If you haven’t read Sports Geek’s latest Sports Social Media Index or SSMI on the NRL take a look. @SeanCallanan will be on @SportzfanRadio this Sunday to discuss it. You’ll remember he covered the AFL earlier in the year.
Tag Archives: nrl
Sportzfan Radio 159.2
21 June 2010 159.2 – Fiorenti continues discussing the fortunes of the Socceroos and gives his opinion on some underachieving countries at the World Cup, Paul Dalligan highlights the AFL leading the NRL 2 to 1 in the racism stakes, is disappointed at the state of NSW rugby and believes the Cockroaches will make changes and go for youth in State of Origin 3. He also suggests the Professor’s Canterbury Bulldogs have picked up a likely player in Trent Hodkinson (now with Manly) who kicked two field goals late in the game to help Manly down the Rabbitohs. The Panel looks at the AFL’s suggestion of the 2012 18 team league being broken up into Conferences and Sean wonders whether that may prevent Collingwood from ever playing Carlton in a Grand Final again.
State of Origin II – I guess that's why they call them The Blues….
I spent the first 30 years of my life in Sydney before moving to Melbourne.
Every year in my adopted state I would don my NSW jersey with pride and try to roar NSW home.
Tonight Queensland has won Game 2 and becomes the first team to win five series in a row.
All that this once proud New South Welshman can say is congratulations – and respect.
The reason I say once proud is that this NSW “team” has left me embarrassed and disgusted.
Not because of the magnitude of the scoreboard, as Queensland was clearly the best team. They are a true wonder of the world who play with passion, commitment and a sense of teamwork that would inspire even the great teams of this World Cup.
I am instead embarrassed about NSW due to the racist comments from a player who I used to think was the best thing the game had produced – and I am even more embarassed about people who say his comments weren’t wrong as they were never meant for a wider audience.
Racism is racism whether it is heard by one person or the world.
I am disgusted about players like Luke O’Donnell whose headbutt and cheap shot on a player who was being held would be called barbaric even by UFC standards, yet more cowardly than anything seen in those cages.
Many NSW fans hoped that our “enforcer” Paul Gallen who was missing in Game 1 would make a difference. Gallen has made a living from playing close to the edges of the game – tonight he went right over the edge, and hopefully out of State of Origin forever. NSW needs cold steel right now, not loose cannons.
And our “Captain” Kurt Gidley was named tonight to start on the bench. Please lead our State Mr Gidley – but don’t think you will be out on the field doing it. All it would have taken is for Gidley to have chased a few cheerleaders around the bench during the game to a zany musical backdrop, and we would have a skit that Benny Hill would be proud of.
At least it would be comical if it wasn’t my State sliding into oblivion…
I will of course watch Game 3 but it will take plenty for NSW to win this once proud fan back.
Is it too much to ask for a new coach, new selectors, a team that plays hard but fair, and a captain that actually plays with the team….
A team that a whole State can be proud of. Not just Benny Hill…
Dalligan on League
Aussie soccer officials finally see the writing on the wall!
As US comedian RonWhite says “You can’t fix stupid, because stupid is forever”.
Stupid is exactly what the Aussie bid for the 2018 World Cup was!!
As we discussed with Mark Fiorenti on Sportzfan Radio several months ago – Australia had NO chance of success with the bid. The Aussie camp was still trying to convince us that we were a realistic bidder, notwithstanding Sepp Blatter (FIFA President) telling anyone who cared to listen that Europe would be the preferred venue (for that read will be the venue) in 2018 and FIFA also reinforcing that with Australian representatives at every turn.
It took our own Asian Football Confederation to jolt us back to reality when its President came out in support of the European bid this week.
One wonders at the capacity/capability of those running Aussie soccer not to be able to see the forest for the trees.
The AFL/NRL must be laughing out loud at the time and money wasted on that part of the bid.
What does that say for the 2022 bid?……more on that one later.
Sportzfan Radio 157.2
6 June 2010 – Part 2 – Hear Nicole query the honesty of Melbourne Storm players over signing multiple contracts. She says Dalligan is mistaken if he thinks they didn’t know something was wrong. Fiorenti talks about the World Cup and the Socceroo’s 3-1 defeat at the hands of the US. The Panel discuss Jason Akermanis’ newspaper article and query whether the Bulldogs penalty is too harsh. The Panel also muse on their favourite movie coaches of sporting teams and discuss listeners tweets with Hoosier’s coach, Norman Dale getting the most support.
Border Jumpers…
Hello all..
Not sure whether I take it as a compliment, an insult or a threat that some of the best talent in rugby league is being poached by the cashed up AFL.
Fosters was cashed up once and they decided to buy Southcorp – and they have actually now managed to lose money selling beer to Australians. Possibly a first…
Part of me hopes that the AFL circus act follows the same path – I feel for those doing great things in the VFL. The next Podsiadly or Barlow could provide Western Sydney with their very own hero but they are being passed over as the AFL pillages other sports.
Why look for talent in your own backyard when your millions will buy you greener pastures down the road…
Paul Dalligan – your panellist on all things rugby league…
Israel Folau… in 5 years?
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Sportzfan Radio 156.2
30 May 2010 – Part 2 – World Cup, NRL, Melbourne Storm, Saints scandal and more