NRL 2009

[Druzik]

is it confirmed or still speculation?

I thought they are speculating he will... he has mentioned it.

He will need to drop a lot of his bulk and get his endurance fitness up.

This will be halarious to watch... but its a coup none the less if true.

[sportsmad]

yeah im pretty sure it is. i dont think this is likely to trigger any exodus of league players to AFL though. imagine big petro or pricey running round for collingwood!

[sportsmad]

at the start of the year i was suprised to see how many aussies were in the warriors line up. this weeks line up is a lot different and contains many more kiwis. this side could be a big part of the future for NZRL:

1 KEVIN LOCKE
2 PATRICK AH VAN
3 ELIJAH TAYLOR
4 JOEL MOON
5 MANU VATUVEI
6 AARON HEREMAIA
7 STACEY JONES
8 SAM RAPIRA
9 LEWIS BROWN
10 RUSSELL PACKER
11 SIMON MANNERING
12 BEN MATULINO
13 MICHEAL LUCK (c)
Interchange:
14 LANCE HOHAIA
15 EVARN TUIMAVAVE
16 JACOB LILLYMAN
17 UKUMA TA'AI

COACH: IVAN CLEARY

[sportsmad]

the indigenous v nrl all stars match look sot be really coming along. i think the indigenous team will actually head in as heavy favourites. theres competition from melbourne to snatch the game away from the gold coast. if it was in sydney id be first in line for tickets.

an intersting quote from the sydney herald:

''AFL always claims to be the indigenous game but 60 per cent of the indigenous population lives in NSW and Queensland and we've got more indigenous people playing our game than AFL.''

so freakn use it! have it as a slogan and heavily promote the game around that!

[sportsmad]

a great article:

In a year that Rugby League will definitely like to forget, I would like to bring to your attention a simple gesture that has put an amazing smile on an ill man's face.

Garry Eldred was diagnosed with renal cancer which has since spread quite aggressively over the past 12-18 months. Times have been tough for all members of the family & friends to see the loving husband/father/grandfather going through such painful treatments and now recovery. He is currently in palliative care in Mt Druitt Hospital. Garry is a passionate Rugby League fan and has followed Parramatta as long as he has known the game.

In come Nathan Cayless. It only took one phone call to the Parramatta captain by a family member to explain the situation and he was there. Garry came home for a few hours on Sunday 16th Aug and Nathan offered to drop by on his day off to say g'day and put a smile on a man's face. Words cannot explain the reaction when Nathan walked in and said "G'day Garry". A big smile and a handshake and Garry was in a different world to the usual pain and suffering he has been through. A truly unforgettable experience.

I feel it is important to let you know of this as there are good guys in the game and while we don't see it on the front page, it should certainly be acknowledged.

Nathan had made Garry's & the Eldred family's day. Thanks Nathan!

I thank you for your time.

Kind Regards,
The Eldred Family

[sportsmad]

what a freakn game last night!!! wests tigers v parramatta in front of a tigers home record of almost 35,000 at one of australias greatest stadiums.
jarryd hayne is getting a lot of publicity today with everyone declaring him an absolute freak. deservidly so aswell.
benji marshalls role shouldnt be forgotten though. one of the tries of the year was scored with another of his trademark flick passes. i was in awe. this is the reason gareth ellis came over to play for the tigers. the match has state of origin intensity. one of the few times my partner has actually gotten into a match.
i think inu should be first choice goal kicker

[Druzik]

Aug 22, 2009 13:27:28 GMT 10 sportsmad said:

what a freakn game last night!!! wests tigers v parramatta in front of a tigers home record of almost 35,000 at one of australias greatest stadiums.
jarryd hayne is getting a lot of publicity today with everyone declaring him an absolute freak. deservidly so aswell.
benji marshalls role shouldnt be forgotten though. one of the tries of the year was scored with another of his trademark flick passes. i was in awe. this is the reason gareth ellis came over to play for the tigers. the match has state of origin intensity. one of the few times my partner has actually gotten into a match.
i think inu should be first choice goal kicker

Agree it was a great match and totally intense, but also dont forget the Broncos and Geckos game, just as intense, maybe not as spectacular, but the defence and some of the tackles were bone crunching... for a team to hold the dragons to 0 tries is unheard of this year... it was a supers effort by the Clydesdales.

