Welcome to 2015

Just a quick note really. With the Auckland Nines this weekend I thought some of you may be sniffing around looking for my thoughts on the matter. I wasn't planning to think about it, but I will present my season preview (and all-important and hopelessly inaccurate) top eight predictions in the weeks ahead. Stay tuned.

Comments

mark's picture

Hi Thinker my message was
...ARRRRGH all is right with the world.....The Thinker is back!
but I can't seem to log in so had to use this name...any problems?

christine's picture

Hi Thinker & mark Ashford well guys I have to say 2015 hasn't started very well for me , my mum passed away on the 20th & I've been told I got ms ( still waiting for treatment to start ) but lets hope the football season goes well for me cause things can't get much worse but at least I can still laugh .

a's picture

Welcome back Thinker

mark 's picture

Christine, deepest sympathies to you and your family. I really hope things get better for you as 2015 rolls on by.
"a" good to see you back and good luck for this year.

christine's picture

Mark Thankyou for your kind thoughts as the thinker has said before you really are a gentlemen & we do need more of them in the world , " a " great to see you back & I look forward to seeing you win the comp this season .

Johnny Ray's picture

Ah shit. I am so sorry to hear what you have being going through Christine and my heart goes out both to you and your family. Stay strong ... :-(

Also it's great to be back and I am really glad to see everybody as I really miss all my friends on here ! No seriously dude. This is what I have been reduce to doing during off season when you guys aren't here : https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DMi86xNrPpU ;-D

My picks for Auckland Nines is for either Thinker team, The Broncos, The Knights or Dragons to win. My top eight for this year is Roosters, Cowboys, Warriors, Rabbitohs, Bulldogs, Titans, Sharks & Panthers with Storm, Sea Eagles, Broncos, Raiders, Knights, Tigers, Dragons, Eels being my bottom eight. Roosters and Cowboys grand final with Cowboys to win 2015 premiership. Go Warriors. Kiwi Power ! Peow ! Peow ! ;-D

The Thinker's picture

Christine,
That just really sucks. Sorry to hear about you and your Mum. Let's hope 2015 brings you some happiness along the way.

Mark,
Not sure if there are login issues....my helper is interstate and hard to reach for a while...but I'll flag it with him and we'll sort out any little issues before the season proper gets underway.

christine's picture

To everyone : I just want you all to know I have excepted & made peace with everything that has happened to both my mum & myself even though the battle hasn't even started yet , The treatment isn't a cure it just keeps things how they are so it doesn't get worse ( that's if it works ) & Thinker I do get happiness by visiting your website & communicating with you all , it's my home away from home when I need to escape . :-)

Thinker's Little Helper's picture

Welcome back everyone and especially to Christine. I hope you have a great season with us all.

Mark - based on what I can see in the website's logs it looks like you've gotten yourself back in okay. Sing out in the event of any more drama.

I hope to get the remaining pre-season tweaks and adjustments made to the site soon, and for those hoping to play along at home this year, we'll announce what the deal will be with tipping as soon as we can.

christine's picture

Thankyou Thinker's Little Helper : the scotch is on me for that one but you have to drink my share too cause it doesn't go with all the pain killers i'm currently taking , great to see you all back everyone & you too Thinker's little Helper i'll make sure the Thinker keeps you stocked in scotch .

newbie from perth's picture

Hi everyone,

Woo-hoo, we’re back again! Yes Thinker, I found out there was this thing called the “Auckland 9’s” happening soon so just out of curiosity, I thought I might get on and see if anything was happening here and lo and behold it was. Oh happy days! Great to see all the “hardcore” members back making comments. Don’t get too emotional but the Newbie’s missed you guys! Anyway, moving on…

Firstly, on a sombre note, deepest sympathies to you Christine on the loss of your dear old Mum. Not a good place to be I know. Went through that with my own dear old Dad September 2013 and it sucks. But hey, that’s life and yes it’s unfair sometimes but what can we do eh? Just need to make peace with it as you have done and “soldier on”.

OK, this Auckland 9’s thing eh? Had a quick squizzy on the wonderful worldwide web and found out the inaugural competition only started last year. Got to be honest here and admit I didn’t even realise it had come and gone. What’s a "newbie" to do I ask you. Anyway, I get the impression to be successful in this competition you will need some big, hard, mobile and speedy type forwards. Let’s see if I have that wrong. One thing I’m curious about is if we’re gonna see the top shelf players or whether the clubs send reserve graders so as to avoid any injuries to their “stars”. Hmm?

