I remember a certain potato man constantly bagging Mitch Pierce's selection at origin level.
Yes early days he may have been a bit young but he's proved himself at the Chooks and now at origin.
I think Coach wanted the NSW team filled up with Panthers.
Blind faith and no love for your state.

YES
Chris and "a" Jarrod Wallace found not guilty and is free to play origin 2. Rarely is a QLD player let off prior to an origin game.
Maybe this is a sign of things to come....like a QLD win in Sydney

I think QLD can win this

Yeah I think Isaac Luke is still playing

Yeah he did

Get off the grass Mark, Cam Smith got off quite often. He always dodged bullets.

Hi Christine.....trust you are well. The difference with Isaac Luke is he's a Kiwi...haha.

Since leaving the Bunnies and moving to the Warriors Isaac's been a disappointment although his form has been a bit better this season. When he arrived in Auckland he looked out of condition and struggled to recapture the form he had shown at Souths. There's a trend that goes way back to when the Warriors entered the comp of players coming to NZ and all of a sudden becoming just "joe average"....

I'm sure you Brisbane lads will Joel Moon and Denan Kemp. Both had superstar seasons at the Broncos only to sign the next year with NZ and become flops especially Kemp who I think disappeared after a handful of shocking games. Moon on the other hand had a couple of mediocre seasons before going to Super League where I believe he still plays today.

On the flipside Ivan Cleary, Kevin Campion and Steve Price all came to NZ and continued to be the great players they were in OZ.

Greetings from the Spartan Warrior,

Thanketh Lady Christine, you never forget me. Thee has a valorous heart.

The Spartan Warrior’s tips for Round 15 are;
Rabbitohs, Storm, Sharks, Dragons.

I shareth with thee the following;
Leonidas (Agiad King, 491-480, Killed at Battle of Thermopylae) said
'That's fine, for I shall show that it isn't positions which lend men distinction, but men who enhance positions.'
Yea, this was the comment of Leonidas [in line to become King] when he was placed in a very bad position but still complied.
Aye, this comment rings true, as in life, as in rugby league.
It would bode well for the players and managers of the modern game to seek the lessons of the past to enhance their future. Seek not what the club can do for yea, but seek what yea can do for your club and fans. Aye, if all would join in this venture then it would dent the forces of the other codes that would wanteth to encroach upon the game of rugby league.
Aye, positions doth not maketh the sir. It is fine men and women that will always enhance any position. What of history? History is being created with the passing of each second. Each passing second, each minute, every hour and every day allows the opportunity for thee to create history.
I wisheth to share an interesting excerpt from time that hath passed. It is an interview from the great John Raper on his experience with the great Clive Churchhill. Aye, this is only but a snippet of history, much like a second that is an integral part of a minute. This snippet of history hath helped forge the modern game of rugby league.
I leaveth thee with this; I hope you may enjoyeth this interview as much as I did;
John Raper talks to Gerald Booth about The Little Master, Clive Churchill.