[sportsmad]

looks like another weekend of big games for the NRL. the parramatta v penrith game at parramatta stadium is sure to be a sellout if it hasnt already sold out. as of monday only 5000 tickets left. hazen el masari's last home game aswell with the dogs planning a lot of off field and on field celebrations:

In addition to the 3 great games of footy there will be heaps of fun for all the family!

* 1,000 RSPCA Bulldogs thunder sticks to give away
* Cheerleaders will perform with 200 dancers in special tribute to Hazem
* Taronga Zoo will be present with animals the kids can meet
* Jumping castles and face painters
* First in Rugby League special tribute to Hazem El Masri which the crowd will be involved in
* All NRL Club Ticketed members receive free entry for this match
* Go to www.nrl.com/hazem to leave a message for Hazem and get access to some great ticket offers

[sportsmad]

COUNTDOWN TO FINAL GAME AT OLYMPIC PARK
The Melbourne Storm say farewell to Olympic Park on Saturday, August 29th when they take on the Sydney Roosters, playing their last ever game at the venue which has been their home since inception into the NRL in 1998.

Affectionately known as "The Graveyard" due to the difficulty visiting teams have winning there, Olympic Park will host its final ever NRL game in round 25 before the club moves into its new home in 2010, the $267.5million rectangular stadium being built next door.

Playing their first game in front of 20,522 fans (many of whom were sitting on the running track) on April 3rd 1998, the Storm defeated the more fancied North Sydney Bears outfit beginning what has become the venue with the best winning percentage (76.3%) of any team in NRL history.

At the final game, which will be proudly sponsored by HostPLUS and Suzuki, there are many activities being planned to make the occasion even more significant.

1. Member Mile - The arrival of the Melbourne Storm faithful as they march from Federation Square to Olympic Park, a sea of purple that will be hard to miss!

2. Ricki-Lee performance - Australian Idol winner Ricki-Lee Coulter will be performing two songs on the night to get the party started.

3. Old Boys Parade - Many of the Storm's past players will be presented to the crowd in honour of their contribution to the history of the club.

4. Indigenous Performance - Given the Olympic Park site is on Wurundjeri land, members of the Wurundjeri people will perform a traditional farewell dance.

5. New Stadium Update video - As has happened at all home games, a final stadium update video will be played to show the fans what they can expect in 2010.

6. Departing player's tribute - A video highlighting the contribution of players departing the club at the end of the 2009 season.

7. Top Ten Moments - A video of the top ten moments at Olympic Park, as voted on by visitors to the Melbourne Storm website in a competition run in the "Farewell Olympic Park" section.

8. Farewell Olympic Park tribute - Speeches by several prominent people to officially bring the curtain down on the Storm's association with Olympic Park.

In the build-up to the historical occasion, the Storm will be marking the game with a number of initiatives. One of these will be Channel Nine's live weather cross throughout the Today Show on Friday, August 28th. Melbourne Storm fans and members will be on hand to make the morning extra special, along with iconic club mascot Storm Man, Storm players past and present, and many other special guests and activities.

On the website, there will be a specific "Farewell Olympic Park" section outlining these initiatives.

These will include:

1. Top 10 Moments - A competition for website visitors to nominate their favourite ever Storm moment at Olympic Park. Once the competition closes, the moments will be played in order on the big screen at the final game. All entries will go into the draw to win a Melbourne Storm prize pack, a framed commemorative piece and a pre-match side line experience at the last home game. Ten winners will be selected randomly and winners will be announced on the Storm website and contacted via phone.

2. Olympic Park Message Board - Website visitors will be able to leave messages about Olympic Park for all to see.

3. Storm TV - Players, officials, opposition players, commentators, and all manner of rugby league people will be on camera giving their opinions and insights into what Olympic Park has meant for the NRL and Storm fans

4. Stories from "The Graveyard" - There will be stories written featuring some of the biggest names in the clubs history such as Glenn Lazarus, Tawera Nikau, Marcus Bai, Chris Johns, John Ribot, Chris Anderson and Matt Geyer.

5. Merchandise - Commemorative merchandise will be available to mark the occasion, only available to those who attend the final game.

6. Memorabilia - A special jersey featuring a watermark of the names of every player to have ever played at the Storm will be worn by the team in the game against the Roosters. These jerseys will then be signed by the player who wore the jersey on the day, and will be auctioned online through Storm Online Auctions on the club website.

