored in one game, which now happens with monotonous regularity.
If Johnson was playing football 1960's/ 70's or 80's style, some tough dudes would get hold of him in a tackle , and he would not get up again.
He would be lucky to last one season in FG.
Instead, there is a chance that he is going to top the tryscoring lists of all time.
People will look at the record books : Top Tryscorer: Alex Who ????
What did he do? Who was he? What did he look like? I can't even remember him !!!
His rep career consisted fully of playing FG for Souffs- no other honours.
A complete fraud.

[King Salvo]

The Rivalry looks set to expand in 2024 with the Verm likely to have a side in the NRLW comp

[Ray Stehr]

Can't comment about souffs until we beat them, they have our number big time.

[rooster till i die]

I agree that Alex Johnson is a fraud. Ravalawa showed him up last night , that he cannot tackle.
The whole V'landys / Abdo rules on fast play the balls and six agains were designed so that guys like Johnson benefit.
You don't need to tackle in V'Landys ball. Its all touch footy stuff.
He is the beneficiary of 30, 40, 50 and 60 points being scored in one game, which now happens with monotonous regularity.
If Johnson was playing football 1960's/ 70's or 80's style, some tough dudes would get hold of him in a tackle , and he would not get up again.
He would be lucky to last one season in FG.
Instead, there is a chance that he is going to top the tryscoring lists of all time.
People will look at the record books : Top Tryscorer: Alex Who ????
What did he do? Who was he? What did he look like? I can't even remember him !!!
His rep career consisted fully of playing FG for Souffs- no other honours.
A complete fraud.

Don't let the truth ruin a good story! Just ignore he played for Australia and later represented PNG in tests. Just looking at the record books he also scored multiple tries against us especially in that 60- 8 drubbing a couple of years ago.

[The Marshall]

Well Latrell is the worlds best FB………for the handful of games he plays during the season

Yes about as good as Owen Craigie

[Eggspert]

I dont mind Johnston. He's not a grub & keeps out of trouble & seems a fairly quiet sort of bloke. You don't achieve what he so far has being a crap player. Playing on the wing you sometimes have tries fall into your lap which can inflate your stats somewhat but hey good luck to him.

They currently sit above us & when's the last time we beat them is what I'm sick off.

[roostermcgregor]

Had to look at the record books to see that Johnson did represent Australia - in one game against NZ back in 2015.
That's it - Big deal.
I wonder why the good judges left him out of rep teams after that?
Probably because they knew he can't tackle, just like Ravalawa showed.
My fondest memory of Johnson is when he fumbled the ball, trying to field a kick in the first minute of the Roosters / Souffs semi final in 2019.
Gave us the ball back, and momentum, and started us on the road to putting 5 tries on them before half time.
Yeah, the guy is a true legend.

[bondi.boy]

Alex Johnston is no fraud.
He's a try scoring machine, as is shown by his stats.
He's a good winger, knows his way to the tryline.
He eats for breakfast opposition wingers and centres who don't stay in position in defence.

[rented tracksuit]

Well Latrell is the worlds best FB………for the handful of games he plays during the season

So he says.