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  • Great article from a neutral

    Nice to hear the views of someone outside of the club...


    The most remarkable aspect of Sydney Roosters' 40-point loss to a Melbourne Storm team who are, yet again, performing a convincing impersonation of themselves, was not the humbling margin. It was that, for a significant period of the game, the Roosters looked pretty good.

    That was the 20 minutes immediately after Storm centre Dane Nielsen's opening try. A period in which the Roosters controlled the ball, occupied the Storm half and, as they offloaded more often than an overbooked airline on Christmas Eve, seemed pregnant with attacking possibility.

    Indeed, add a few contentious refereeing decisions that favoured the Storm and subtract a couple of the Roosters' ball-handing errors, and you could have been forgiven for thinking the visitors had their fate in their own hands. Yet, 55 minutes and seven Storm tries later, it transpired there were flea-bitten kelpies in lost dogs' homes with greater control of their destiny than the Roosters would enjoy.

    Maybe that was because the Roosters lacked the offensive brutality to strike when they had the chance. More likely, it was because they were the latest victim of the Storm's cruel rope-a-dope. A tortuous routine where a Melbourne defence more absorbent than an astronaut's nappy soaks up the opposition pressure and, just as you think it is about to break, turns the tide.

    This time, it was Kevin Proctor's unmolested stroll through two defenders after 26 minutes that should have prompted caring parents to avert the eyes of the few children wearing red, white and blue. ''It is demoralising,'' said Roosters captain Braith Anasta of the false hope created by his team's early competence. ''That is something we've got to work on … we had our chances to get some momentum and get some points on the board and we didn't capitalise. That can take it's toll on you in the end.''

    For some, the extent of the Roosters' capitulation will have alarm bells ringing. Particularly the gaping cracks that opened in their defence after half-time. Despite a couple of narrow victories, memories of last season's disintegration remain fresh. And there is a strange disparity between the Roosters' self-image and the version in the gossip pages.

    Internally, the Roosters are a young team with a few storied veterans building for a bright future. In the media, they are cast as a team in limbo, awaiting the arrival of - if every rumour is to be believed - Sonny Bill Williams, Brett Stewart, and quite possibly, Lionel Messi.

    For coach Brian Smith, the challenge after yesterday's carnage was to put the defeat in context. Happily, that meant refusing an invitation to blame the referees which, given the margin, would have been like Anna Bligh blaming her electoral defeat on the colour of the ballot papers.

    Given halfback Cooper Cronk was the chief architect of the Storm's performance, it was uncertain which coach should be more concerned - Smith, NSW boss Ricky Stuart or the Storm's Craig Bellamy, who admitted he was ''desperate'' to keep Cronk, as rumours circulated he would sign with Gold Coast.

    Such was Cronk's impact yesterday, you were forced to harbour the heretical notion Queensland might be better without Darren Lockyer this year. That suggestion ignores both Lockyer's brilliance, and the very different nature of Origin football. But Cronk has formed the type of telepathic link with Billy Slater supposedly experienced by identical twins living in different houses.

    One twin gets hungry, the other boils an egg. Cronk feints to the right, Slater knows he is really going to the left. A lack of predictability that, for opposition defences, must almost be predictable. Yet, that has not stopped Slater landing more doubles in the past four weeks than Nash Rawiller.

    ''Start now and you'd still be going at Christmas trying to shut down those players,'' said Smith of Cronk, Slater and their likely Queensland captain Cameron Smith - a trio whose brilliance might have provided a perverse consolation for the Roosters on a dirty day; and allowed Smith a phlegmatic bottom line.

    ''It's two points we missed out on,'' he said, of two points not many will take home from Melbourne. ''There's two more up next week.''


    Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/rugby-leagu...#ixzz1qEHTxOjL

  • #2
    Bullshit. Watch any game where Slater scores and you'll see a Storm player or two running block for him. He's not nearly good as every commentator with cum stained underwear says. They're a bunch of cheats, on and off the field and have driven a hell of a lot of casual league viewers away with their golden status.

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    • #3
      Messi at 7...he is very fast of the mark In fact, that reminds me I need a new avatar.