7. Member Mile - As has happened when the Storm play finals at Olympic Park, the Melbourne faithful will gather at Federation Square for an afternoon of entertainment and fun, before marching to Olympic Park - a sea of purple showing the fans' commitment to the club.

8. Olympic Park History - With thanks to Jeff Dowling, a feature on the history of Olympic Park, from the use of the surroundings areas at the turn of the century, through its halcyon days of the 1956 Olympics, all the way to the present.

MELBOURNE STORM AND OLYMPIC PARK STATISTICS
Played: 135
Won: 103
Lost: 30
Drawn: 2
Win% 76.3

Total Attendance at Olympic Park since 1998: 1,520,267

Record Winning Margin: 56 points - Melbourne Storm defeated Gold Coast 62-6, May 31, 1998

Most Tries: Billy Slater, 54 from 70 games

Tries scored at Olympic Park by Storm: 665

Points scored at Olympic Park by Storm: 3,708

Finals Matches: 5 (Melbourne Storm won 3, lost 2)

[sportsmad]

Global audience awaits as rugby league keeps kicking goals
By Karl deKroo | September 04, 2009 12:00am

Have your say!Add your comments or read what others are sayingEmail article ShareAdd to DiggAdd to del.icio.usPost to NewsVinePost to FacebookWhat are these? Printer friendly Text size+- SO rugby league is going global and not before time.
Just a day after NRL boss David Gallop announced, despite its best efforts, that the greatest game of all had once again failed in its persistent effort to kill itself off, comes news the code's finals series will be beamed into 100 million American homes.

A deal has been struck to show the finals on US TV network Spike TV - best known, it seems, for testosterone-fuelled offerings including mixed martial arts and series titled 1000 Ways to Die, Deadliest Warrior, Surviving Disaster and Real Vice Cops - Uncut.

With their appetites already whet by Russell "Rusty Rabbitoh" Crowe, who a few years back took his Bunnies for a trial match in Jacksonville and continues to spread the gospel via appearances on David Letterman and Jay Leno, the Yanks simply can't wait for that "damn crazy Aussieee game" to hit their super-sized screens.

Such is the buzz, there was even talk earlier this year of a professional competition getting up and running in the States with teams in Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, Denver, Boston and what must be the unofficial rugby league capital of America, Jacksonville.

According to USRL officials they are looking to save some of our biggest stars from retirement. Brett Kimmorley was apparently interested in the exchange rate and liked the idea of captaining New York.

We're yet to see much progress on that front, but hey, you never say never.

Not surprisingly the NRL sees this as a massive coup.

As chief operating officer Graham Annesley put it yesterday: "I have no doubt that Spike viewers will love the physicality, speed, toughness and non-stop action of the NRL."

But that's just the tip of iceberg, rugby league is on a roll. As NRL chief executive David Gallop said in his address to the nation - well at least the east coast of Australia - on Wednesday, rugby league despite its litany of off-field disasters has much to be proud of.

It seems no end of assault charges, drunken episodes,and players behaving badly can dent the unbreakable game.

Consider these figures:

• An expected three million fans will have paid to go through the the turnstiles by the completion of the final regular season round - making rugby league the only Australian football code to increase average crowds this season.

• Rugby league occupies 60 of the top 100 programs on pay television, club memberships are up 27 per cent, hits on the NRL.com website are up 62 per cent, while almost 4000 new juniors aged six to 18 years registered with clubs - winning the battle with the soccer mums to help create a new junior participation record.

• Free-to-air ratings are also up on Channel 9, prompting chief executive David Gyngell to declare: "Rugby league supporters are a very savvy group. They make a clear distinction between the off-field negatives attached to the behaviour of a small minority of players and what is a terrific on-field competition."

Perhaps Gyngell and Gallop are right. Or perhaps we are reading this all wrong.

Perhaps all the off-field drama that has become part and parcel of the NRL these days isn't the turn-off for the masses we all feared.

Maybe fans actually enjoy the unsanitised, warts and all world of rugby league. Maybe they enjoy knowing that not all their heroes are squeaky clean.

That some of them, like some of us, have human failings. That they come from diverse and at times downtrodden backgrounds, where the difference between wrong and right is often lost, or at least blurred in the battle for survival.

Maybe it is the self-righteous commentators, columnists and psychologists that have it wrong.

