who's in?!
its a home game so i need 5 starters and 3 reggies
at this stage ill take up first reggies spot but if numbers dwindle ill promote myself into the line up
Round 1: Raiders V Pirates
Moderator: GH Moderators
Round 1: Raiders V Pirates
Righto lads, time to get serious again, the season kick off is only a few days away and we've got the defending premiers, those rotten bastards the pirates up first
who's in?!
its a home game so i need 5 starters and 3 reggies
at this stage ill take up first reggies spot but if numbers dwindle ill promote myself into the line up
who's in?!
its a home game so i need 5 starters and 3 reggies
at this stage ill take up first reggies spot but if numbers dwindle ill promote myself into the line up
Here's my article guys.... hope you get a laugh out of it
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Breakfast With Jason Smith
I’m at a trendy café along the edge of Lake Burley Griffin. It is a classic Canberra morning; brilliant sunshine illuminates the sky, yet enough chill to keep *'s nipples firm and erect. Walter would have been so proud watching the sunshine bounce off the man-made hole they filled with water and named after him.
In the distance I see an instantly recognisable figure. Solid but athletic, his spiky grey hair glistens in the sunshine like the sole natural snowflake at Perisher. With a characteristic swagger and confident air, he is unmistakeable.
It is Jason Smith.
He is so different to the other interviewees. The week beforehand, Clinton Schifcofske arrived in stonewashed jeans and a white t-shirt, accentuating his effortless good looks. Sunglasses possibly masked a massive night where he must have hopped from one nightclub to, well, the other one. Todd Carney arrived with spiked hair, no less than six sweatbands on his forearms (obviously masking some profuse perspiration problem) and designer boxers emerging from dangerously low shorts.
Jason provided such a contrast to that over-rated look. In flannelette and no-nonsense blue denim, he struck an incongruent juxtaposition; in the artificial surrounds of Canberra, Jason Smith was so real.
I rise and he grabs my hand, possibly breaking a finger with his vice-like grip. With a Winfield Red dangling from his lips, he motions towards outside. “We’ll sit over there,†he croaks, “and don’t bring that crap with you,†referring to my toasted focaccia. “I wouldn’t feed that nancy garbage to my dog.â€
Now with a T-bone for breakfast (despite my pleadings that a cow didn’t deserve to die so early in the day), Jason relaxes. He takes a long, soothing drag on ‘Winnie,' his exhale slow and fulfilling. He smokes just like he plays, I thought. Never in a rush, always with so much time. No longer hungry, I move to the first question of the morning.
“So Jason, how have you enjoyed your first season back in the NRL?â€
My question draws a blank response, yet there is a latent anger. His seemingly emotionless face is filled with disdain. It is the same look Matt Gafa received when he misread the play – he can’t tolerate fools.
“Mate, how do you think I enjoyed it? We ran second last and broke the clubs’ biggest losing streak twice. Had a friggin’ ball.â€
I was stunned by his truthful severity. Here was a man who could have filled my morning with cliché, yet he chose not to. Intrigued, I pressed on, feeling much like his team-mates – I had no idea what was coming next.
“You’re 34 and played most of 2005 with injury, and you’re going round again. How are you so tough?â€
Like his magical on-field ability, he quickens the pace. “Mate I’m not tough. I earn a good clip playing footy. *'s not tough. Being a labourer, a cop – *'s tough.â€
I nod agreeingly, now in more awe of the man. In his self-deprecating style, he proved how tough he was instantly. He finishes a vegemite soldier and adds,
“Plus the *'s good – why wouldn’t I sign on again.â€
I laugh, and the tension hanging over us like a Canberra fog is lifted. He cracks a weary smile, and I am accepted. The interview has just begun.
Like Lincoln Withers, I am the link-man while Jason runs the show. There are no questions, just conversation over breakfast between a poor journalist and a footballing legend. A quick glance to his watch ends our meeting; he probably has a *'s commitment to attend or teaching Adam Mogg to tackle. I put a final question to him.
“Jason, what odds you take Canberra to a premiership in 2006?â€
He smiles and grabs my trembling hand. “Mate, I won’t be taking the Raiders to a title – I’m past it. The kids here will win you one, no sweat. I’m just here to help ‘em along a bit, win the odd game or two.â€
His honesty shocks me, yet his truth speaks volumes. He is the teacher of the clubs’ future, not the man to pin hopes on. With Matt Elliott leaving, I throw him a final question:
“Why don’t you become our coach when you’re finished?â€
He turns, winks in a completely non-sexual fashion, and walks away. “In a way mate, I already am.â€
I smile; he nods understandingly. I depart ecstatic, knowing that the future of the Raiders is in unconventional, yet safe hands.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Breakfast With Jason Smith
I’m at a trendy café along the edge of Lake Burley Griffin. It is a classic Canberra morning; brilliant sunshine illuminates the sky, yet enough chill to keep *'s nipples firm and erect. Walter would have been so proud watching the sunshine bounce off the man-made hole they filled with water and named after him.