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      • #4
        What the article highlights that the young guys can't maintain focus, and are easily demoralised by wrong decisions from the 'officials'. Give them a bit more game time and they'll be able to use their youth and expertise to be a more powerful and focus team. Like I said previously, if we are doing Ok in the next 10 rounds, we'll be much better on the back 9 into the clubhouse. My worry are not he players but the incompetent refereeing we have to put up.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by John View Post
          Bullshit. Watch any game where Slater scores and you'll see a Storm player or two running block for him. He's not nearly good as every commentator with cum stained underwear says. They're a bunch of cheats, on and off the field and have driven a hell of a lot of casual league viewers away with their golden status.
          I have a serious question.

          Do you watch our games? For the full eighty minutes? Further to the point, do you watch other games as well?

          Because it seems as though you jump on opinions like Tiggies fans hop on the bandwagon when Benji pulls out a flick or two.

          Anyone who cannot see that Slater is the best fullback in the game by a long way has an extra chromosome. You don't score four doubles in four games through luck/blocking.

          Wake up.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by BlindFreddy View Post
            I have a serious question.

            Do you watch our games? For the full eighty minutes? Further to the point, do you watch other games as well?

            Because it seems as though you jump on opinions like Tiggies fans hop on the bandwagon when Benji pulls out a flick or two.

            Anyone who cannot see that Slater is the best fullback in the game by a long way has an extra chromosome. You don't score four doubles in four games through luck/blocking.

            Wake up.
            Fred, you watch the Storm games, like last weekend's that first try was scored by blocking a defender, I think it was Cordner from memory. It's all subtle but it's there. We did it two years ago and got penalised, they do it and score.

            Slater's good but he's made to look great.

            But honestly, the storm players and other dags (as in wool clagged shit) collectively, could cure cancer and I'd still rate them slightly above the Greens and Julia Gillard...which is honestly just above the pedophiles from last week.
            Last edited by John; 03-27-2012, 03:45 AM.

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            • #7
              Absolutly right they do john, watch what happens in some of thier plays where he comes into dummy half or 1st reciever.They push it to the limit as they do with other aspects of thier game.

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              • #8
                At least if we signed Messi we wouldn't miss any conversions.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by John View Post
                  Bullshit. Watch any game where Slater scores and you'll see a Storm player or two running block for him. He's not nearly good as every commentator with cum stained underwear says. They're a bunch of cheats, on and off the field and have driven a hell of a lot of casual league viewers away with their golden status.
                  John - sometimes I don't like you but right now..

                  I think you are brilliant!

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                  • #10
                    Was a good read Rooster-6, until some started replying in this thread...

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by John View Post
                      Bullshit. Watch any game where Slater scores and you'll see a Storm player or two running block for him. He's not nearly good as every commentator with cum stained underwear says. They're a bunch of cheats, on and off the field and have driven a hell of a lot of casual league viewers away with their golden status.
                      So true John! Freddy & Johnny Gibbs said similar on NRL Daily last night but they used slightly less colourful language! Can't wait for 7pm tonight when they grill Bill Harrigan about this game!
                      "Be good enough to forgive people but don't be stupid enough to trust them again."

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by redwhiteblue View Post
                        So true John! Freddy & Johnny Gibbs said similar on NRL Daily last night but they used slightly less colourful language! Can't wait for 7pm tonight when they grill Bill Harrigan about this game!
                        what happens at 7pm tonight??

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by ale le coq View Post
                          what happens at 7pm tonight??
                          I watch NRL Daily on the T-box at 7pm every weeknight. Tuesdays is the night Bill Harrigan is a regular guest. You can watch it via the NRL website as well.
                          "Be good enough to forgive people but don't be stupid enough to trust them again."

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by redwhiteblue View Post
                            I watch NRL Daily on the T-box at 7pm every weeknight. Tuesdays is the night Bill Harrigan is a regular guest. You can watch it via the NRL website as well.
                            ah k thanks. wouldnt mind watching that to see what he has to say about incidents from weekend. he cant really explain them away now that stuart raper came out and said they were incorrect.

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