Yes, we want our sports people to be role models for our children but maybe it doesn't matter if there are a few bad eggs in the mix.

Maybe that's what makes it interesting.

Think of a time this season when rugby league hasn't been in the headlines.

Recently it has been for the reasons I'd prefer, the brilliance of Jarryd Hayne, the Broncos' renaissance, the great unknown of the Titans.

But even when it has been for the less savoury, it is still the game people want to talk about. Wouldn't the A-League or rugby union love to be able to make that claim.

In a time when reality television is all the rage rugby league offers more than just the 80 minutes of thrills and spills displayed on any given Sunday.

It provides heroes and villains, scandal and sensation.

It is sport's rolling soap opera, unparalleled in this country at least.

If only we could package it all up for our friends at Spike TV - because the Americans would love it.

all in all i'd say its been a pretty good year for the NRL. dare i say the future looks bright with memberships set for another significant increase crowds should continue to rise. another sell out for a game involving parramatta eels tonight. they might meet in round 1 of the semi finals next week. that game must be moved to SFS, you cant lock out that many fans

[sportsmad]

attendence record has broken through the 3 million mark now with today set to be the day the all time record is broken which was set in 95 with a 20 team comp

[Druzik]

well one good thing... Sharks did not get the wooden spoon... our luck has changed!

Sharks Champions 2010! ;D

[sportsmad]

another year at the bottom and sharks will be really strugling to keep that club afloat. not such a bad thing

its finals time and i am not moving from my couch groove this weekend. some great matches.

friday sees melbourne take onmanly in the grandfinal rematch in melbourne. its at trhe dome and will take on AFL finals right next door at the G. wil be interesting to see the crowd. i hope for a 30k+ crowd

saturday sees what was described today in the papers as a "cival war" with the titans taking on the broncos. tix should be snapped up in seconds.

later sat night sees the dogs take on knights at ANZ stadium.

sunday sees the dragons take on the eels. i dont care what dragons fans say this game should be moved to the SFS. its rediculous that it isnt.

[Druzik]

Sept 7, 2009 11:16:05 GMT 10 sportsmad said:

another year at the bottom and sharks will be really strugling to keep that club afloat. not such a bad thing

careful. I assume you actually are not that familiar on how good the sharks finances actually are with the various properties they have. They are the only club to won their ground and the surrounding area outright... have at least 50 million in property they can use, and now have the $100million development of the land adjacent to the carepark which will make $$$$$. They are in better shape than many other clubs.

its finals time and i am not moving from my couch groove this weekend. some great matches.

Mmmmm hmmmm telling me, are all games bheing televised on ch9?

friday sees melbourne take on manly in the grandfinal rematch in melbourne. its at the dome and will take on AFL finals right next door at the G. wil be interesting to see the crowd. i hope for a 30k+ crowd

The grand final replay agaaaaain... this will be a doozy match and Melbourne out for sweet revenge

saturday sees what was described today in the papers as a "cival war" with the titans taking on the broncos. tix should be snapped up in seconds.

I am contemplating to go to this one... sat is the QLD cup final too... :S gee that is a tough one to pick... seriously!

later sat night sees the dogs take on knights at ANZ stadium.

This I think will be one of the better matches, one team a bit down on form and the other seems to be coming into form!

sunday sees the dragons take on the eels. i dont care what dragons fans say this game should be moved to the SFS. its rediculous that it isnt.

Well, HG is their only incentive, its why they play for it all year... and kograh is a fortress this year... we need a better incentive for the play offs.

[arh21980]

Sept 7, 2009 11:16:05 GMT 10 sportsmad said:

another year at the bottom and sharks will be really strugling to keep that club afloat. not such a bad thing

its finals time and i am not moving from my couch groove this weekend. some great matches.

friday sees melbourne take onmanly in the grandfinal rematch in melbourne. its at trhe dome and will take on AFL finals right next door at the G. wil be interesting to see the crowd. i hope for a 30k+ crowd

saturday sees what was described today in the papers as a "cival war" with the titans taking on the broncos. tix should be snapped up in seconds.

later sat night sees the dogs take on knights at ANZ stadium.

sunday sees the dragons take on the eels. i dont care what dragons fans say this game should be moved to the SFS. its rediculous that it isnt.

Why should the perenial chokers move there game to SFS? They earnt the right to play it wherever they want