In the distance I see an instantly recognisable figure. Solid but athletic, his spiky grey hair glistens in the sunshine like the sole natural snowflake at Perisher. With a characteristic swagger and confident air, he is unmistakeable.
It is Jason Smith.
He is so different to the other interviewees. The week beforehand, Clinton Schifcofske arrived in stonewashed jeans and a white t-shirt, accentuating his effortless good looks. Sunglasses possibly masked a massive night where he must have hopped from one nightclub to, well, the other one. Todd Carney arrived with spiked hair, no less than six sweatbands on his forearms (obviously masking some profuse perspiration problem) and designer boxers emerging from dangerously low shorts.
Jason provided such a contrast to that over-rated look. In flannelette and no-nonsense blue denim, he struck an incongruent juxtaposition; in the artificial surrounds of Canberra, Jason Smith was so real.
I rise and he grabs my hand, possibly breaking a finger with his vice-like grip. With a Winfield Red dangling from his lips, he motions towards outside. “We’ll sit over there,†he croaks, “and don’t bring that crap with you,†referring to my toasted focaccia. “I wouldn’t feed that nancy garbage to my dog.â€
Now with a T-bone for breakfast (despite my pleadings that a cow didn’t deserve to die so early in the day), Jason relaxes. He takes a long, soothing drag on ‘Winnie,' his exhale slow and fulfilling. He smokes just like he plays, I thought. Never in a rush, always with so much time. No longer hungry, I move to the first question of the morning.
“So Jason, how have you enjoyed your first season back in the NRL?â€
My question draws a blank response, yet there is a latent anger. His seemingly emotionless face is filled with disdain. It is the same look Matt Gafa received when he misread the play – he can’t tolerate fools.
“Mate, how do you think I enjoyed it? We ran second last and broke the clubs’ biggest losing streak twice. Had a friggin’ ball.â€
I was stunned by his truthful severity. Here was a man who could have filled my morning with cliché, yet he chose not to. Intrigued, I pressed on, feeling much like his team-mates – I had no idea what was coming next.
“You’re 34 and played most of 2005 with injury, and you’re going round again. How are you so tough?â€
Like his magical on-field ability, he quickens the pace. “Mate I’m not tough. I earn a good clip playing footy. *'s not tough. Being a labourer, a cop – *'s tough.â€
I nod agreeingly, now in more awe of the man. In his self-deprecating style, he proved how tough he was instantly. He finishes a vegemite soldier and adds,
“Plus the *'s good – why wouldn’t I sign on again.â€
I laugh, and the tension hanging over us like a Canberra fog is lifted. He cracks a weary smile, and I am accepted. The interview has just begun.
Like Lincoln Withers, I am the link-man while Jason runs the show. There are no questions, just conversation over breakfast between a poor journalist and a footballing legend. A quick glance to his watch ends our meeting; he probably has a *'s commitment to attend or teaching Adam Mogg to tackle. I put a final question to him.
“Jason, what odds you take Canberra to a premiership in 2006?â€
He smiles and grabs my trembling hand. “Mate, I won’t be taking the Raiders to a title – I’m past it. The kids here will win you one, no sweat. I’m just here to help ‘em along a bit, win the odd game or two.â€
His honesty shocks me, yet his truth speaks volumes. He is the teacher of the clubs’ future, not the man to pin hopes on. With Matt Elliott leaving, I throw him a final question:
“Why don’t you become our coach when you’re finished?â€
He turns, winks in a completely non-sexual fashion, and walks away. “In a way mate, I already am.â€
I smile; he nods understandingly. I depart ecstatic, knowing that the future of the Raiders is in unconventional, yet safe hands.
Addiction
Addiction is defined as a condition of being habitually or compulsively occupied with or involved in something. Now when we hear the word addiction we associate it with a drug such as alcohol, cigarettes or an illegal/illicit drug such as marijuana, but many lives in this country are affected by a far more addictive drug – rugby league.
The addiction often starts a young age; you are introduced to the game by your equally addicted relatives or friends. From there the addiction continues to grow through your adolescent years as you become so engaged in your *'s season it dictates your weekend and subsequently your post weekend mood.
So the questions remain: how does one get addicted to this great game and what aspects contribute to this addiction? What are these signs and symptoms?
Unfortunately this disease of ‘League Addiction’ has yet to be studied with enough depth to correctly answer these questions scientifically, so I have to draw from personal experience rather then scientific explanations.
