Alan Tongue: No Greenhorn

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mike83au
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Alan Tongue: No Greenhorn

Post by mike83au »

No Greenhorn

By Ben Horne

After a tumultous year or coach and player controversies, the experience of Alan Tongue is guiding the Raiders to a real shot at this year's NRL title.

As Alan Tongue prepared to lead Canberra into battle again North Queensland last Saturday, his brothers Paul and Ben were lining up for the Cowboys.

The North Queensland Cowboys of course beat the Raiders 22-10 in Townsville, but the big win for the Cowboys that day was in Tamworth, where the Dungowan Cowboys won their first ever Group 4 Northern Division grand final.

Alan's older brother Paul and younger sibling Ben did the Tongue name proud in their home town's historic triumph, and as the red headed middle child prepares for his own finals assault in the NRL, the Cowboys have been getting around in kilts with no undies as the celebrate Mad Monday, Dungowan style.

As the history pages of the Cowboy's website reports: "Dungowan is a small village about 20km from Tamworth. It has a population of about 100 when everyone is at home and the village basically consists of a pub, a general sotre and a church.

"The pub is very important because the Dungowan Tavern is one of the Cowboys' major sponsors and the watering hole for after match celebrations - win, lose or draw. They are trying to work out at the moment if they are a rugby league team that likes a drink or a drinking club that likes a game of rugby league!"

And that mantra probably isn't getting any clearer after their thrilling 30-28 premiership win over their arch rivals, Werris Creek.


Group Tongue...

The brothers Tongue have long talked about uniting for a season together back home when Alan's NRL career comes to an end, and the excitement of Dungowan being the toast of Group 4 might just re-start those discussions. "We always talked about it, there'd be nothing better than the three of us on the same field", Paul says.

"Mum would never have her eyes open if there was three of us going around and they don't open very much in Dungowan.

It'd be great but he'd want to hurry up and come back because I don't think I'll be hanging around too much longer!"

The Canberra Raiders are effectively the NRL's version of a country rugby league side, down to earth, no-name, but all heart.

That's why Alan Tongue decided to take up an offer from Canberra when he left school and since he broke into first grade as a replacement for an injured Ken Nagas in 2000, the 27yo workhorse has epitomised the Raiders' culture of determination and commitment.

Canberra was again written off by the critics at the start of the season, and to be on the verge of an unexpected finals appearance, A. Tongue couldn't be prouder.

"I think my blood's green mate, I wouldn't like to by anywhere else," he says.

"It's been really enjoyable to be a part of, it's just great to see that the hard work that we've been putting in, the guys are just reaping the rewards. There's no doubt that we still need to improve a hell of a lot and we need to move forward from where we are at the moment.

"I've always realised the potential that we've got here and we knew that making the top eight wasn't an unrealistic goal for us. But I suppose with the adversity and the amount of players that we've goine through and the disruptions that we've had it's been an outstanding effort and we've just got to keep going now and not get too far ahead of ourselves."


Raiders Recovery...

Despite the fact the Raiders will be in the finals and are playing arguably the most attractive football of any team in the competition, this season has surely been Tongue's greatest challenge as captain of the green machine.

The mid-season announcement by current coach Neil Henry that he would leave Canberra to join North Queensland next year could have been an excuse for players to lose motivation.

They just when everything seemed on the up, the outbreak of the Todd Carney controversy was an incident that could have derailed their season.

The way Canberra have galvanised to become a better team in the face of adversity speaks volumes for Tongue's leadership qualities.

"They way both were handled were pretty swift and the players were informed and we got it all out in the open," Tongue says.

"People knew what was going on and we just moved on with it and I think as a playing group we just had to move on with it. It probably didn't sit well with everybody but that's footy, that's the nature of the game. You can't please everyone and we just understood that; we've got a really good strong group of blokes here and they love playing for each other and at the end of the day the footy was the most important thing and we just got on with it".

The fact that Tongue has never played a representative game for Country is surely one of the greatest mysteries in rugby league. There is no player in the game who sums up what it means to be a country footballer better than Tongue, and many experts have said that if he were a Queenslander he would have playerd a dozen Origin games by now.

"You look at Dallas Johnson who has an opportunity to play State of Origin, and you'd say that Alan and Dallas Johnson are in the same mould in that they'd be the first person picked in your side and the first person that everyone loves to play with," says assistant coach and former Tongue team-mate, David Furner.