Even though the Great One will be offering us mere mortals his thoughts on this tournament later, I thought I’d jump in now (after gazing into my crystal ball) and make a long range prediction on the final. Newbie’s going to call a Titans and Knights final. Why? No idea. Man, if this comes off and I haven’t put money on it, I’ll kick myself!

OK, gotta go. It’s far too hot here in the West for me to be sitting here typing out comments. Might have to post comments at night when it’s cooler. Seriously, Newbie’s had a gutful of summer already and there’s still 2 months of it to go. Sheesh! Roll on winter and rain and cold! Yeah, footy weather rules!

Cheers everyone and really looking forward to your comments in coming weeks Boss.

P.S. Not long before the Asian Cup Final comes on the idiot-box. Over here in the West it starts about 4.30-5.00 this afternoon so I’d better go off and turn the fan on and make sure the frosties are frosty! Yeah I know it’s soccer but Australia’s in the final! Not often we get a chance to win international silverware in soccer is it?

P.P.S. Just had a look on the TAB and it’s telling me the first game of the tournament is tomorrow at 6.10am here which means 9.10am Sydney time which I think is about 11.10am Kiwi time. Yikes!

newbie from perth's picture

Oops! Newbie didn't look over on the right hand side of your page Thinker. Seems the Auckland 9's started today! D'oh! I'll quickly go off and read about some of the games now before the soccer starts. Cheers.

newbie from perth's picture

Whaa? Just been reading up on results and so on and bloody hell, the final's on tomorrow night! Huh? You mean to tell me this thing is done and dusted on a weekend? Wow, that's freaky!

Anyway, my prediction on the final is obviously gawn for good but great to see the Mighty Chooks (don't ya just love 'em?) have won their 2 games today. Free to Air aren't covering the games so I'm just gonna have to wait and see.

The whole competition is over and done on a single weekend? This is still freaking me out!

Steel Panther's picture

Happy New Year Thinker and to all my fellow tipping friends. Good to see you all back. Sad to hear your news Christine. Sincerely hope things improve for you.

Well after a taste of things to come on the weekend roll on the 2015 Footy season!!

mark's picture

Hi TLH
Still having log on probs. Says "incorrect user or password"I've tried changing the password but still no good.Plenty of time until the season proper but can you assist?

Guru Craig's picture

Hi Ho Thinkers and all, 2015 is on us. The international Siamese year of the Horse.

The Guru caught a bit of the 9s from a hotel room between the Tennis and Superbowl and was impressed by some, less by others closer to the heart though.

The Guru is gearing up for a big year, its time to take the crown back!

Condolences to Christine, The Guru wishes you happiness, health and second place in the tipping.

christine's picture

Guru craig : well I do hope you have a better year than mine so far but seeing as you did throw down the gauntlet I guess the challenge is now on then , we'll we will see how things go .

christine's picture

i'll be going in the burrow this year I 'm getting a membership to souths .

Shanghai's picture

Hi ... I would have been on here last year but I had massive log in dramas and spat the chewy big time. Anyway, I had a sneaky look tonight and lo and behold ..... log on success! I need to disclose that I am Newbie's younger bro and a long time retired 'would be if I could be' hack of an ex-player, many moons ago, for the mighty Fremantle Roosters. And yes, I am a Sydney Roosters fan. One of the world's worse tipsters, but looking forward to spending 2015 on The Thinkers site

newbie from perth's picture

Hey bro' fancy meeting you here! Amazing who you see when you're sitting in front of a screen on a Friday night eh?

I can vouch that Shanghai is indeed Newbie's "little" brother even though he's a few (maybe more) inches taller than me. Great to see he's overcome his login problems too. He missed out on a lot of fun and mindful insight last year. Can't wait for next Thursday night!

Just finished doing some "homework" on next week's games and think I might have to go against the odds in a couple of them. Hopefully the TLH will accept Newbie's humble request to be in the Boss' tipping competition this year. Loads of fun last year and pretty pleased with my final tally all things considered.

Anyhoo, gotta dash and get some things organised for my trip to Thailand in May (yeah baby!) so everyone take care OK?

P.S. Not sure if anyone will be reading this or not but hey, that's life. Cheers and catch you all next week. Bring it on!

Andrew's picture

It seems that everyone has written the Tigers off already, has no one seen the trial games?

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