The Cause:
*'s accepted by scientists that addiction occurs because the substance creates dependence in the part of the *'s brain that re-inforces certain behaviours and can change the emotional state of the user. This part is called the mesolimbic dopamine system. My dear reader may ask: “How does this relate to rugby league?â€
Well I'll answer that. Addictive substances release excess amounts of dopamine. This causes a rush of euphoria, otherwise known as a ‘high’ which strikes an amazing resemblance to that of a fanatical fan after a win. I refer to the Tigers' fairy tale victory over the Cowboys in last year's decider. Cowboys fans wept as if it were the most depressing time of their lives, whilst Tigers fans rejoiced with enthusiam and energy that some would liken to a raver on MDMA, aka Ecstasy.
Signs and Symptoms:
The signs and symptoms of ‘League Addiction’ are hard to distinguish as they can vary from patient to patient. However, an over riding obsession with the game itself and particularly the patient's team is a distinguishable feature in all cases. The most common signs of League Addiction are as follows, however all may not apply in each case:
- Patient may exhibit signs of uncontrollable optimism.
- Patient may tip his or her desired team in their Tipping competitions despite secretly knowing they don’t stand a chance. They may even throw money on their team down at the local Sports TAB, often heard to claim “don’t worry, we’re specials this week†to the confused attendant, and fellow punters.
- Patient may happily drive several hours and waste an entire day travelling to watch their team, only to get flogged and proudly proclaim “See you boys next week†to fellow supporters.
- Patient may ditch important family event such as a sister's 21st in order to watch the Charity Shield, after all: "*'s the first major footy event of the season!â€
- Patient may spend several hours a week discussing the finer points of his or her addiction on the internet forums with fellow league addicted patrons. These internet forums feed the addiction of these poor helpless men and women.
- Patient may rarely be seen out doors without at least one piece of clothing relating to their team. It may be as subtle as the club socks or hat, but in most cases it will come in the form of a shirt or jersey.
- Patient may also plan his or her entire weekend around the game.
And of course in extreme cases:
- Patient may spend hours competing in an online essay competition for fun.
- Patient may show utter disdain for the sports of rugby union and AFL.
Cure:
Some of you may read this and think to yourself: “Oh my God, *'s me, what on earth am I to do?â€
Well sadly, it gives me no pleasure to inform you that there is no known cure to this life style crippling disease.
Unfortunately those souls affected are doomed to live a life of league dependence.
*'s a disease that is increasing its prevalence in young children of today, and it can no longer be ignored.
My dear readers, I am no scientist, I'm an "Average Joe". So you may ask how it is I've become so knowledgable on said addiction? I’m sure most of you are well aware of this but for those oblivious to the obvious:
"My name is Nick Townsend. And im addicted to rugby league."
Reference:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_addic ... _addiction
Addiction is defined as a condition of being habitually or compulsively occupied with or involved in something. Now when we hear the word addiction we associate it with a drug such as alcohol, cigarettes or an illegal/illicit drug such as marijuana, but many lives in this country are affected by a far more addictive drug – rugby league.
The addiction often starts a young age; you are introduced to the game by your equally addicted relatives or friends. From there the addiction continues to grow through your adolescent years as you become so engaged in your *'s season it dictates your weekend and subsequently your post weekend mood.
So the questions remain: how does one get addicted to this great game and what aspects contribute to this addiction? What are these signs and symptoms?
Unfortunately this disease of ‘League Addiction’ has yet to be studied with enough depth to correctly answer these questions scientifically, so I have to draw from personal experience rather then scientific explanations.
The Cause:
*'s accepted by scientists that addiction occurs because the substance creates dependence in the part of the *'s brain that re-inforces certain behaviours and can change the emotional state of the user. This part is called the mesolimbic dopamine system. My dear reader may ask: “How does this relate to rugby league?â€
Well I'll answer that. Addictive substances release excess amounts of dopamine. This causes a rush of euphoria, otherwise known as a ‘high’ which strikes an amazing resemblance to that of a fanatical fan after a win. I refer to the Tigers' fairy tale victory over the Cowboys in last year's decider. Cowboys fans wept as if it were the most depressing time of their lives, whilst Tigers fans rejoiced with enthusiam and energy that some would liken to a raver on MDMA, aka Ecstasy.
Signs and Symptoms:
The signs and symptoms of ‘League Addiction’ are hard to distinguish as they can vary from patient to patient. However, an over riding obsession with the game itself and particularly the patient's team is a distinguishable feature in all cases. The most common signs of League Addiction are as follows, however all may not apply in each case:
- Patient may exhibit signs of uncontrollable optimism.
- Patient may tip his or her desired team in their Tipping competitions despite secretly knowing they don’t stand a chance. They may even throw money on their team down at the local Sports TAB, often heard to claim “don’t worry, we’re specials this week†to the confused attendant, and fellow punters.
- Patient may happily drive several hours and waste an entire day travelling to watch their team, only to get flogged and proudly proclaim “See you boys next week†to fellow supporters.