"He had a situation there a few years ago where people were syaing that he was too small and not suited to the game but his work ethic and will to succeed squandered those suggestions, and when you talk about value on and off the field I think that after he retires he'll be reflected on as one of the great clubmen".

Brother Paul agrees.

"He's always been like that, he's always got in and had a go and I think it's a reflection of what kind of person he is on and off the field, how he works and gets in and does the job and applies himself 100 per cent every time," he says.

"I know Alan plays it down because he's not like that, but evenutally when he looks back on what he's done in 20 years time, he'll be very proud. And so will mum and dad and all of us."

TONGUE'S 2008 SEASON STATS

Games: 21
Tries: 2
Avg Minutes: 75.6 per game
Avg tackeles: 30.1 (per game)
Avg Missed: 1.5 (per game)
Avg Runs: 5.1 (per game)
Avg Run Metres 34.6 (per game)
Tackle Breaks: 22
Penalties conceeded: 12
Errors: 17

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Karne
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Re: Alan Tongue: No Greenhorn - Big League feature article

Post by Karne »

Damn right he should be playing origin! There ain't a finer player in the NRL!!!\

:woot:
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Re: Alan Tongue: No Greenhorn - Big League feature article

Post by GreenSoul »

What an absolute legend.

I'll call it now. The increased media attention he's got this year will contribute to him gaining a Country rep jersey next year, and he may even just sneak in a berth in the NSW team.

:cmon
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Re: Alan Tongue: No Greenhorn - Big League feature article

Post by Karne »

GreenSoul wrote:What an absolute legend.

I'll call it now. The increased media attention he's got this year will contribute to him gaining a Country rep jersey next year, and he may even just sneak in a berth in the NSW team.

:cmon

It (the blues) won't happen.

He doesn't play for the Roosters, you know. :rant
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Re: Alan Tongue: No Greenhorn - Big League feature article

Post by Gillfish »

Thanks for the write up Mike
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Re: Alan Tongue: No Greenhorn - Big League feature article

Post by Raiders Lime Milk »

I agree. With the added media attention on him and the Raiders, he will almost certainly play for Country next year. Although it's disappointing that it takes more media attention for Alan to get the recognition he deserves. He should have played for Country about three or four years ago.
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Re: Alan Tongue: No Greenhorn - Big League feature article

Post by Zip Zip »

Firstly, thanks heaps for writing that all up Mikey, very much appreciated.

Isn't alan Tongue just an absolute legend of the lime green? I really think he will go down as one of the greats and I don't think he'll ever pull on the colours of another team.

What a champion.
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Re: Alan Tongue: No Greenhorn - Big League feature article

Post by david231280 »

Thanks mate for typin that great article up.

It was an absolute pleasure to read and if would have played for Melbourne he would have played in about 20 odd origins and about 10+ test matches by now.

Bring back the external flame of Captain Tongue
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Re: Alan Tongue: No Greenhorn - Big League feature article

Post by Butters »

Tonguey should be the Country captain. I think as long as the Raiders show some form at the start of 2009 Tonguey will be selected for the Country side. He is getting some very very good press lately and deservedly so.
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Re: Alan Tongue: No Greenhorn - Big League feature article

Post by GORAIDERS »

Cheers for writting all that up..
the best line in the whole article is where Tongue said he thinks his blood is green and couldnt imagine being anywhere else absolute legend.
He should deff get the call up to Country nxt yr if we start well and should be made captain straight away

absolute legend
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Re: Alan Tongue: No Greenhorn - Big League feature article

Post by Guy Incognito »

mike83au wrote: "I think my blood's green mate, I wouldn't like to by anywhere else," he says.
What a champion
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Re: Alan Tongue: No Greenhorn - Big League feature article

Post by cat »

green_tongue wrote:
mike83au wrote: "I think my blood's green mate, I wouldn't like to by anywhere else," he says.
What a champion

when some other players say that you sort of think they are just saying it but with Tongue you know it's true.

He is Raiders through and through! :clap: :clap: :clap:
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Re: Alan Tongue: No Greenhorn - Big League feature article

Post by .:lockyer:. »

:thumbsup Tongue..!

A true definition of a legend. :clap:
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Re: Alan Tongue: No Greenhorn

Post by Raiders Lim! »

If origin was tomorrow, tongue and campo would walk in IMO!
And Tongue would be up there for captain no doubt.

Lets hope we can continue to shine through to may next year!
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