woo hoo Footys back

**HK1837** · 06-03-2015, 04:11 PM

I've been a Rooster's fan since I can remember (like early 70's). Proud to be a supporter of the only original club left (although Newcastle (as the Rebels) and Rabbitohs (in their current form) can at least claim they were there to begin with), all the others at the top level have either gone or merged although Balmain, Newtown, Norths and Wests still exist at the next levels.

The only team is dislike is Manly, although old St George supports (not St George - Illawarra) do annoy me at times!

**Innuendo** · 06-03-2015, 04:44 PM

Mate, I was a Roosters supporter from 1972 (the first team I ever supported). That was until my my mates started making grade at the Steelers in the late 80's.
I then starting coaching in Illawarra and because of this my alliances switched. I did follow the Roosters when Graham Murray was coach but got a sour taste with how he was treated.
Of course off the back of his coaching they won a premiership the next year and Ricky Stuart took credit (and has done absolutely nothing since!).

Never missed a Steelers home game for over 10 years and traveled plenty to watch them play.
Current captain Ben Creagh was selling Ice Creams on the hill at home games when he was around 13-14 years old and was heavily tipped to play grade basketball.
James Matthews who was a Steeler and signed with the Roosters before tragically being killed back in the day of my Steelers involvement.

Super League came and ruined so many things.

**HK1837** · 06-03-2015, 05:47 PM

I always liked the Steelers, I remember picking Rod Wishart to play for NSW in one of the first games I ever saw him in. Always remember Andy Gregory sitting on the sidelines when the Steelers toweled up I think Cronulla in a mid-week game.

I just remember being a kid and watching Ian Schubert, Russell Fairfax, Arty Beetson, and Mark Harris. I was a sold Roosters fan from then onwards. Always remember the disappointment of them losing to the Berries-Bulldogs in 1980 and then waiting firstly 20 years until Graham Murray's 2000 team to see them in a Grand Final and then 27 years until 2002 for a GF win. Been a golden period for the Roosters since 2000.

**wbute** · 06-03-2015, 05:52 PM

Rugby league needs to get back to supporting country league before they loose the battle with soccer and AFL.
A quick read of The Night The Music Died is recommended for any die hard league fans. Western Division beating the first grade teams and should have beaten the Poms as well.
Our local team won the local comp last year for the first time ever. This year they look like they havnt the numbers to field a team. Our town has provided one player who made it all the way to the Kangaroos and had one member who reportedly would have made it all the way. He played in the famed western division team and signed to a Newcastle team. Sadly he was cut down with cancer.
So the NRL are ignoring country league and are losing quality players to other sports. A town of 800 people is as important to league as a city of 100000 for supplying players. It's a shame they have lost sight of this. If they were they were smart they would base a first grade team in the central west.

Sandvan79 · 06-03-2015, 06:05 PM

How good was Allan Mcindoe. A favourite. Commentators on TV and radio refer to St George Illawarra as St George only and most players do. I think it is insulting to the joint venture. If it wasn't for Illawarra (one of the strongest areas for juniors in the NRL ) St George wouldn't exist anymore. Imagine commentators referring to St George Illawarra as only 'Illawarra' the sky would fall !! Anyway regardless of what Dragan's fans will tell you St George Illawarra has won only one premiership.

**wbute** · 06-03-2015, 06:23 PM

Bring back the Newtown Jets I say.

**mauser** · 06-03-2015, 06:26 PM

Noooo.... did you even own a Bluebags jumper. too many sides in Sydney now.

Bring in PNG or Fiji I think.

Mauser

**wbute** · 06-03-2015, 06:34 PM

PNG or Fiji? Fiji is a Rugby union stronghold and who the hell is going to move to PNG to play for them???!

**mauser** · 06-03-2015, 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by wbute

PNG or Fiji? Fiji is a Rugby union stronghold and who the hell is going to move to PNG to play for them???!

I guess there would have to be dispensations but Australian families move there all the time and work in Foreign affairs, Ausaid and other Aid organisations. The enthusiasm for the game there and the good stories of kids that make it make it all worthwhile.

Sport really can bring us together and I think that when we try to get recognition in Asia in so many other ways, maybe the simple act of a good story of a local team of kids making it in league would do that.

If South Sydney's win means so much to Redfern imagine what a win by PNG would mean to them. I think we don't do enough for PNG or protest enough on the treatment of West Papua.

Mauser

**HK1837** · 06-03-2015, 07:29 PM

The billionaire owner of one of the UK sporting teams wants to put a UK based team in the comp. Sounds silly at first but his plan makes sense.

He talked about the UK team travelling here for all of its away games, then going back. Each Aussie/Kiwi team would play a Thursday night game and then the following Sunday (10 days later) in the UK the have their bye the next week. His Soccer team sponsor is an airline and they would put on all flights for all teams, and most likely special flights from places direct like Cairns, Newcastle etc. Each UK game would be played in big stadiums. The business case makes a lot of sense.

Drawing a parallel to another local international competition which many here may not follow, the skill level of Netball has increased dramatically, especially internationally since the ANZ Championship started, with 5 x teams in Australia and 5 in NZ. It has attracted English and Jamaican and Malawi players into the comp and as a result their National skill levels have increased, especially England's. The same could happen for the level of UK Rugby League to make them better, rather than being a retirement competition for Aussie players.

As Mauser says Fiji or PNG oe Samoa are both massive development areas for League, a lot of current and past players have heritage from such countries, like Jarryd Hayne, Adrian Lam, Petro Civenaceva (spelling?), Uate, Foi Foi just to name a few. It wouldn't be hard to achieve the same thing with a team there. If a relatively lowly supported game like Union can have a tri-nations League should be able to achieve it.