- Patient may ditch important family event such as a sister's 21st in order to watch the Charity Shield, after all: "*'s the first major footy event of the season!â€
- Patient may spend several hours a week discussing the finer points of his or her addiction on the internet forums with fellow league addicted patrons. These internet forums feed the addiction of these poor helpless men and women.
- Patient may rarely be seen out doors without at least one piece of clothing relating to their team. It may be as subtle as the club socks or hat, but in most cases it will come in the form of a shirt or jersey.
- Patient may also plan his or her entire weekend around the game.
And of course in extreme cases:
- Patient may spend hours competing in an online essay competition for fun.
- Patient may show utter disdain for the sports of rugby union and AFL.
Cure:
Some of you may read this and think to yourself: “Oh my God, *'s me, what on earth am I to do?â€
Well sadly, it gives me no pleasure to inform you that there is no known cure to this life style crippling disease.
Unfortunately those souls affected are doomed to live a life of league dependence.
*'s a disease that is increasing its prevalence in young children of today, and it can no longer be ignored.
My dear readers, I am no scientist, I'm an "Average Joe". So you may ask how it is I've become so knowledgable on said addiction? I’m sure most of you are well aware of this but for those oblivious to the obvious:
"My name is Nick Townsend. And im addicted to rugby league."
Reference:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_addic ... _addiction
Last edited by Nick on March 18, 2006, 3:09 pm, edited 2 times in total.
My first article of the year, did it last night and this morning, but I still have to edit it a bit..
Size isn’t everything - *'s little hero
In rugby league there is always talk about how your “big men up front†can set a platform for the rest of the team and even swing a match. People talk about Bailey, Webcke, Mason, Sonny Bill Williams and Mark O’Mealey. But there is one little trooper in particular who has broken the stereotype and gone against the norm of the first grade prop.
This man is Josh Miller. At 180cm and 99kg, you wouldn’t pick Miller as a prop by just looking at him, but what Miller lacks in size, he more than makes up for in heart. Miller adopts the “no fear†approach to footy, no one is too big for him. If Miller came up against a brick wall, you would almost back Josh.
Miller has given Raiders' fans many memorable moments. But it has not all been smooth sailing for this 23 year old from the town of Forbes who has had a tough time of it on and off the sporting field.
Prior to coming to Canberra, Miller had to go through tough times, when at just 13, he lost his brother to a car accident. Miller nows sports the Initials “J.C.M†tattooed on his arm, in tribute to his brother.
Early in 2004, Elliott told Miller that he was unlikely to be playing first grade that season. Instead of dropping his head and becoming frustrated, Miller asked Elliott what he needed to do to improve himself and make first grade - very mature for a then 20 year old.
Miller made his debut against the Broncos and scored with his very first touch in first grade. In that same season, he made a handful of other appearances including starting the game at five eighth against the Sharks. This was after he played 60 minutes of Premier League and was taken off the field after an injury to a Raiders player during warm up for firsts.
One game Raiders fans will not forget was Round 15 last year where the undermanned Raiders came up against the Bulldogs. An early injury to Matt Adamson meant the Raiders were further weakened. They needed someone to try to mix it with the big Bulldogs pack. That man turned out to be Josh Miller.
For most of the afternoon he hurled his body around the park, launching himself like a missile at Mark O’Mealey, a man who had a sizeable weight advantage. But this didn’t stop Josh at all, he kept at it until he went in and copped a knock on the melon. Miller bravely got to his feet stumbled around like a drunk for a few seconds and refused to go off with the trainer who ran out to assist him. Only a few minutes later, Miller copped another knock, but again bravely got to his feet... stumbled around... but this time it was visible he was in no state to play on. Still it took a trainer to virtually force him off the field, despite being hardly able to walk in a straight line. Miller wanted more. The fact that Canberra faded late in that game to lose 28-10 is irrelevant, as the real story was the courage of Miller.
Now the Raiders normally have a policy that if a player is concussed in a match he is to take a mandatory week off. Despite being concussed twice, Miller was adamant to play and convinced staff that he would be right for the following match against North Queensland at Bruce. So come Saturday night, Miller lined up on the bench.
After coming on midway through the first half, Miller was concussed again. This was seen as enough by the trainers, and again against *'s will he was benched for the rest of the match.
It is stories of courage like these that make Miller a fan favourite in Canberra. He isn’t a speedy winger, *'s not a try scoring centre, he's not a creative halfback. He is the hard hitting, no fear, “bring it on†forward who gives his 110 per cent, whether his team is up 34-0 or down 44-0.
Sadly, Josh Miller tore his anterior cruciate ligament against Manly in the first round of 2006 and has been told he will be out for six months - a season ending injury. But Josh Miller doesn’t believe his season is over, he has already told fans that he will be back in five months.
Good on ya Josh. We could use more players like you in rugby league.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Size isn’t everything - *'s little hero
In rugby league there is always talk about how your “big men up front†can set a platform for the rest of the team and even swing a match. People talk about Bailey, Webcke, Mason, Sonny Bill Williams and Mark O’Mealey. But there is one little trooper in particular who has broken the stereotype and gone against the norm of the first grade prop.
This man is Josh Miller. At 180cm and 99kg, you wouldn’t pick Miller as a prop by just looking at him, but what Miller lacks in size, he more than makes up for in heart. Miller adopts the “no fear†approach to footy, no one is too big for him. If Miller came up against a brick wall, you would almost back Josh.
Miller has given Raiders' fans many memorable moments. But it has not all been smooth sailing for this 23 year old from the town of Forbes who has had a tough time of it on and off the sporting field.
Prior to coming to Canberra, Miller had to go through tough times, when at just 13, he lost his brother to a car accident. Miller nows sports the Initials “J.C.M†tattooed on his arm, in tribute to his brother.
Early in 2004, Elliott told Miller that he was unlikely to be playing first grade that season. Instead of dropping his head and becoming frustrated, Miller asked Elliott what he needed to do to improve himself and make first grade - very mature for a then 20 year old.
Miller made his debut against the Broncos and scored with his very first touch in first grade. In that same season, he made a handful of other appearances including starting the game at five eighth against the Sharks. This was after he played 60 minutes of Premier League and was taken off the field after an injury to a Raiders player during warm up for firsts.
One game Raiders fans will not forget was Round 15 last year where the undermanned Raiders came up against the Bulldogs. An early injury to Matt Adamson meant the Raiders were further weakened. They needed someone to try to mix it with the big Bulldogs pack. That man turned out to be Josh Miller.
For most of the afternoon he hurled his body around the park, launching himself like a missile at Mark O’Mealey, a man who had a sizeable weight advantage. But this didn’t stop Josh at all, he kept at it until he went in and copped a knock on the melon. Miller bravely got to his feet stumbled around like a drunk for a few seconds and refused to go off with the trainer who ran out to assist him. Only a few minutes later, Miller copped another knock, but again bravely got to his feet... stumbled around... but this time it was visible he was in no state to play on. Still it took a trainer to virtually force him off the field, despite being hardly able to walk in a straight line. Miller wanted more. The fact that Canberra faded late in that game to lose 28-10 is irrelevant, as the real story was the courage of Miller.
Now the Raiders normally have a policy that if a player is concussed in a match he is to take a mandatory week off. Despite being concussed twice, Miller was adamant to play and convinced staff that he would be right for the following match against North Queensland at Bruce. So come Saturday night, Miller lined up on the bench.
After coming on midway through the first half, Miller was concussed again. This was seen as enough by the trainers, and again against *'s will he was benched for the rest of the match.
It is stories of courage like these that make Miller a fan favourite in Canberra. He isn’t a speedy winger, *'s not a try scoring centre, he's not a creative halfback. He is the hard hitting, no fear, “bring it on†forward who gives his 110 per cent, whether his team is up 34-0 or down 44-0.
Sadly, Josh Miller tore his anterior cruciate ligament against Manly in the first round of 2006 and has been told he will be out for six months - a season ending injury. But Josh Miller doesn’t believe his season is over, he has already told fans that he will be back in five months.
Good on ya Josh. We could use more players like you in rugby league.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm just going to put out the old unused GF article.
Plus, I have edited your article R69 to fix the punctuation/grammar. I really liked it.
Haven't looked at yours Shcifty, as yet.
Plus, I have edited your article R69 to fix the punctuation/grammar. I really liked it.
Haven't looked at yours Shcifty, as yet.
Last edited by greeneyed on November 25, 2007, 7:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
IBG
- Gary Belcher
- Posts: 6277
- Joined: January 8, 2005, 1:25 pm
- Favourite Player: Jordan Rapana
- Location: Sydney
Looking good guys, Nick I like your article especially.
Sorry but I won't be able to help this week, I've borowed a laptop while they fix my other computer and these keyboards **** me to tears, it takes me 30 minutes to type a damn post, the thought of me typing a 750 word article on this makes baby jesus cry.
Sorry but I won't be able to help this week, I've borowed a laptop while they fix my other computer and these keyboards **** me to tears, it takes me 30 minutes to type a damn post, the thought of me typing a 750 word article on this makes baby jesus cry.
We'll see how this one goes for me:
The Greatest I’ve Ever Seen
“I'm not the greatest; I'm the double greatest... It's hard to be humble, when you're as great as I am.†- Muhammad Ali
The age-old question in bars and clubs down the eastern seaboard of Australia, one of the most enduring in rugby league, is: “Who is the greatest you’ve ever seen?†Following the 2005 State of Origin series, Ricky Stuart opened the debate up all over again, when he pronounced that Andrew Johns is the greatest he has ever laid eyes upon.
Johns’ credentials are impressive. He has won two premierships with the Knights, played more than 20 games for NSW and played almost 20 Tests for Australia. He has captained his country. He ruled State of Origin in 2005 as he has never done before. His skills from halfback are legendary – able to control the direction of play through astute passing and pinpoint kicking. Not only that, his career is yet to end. There are chapters still to be written.
But is he the greatest I have ever seen? As a Raiders fan, I wish I could say Mal Meninga is the greatest. Meninga captained the Raiders to three premierships, played 32 State of Origin matches for Queensland and played more Tests (45) and scored more points for Australia than any other. He captained Australia 23 times and made a record four Kangaroo tours. He was a rock in the centres, inspiring confidence in his teammates. But he is not the greatest I have ever seen. That player is Wally Lewis.
I don’t much like Lewis. Like many Australians, I like my sports heroes to be humble, taciturn, to let their talking to be done on the field. None of the Muhammad Ali antics for us. We admire the quietly determined, the courageous, the gritty - the characteristics that led Australian cricket captain, Steve Waugh, to be universally admired. He would be someone you wanted on your side, to be there in the trenches when the going got tough.
Lewis was not that sort of character, yet he was certainly great and you wanted him in your trenches. He was arrogant, someone who would get under the *'s skin. I remember the first time I saw him play - at Lang Park for the Diehards, against my team, the Tigers in the late 1970s. A comment made by NFL player Lawrence Taylor, applies perfectly to Lewis: “He's a cocky sumbitch. That's what makes him such a great player.†He certainly irritated me, and as a young kid, I hurled some abuse in his general direction – only to cop some abuse myself from the woman sitting on the wooden bench in front of us – his mother. I disliked him even more then, but I had to admit one of the main reasons I disliked him was this: he was extremely good.
Over time, I developed much more respect for Wally Lewis. By the time his career was over, he had captained Australia 23 times and played 33 Tests. He had made the State of Origin series his own and possessed it like no other player. He captained Queensland 30 times and time and time again, he seemed to almost single handedly wrest the trophy back over the border. I remember one State of Origin match at the Sydney Football Stadium, when Lewis grasped the ball and match in his own hands, charging over the line in the corner, Gary Jack in his wake. He dominated the game in his time.
Perhaps Andrew Johns will yet convince me he is the greatest I have seen. Like Lewis he is arrogant - and at times appears to be a bad sport - and I don’t much like him. His skills are incredible, but he has yet to dominate in the way that Lewis or Meninga have. But he still has time left, and before he hangs up his boots, his records may yet challenge them. For me, though, it is far too premature to suggest he should join “The Immortals†of the game.
But what is true greatness anyway? Is it for you or me to judge? We love the debating. But as English writer, William Hazlitt said “No man is truly great who is great only in his lifetime. The test of greatness is the page of history.†In the end, neither my opinion, nor yours, will count. Only history will tell who goes down as the greatest player of our time.
The Greatest I’ve Ever Seen
“I'm not the greatest; I'm the double greatest... It's hard to be humble, when you're as great as I am.†- Muhammad Ali
The age-old question in bars and clubs down the eastern seaboard of Australia, one of the most enduring in rugby league, is: “Who is the greatest you’ve ever seen?†Following the 2005 State of Origin series, Ricky Stuart opened the debate up all over again, when he pronounced that Andrew Johns is the greatest he has ever laid eyes upon.
Johns’ credentials are impressive. He has won two premierships with the Knights, played more than 20 games for NSW and played almost 20 Tests for Australia. He has captained his country. He ruled State of Origin in 2005 as he has never done before. His skills from halfback are legendary – able to control the direction of play through astute passing and pinpoint kicking. Not only that, his career is yet to end. There are chapters still to be written.
But is he the greatest I have ever seen? As a Raiders fan, I wish I could say Mal Meninga is the greatest. Meninga captained the Raiders to three premierships, played 32 State of Origin matches for Queensland and played more Tests (45) and scored more points for Australia than any other. He captained Australia 23 times and made a record four Kangaroo tours. He was a rock in the centres, inspiring confidence in his teammates. But he is not the greatest I have ever seen. That player is Wally Lewis.
I don’t much like Lewis. Like many Australians, I like my sports heroes to be humble, taciturn, to let their talking to be done on the field. None of the Muhammad Ali antics for us. We admire the quietly determined, the courageous, the gritty - the characteristics that led Australian cricket captain, Steve Waugh, to be universally admired. He would be someone you wanted on your side, to be there in the trenches when the going got tough.
Lewis was not that sort of character, yet he was certainly great and you wanted him in your trenches. He was arrogant, someone who would get under the *'s skin. I remember the first time I saw him play - at Lang Park for the Diehards, against my team, the Tigers in the late 1970s. A comment made by NFL player Lawrence Taylor, applies perfectly to Lewis: “He's a cocky sumbitch. That's what makes him such a great player.†He certainly irritated me, and as a young kid, I hurled some abuse in his general direction – only to cop some abuse myself from the woman sitting on the wooden bench in front of us – his mother. I disliked him even more then, but I had to admit one of the main reasons I disliked him was this: he was extremely good.
Over time, I developed much more respect for Wally Lewis. By the time his career was over, he had captained Australia 23 times and played 33 Tests. He had made the State of Origin series his own and possessed it like no other player. He captained Queensland 30 times and time and time again, he seemed to almost single handedly wrest the trophy back over the border. I remember one State of Origin match at the Sydney Football Stadium, when Lewis grasped the ball and match in his own hands, charging over the line in the corner, Gary Jack in his wake. He dominated the game in his time.
Perhaps Andrew Johns will yet convince me he is the greatest I have seen. Like Lewis he is arrogant - and at times appears to be a bad sport - and I don’t much like him. His skills are incredible, but he has yet to dominate in the way that Lewis or Meninga have. But he still has time left, and before he hangs up his boots, his records may yet challenge them. For me, though, it is far too premature to suggest he should join “The Immortals†of the game.
But what is true greatness anyway? Is it for you or me to judge? We love the debating. But as English writer, William Hazlitt said “No man is truly great who is great only in his lifetime. The test of greatness is the page of history.†In the end, neither my opinion, nor yours, will count. Only history will tell who goes down as the greatest player of our time.
I fixed punctuation etc for yours Schifty. I haven't done word count checks on anyone.
Remember you must be at 750 words or less, using the official word counter...
http://f7s.leagueunlimited.com/wordcount.asp
and you must include the title within the 750 words. One word over will see the team lose points.
That version of mine is precisely 750 words.
Remember you must be at 750 words or less, using the official word counter...
http://f7s.leagueunlimited.com/wordcount.asp
and you must include the title within the 750 words. One word over will see the team lose points.
That version of mine is precisely 750 words.
This version is exactly 750 words, if I don't use it this week I will use it for the next match (In which I will captain).
-------------------------------------------
Size isn’t everything - *'s little hero
In rugby league there is always talk about how your “big men up front†can set a platform for the rest of the team and even swing a match. People talk about Bailey, Webcke, Mason, Sonny Bill Williams and Mark O’Mealey. But there is one little trooper in particular who has broken the stereotype and gone against the norm of the first grade prop.
This man is Josh Miller. At 180cm and 99kg, you wouldn’t pick Miller as a prop by just looking at him, but what Miller lacks in size, he more than makes up for in heart. Miller adopts the “no fear†approach to footy, no one is too big for him. If Miller came up against a brick wall, you would almost back Josh.
Miller has given Raiders' fans many memorable moments. But it has not all been smooth sailing for this 23 year old from the town of Forbes who has had a tough time of it on and off the sporting field.
Prior to coming to Canberra, Miller had to go through tough times, when at just 13, he lost his brother to a car accident. Miller nows sports the Initials “J.C.M†tattooed on his arm, in tribute to his brother.
Early in 2004, Elliott told Miller that he was unlikely to be playing first grade that season. Instead of dropping his head and becoming frustrated, Miller asked Elliott what he needed to do to improve himself and make first grade - very mature for a then 20 year old.
Miller made his debut against the Broncos and scored with his very first touch in first grade. In that same season, he made a handful of other appearances including starting the game at five eighth against the Sharks. This was after he played 60 minutes of Premier League and was taken off the field after an injury to a Raiders player during warm up for firsts.
One game Raiders fans will not forget was Round 15 last year where the undermanned Raiders came up against the Bulldogs. An early injury to Matt Adamson meant the Raiders were further weakened. They needed someone to try to mix it with the big Bulldogs pack. That man turned out to be Josh Miller.
For most of the afternoon he hurled his body around the park, launching himself like a missile at Mark O’Mealey, a man who had a sizeable weight advantage. But this didn’t stop Josh at all, he kept at it until he went in and copped a knock on the melon. Miller bravely got to his feet stumbled around like a drunk for a few seconds and refused to go off with the trainer who ran out to assist him. Only a few minutes later, Miller copped another knock, but again bravely got to his feet... stumbled around... but this time it was visible he was in no state to play on. Still it took a trainer to virtually force him off the field, despite being hardly able to walk in a straight line. Miller wanted more. The fact that Canberra faded late in that game to lose 28-10 is irrelevant, as the real story was the courage of Miller.
Now the Raiders normally have a policy that if a player is concussed in a match he is to take a mandatory week off. Despite being concussed twice, Miller was adamant to play and convinced staff that he would be right for the following match against North Queensland at Bruce. So come Saturday night, Miller lined up on the bench.
After coming on midway through the first half, Miller was concussed again. This was seen as enough by the trainers, and again against *'s will he was benched for the rest of the match.
Courage like this is why Miller a fan favourite in Canberra. He isn’t a speedy winger, *'s not a try scoring centre, he's not a creative halfback. He is the hard hitting, no fear, “bring it on†forward who gives his 110 per cent, whether his team is up 34-0 or down 44-0.
Sadly, Josh tore his anterior cruciate ligament against Manly in the first round of 2006 and has been told he will be out for six months - a season ending injury. But Miller doesn’t believe his season is over, he is aiming to be back in 5 months.
Good on ya Josh. We could use more players like you in rugby league.
-------------------------------------------
Size isn’t everything - *'s little hero
In rugby league there is always talk about how your “big men up front†can set a platform for the rest of the team and even swing a match. People talk about Bailey, Webcke, Mason, Sonny Bill Williams and Mark O’Mealey. But there is one little trooper in particular who has broken the stereotype and gone against the norm of the first grade prop.
This man is Josh Miller. At 180cm and 99kg, you wouldn’t pick Miller as a prop by just looking at him, but what Miller lacks in size, he more than makes up for in heart. Miller adopts the “no fear†approach to footy, no one is too big for him. If Miller came up against a brick wall, you would almost back Josh.
Miller has given Raiders' fans many memorable moments. But it has not all been smooth sailing for this 23 year old from the town of Forbes who has had a tough time of it on and off the sporting field.
Prior to coming to Canberra, Miller had to go through tough times, when at just 13, he lost his brother to a car accident. Miller nows sports the Initials “J.C.M†tattooed on his arm, in tribute to his brother.
Early in 2004, Elliott told Miller that he was unlikely to be playing first grade that season. Instead of dropping his head and becoming frustrated, Miller asked Elliott what he needed to do to improve himself and make first grade - very mature for a then 20 year old.
Miller made his debut against the Broncos and scored with his very first touch in first grade. In that same season, he made a handful of other appearances including starting the game at five eighth against the Sharks. This was after he played 60 minutes of Premier League and was taken off the field after an injury to a Raiders player during warm up for firsts.
One game Raiders fans will not forget was Round 15 last year where the undermanned Raiders came up against the Bulldogs. An early injury to Matt Adamson meant the Raiders were further weakened. They needed someone to try to mix it with the big Bulldogs pack. That man turned out to be Josh Miller.
For most of the afternoon he hurled his body around the park, launching himself like a missile at Mark O’Mealey, a man who had a sizeable weight advantage. But this didn’t stop Josh at all, he kept at it until he went in and copped a knock on the melon. Miller bravely got to his feet stumbled around like a drunk for a few seconds and refused to go off with the trainer who ran out to assist him. Only a few minutes later, Miller copped another knock, but again bravely got to his feet... stumbled around... but this time it was visible he was in no state to play on. Still it took a trainer to virtually force him off the field, despite being hardly able to walk in a straight line. Miller wanted more. The fact that Canberra faded late in that game to lose 28-10 is irrelevant, as the real story was the courage of Miller.
Now the Raiders normally have a policy that if a player is concussed in a match he is to take a mandatory week off. Despite being concussed twice, Miller was adamant to play and convinced staff that he would be right for the following match against North Queensland at Bruce. So come Saturday night, Miller lined up on the bench.
After coming on midway through the first half, Miller was concussed again. This was seen as enough by the trainers, and again against *'s will he was benched for the rest of the match.
Courage like this is why Miller a fan favourite in Canberra. He isn’t a speedy winger, *'s not a try scoring centre, he's not a creative halfback. He is the hard hitting, no fear, “bring it on†forward who gives his 110 per cent, whether his team is up 34-0 or down 44-0.
Sadly, Josh tore his anterior cruciate ligament against Manly in the first round of 2006 and has been told he will be out for six months - a season ending injury. But Miller doesn’t believe his season is over, he is aiming to be back in 5 months.
Good on ya Josh. We could use more players like you in rugby league.
have got mine down to 747 8)
schifty nice article mate. are you gonna be around and about wednesday night?
Skeepey old son, how are you coming along, i know your normally wait till the pressures on to produce 8)
Also raiders Boy, whats crackin with you mate?
If i dont get responses by midday monday ill get on PM's 8)
schifty nice article mate. are you gonna be around and about wednesday night?
Skeepey old son, how are you coming along, i know your normally wait till the pressures on to produce 8)
Also raiders Boy, whats crackin with you mate?
If i dont get responses by midday monday ill get on PM's 8)