“Clive Churchill was known as the little master, and he was little, just 5-foot-7 tall; how did a small man like that impose himself on the game in such a dominating fashion?”
“Well in those days for a man his size and the amount of tackling that he had to do when he was running with the ball, it was a different type of game. There was 13 against 13, no person was allowed to leave the field, and if you came off the field in those days, you got the expression what they used to call a dog: you ran away from fear and danger, and you dare not leave the football field unless you were carried off the football field. But Churchill always showed great times when he was obviously injured very seriously and refused to go off the field. And I remember one of the first games I played against Churchill was when he was on the end of his career, and he was playing five-eighth for South Sydney.
Dickie Pool, the coach then said, ‘Now son,’ he said, ‘you’re playing against a good player here today. It’s Clive Churchill,’ he said, ‘don’t underestimate him because he’s a fullback’, he said, ‘because he’s capable of just about handling every position.’ And as cocky as I was in those days, I said, ‘Dick, don’t worry, you won’t have any trouble with him.’ As play went on, I got a bit cockier than what I should normally do, being 16 years of age I went up and I hit Churchill and I said, (I mean with a legal tackle of course) and I said, ‘How do you like that one?’ He said, ‘That’s good son,’ he said, ‘that’s beaut.’ Then a couple of moments later I hit him with another crash tackle and knocked him to the ground, and I said, ‘Now how was that one?’ And he said, ‘That was a lot better, by the way’, you know, he just sort of sat there and after we played the ball and before he got up he said that word, he said, ‘You know, it’s better than the last one.’ And the next time I hit him he said, ‘That was your best one, son.’ So I thought, oh well I must be getting over the old fellow. He said, ‘But next time you’d better hit me with the ball. Have a look up the other end of the field.’ Well what Clive had done he’d sucked me in, the winger come from the blind side, he give him the ball, Ian Moir it was in those days, give him the ball and Moir was putting the ball down between the posts as I was talking to Churchill. And I always admired Churchill immensely from that day, more than what I admired him before. And it was a great pleasure, having tackled Clive Churchill, it was a great pleasure getting a lesson from him.”
John Raper gives his account of his first match against
the Great Clive Churchill.

Thanketh thee all for thy timeth

The Spartan Warrior has spoken.

Hoc age quod praecipio tibi omni septimana deinde usque vale [I bid you all goodbye till next week]

Rugby League is not on channel ten it's on nine Thinker

Hi all,
Even if the price is right there are huge running overheads. Staff, insurances, maintenance, They would need diversity in running different sports maybe, but that would need big bucks to buy. League followers wouldn't be enough revenue for advertisers and sponsors etc. Also there are already agreements in place worth 100's of millions of dollars. I think channel 10 if it shut up, would be worth next to nothing. It reminds me of a mate I've got who owned a coffee shop in Woden many years ago. His lease was up, the owner wanted him to do a facelift on the shop which would have cost him 100's of thousands of dollars and then raised his rent by 33%. He said that was it he was done and dusted. I asked if he was going to sell, he said, sell what? All I've got is a name the amount to re-run the business was worth more than the business itself. So basically he packed and left. You would think with some of the brains who have shares in channel ten how they would get to this stage. Mate, if they can't do it, then I doubt anyone will take on the risk. Maybe if one of the other television bought it out and ran it like a say ten does with ONE it might be able to survive in a small fashion maybe. Cheers from Mr Awesome

Giddy Thinker

I read your comments on the Tigers Verse Sharks game. The Tigers did play poorly against the Roosters and that have played pretty bad all year, hence running second last.
I can see them turning it around this week with the return of Brooks, the Sharks have more than a few out, the Tigers have Woods and Teddy gone but I like the new young brigade, they show some promise.
I also like the signings for next year, I can almost see light at the end of a very dark tunnel.

Cheers

Hi all,
Tens share holder listed below.

Birketu Pty Ltd Bruce Gordon 15pc $8.7m
Foxtel Management Foxtel 13.9pc $8.1m
Hanrine Investments Gina Rinehart 8.3pc $4.6m
Aidem Holdings James Packer 7.5pc $4.4m
Illyria Lachlan Murdoch 7.5pc $4.4m
Network Investment Holdings Kerry Stokes 3.1pc $1.7m
Cheers Mr Awesome

Hi Thinker,

this round is interesting with half of the team on bye& only four games without some key players due to origin duties.

my tip for round 15:
Rabbitohs by 6
Cowboys by 14
Sharks by 20
Dragons by 2

Cheers...

Hi all,
Mr Thinker now that's a huge insight into what they charge for commercials. Fairdinkum, here I was thinking a couple of grand here and there. Gee, I'm behind the times for sure and that's a whole new level to certainly look at it Mr Thinker. As per usual, you are a wealth of knowledge. You are dead right about the consortium. Murdoch, Foxtel are already stake holders so that's good pulling power there. Cheers from Mr Awesome

Thinker
An interesting idea. What happens to the tv rights currently shared by 9 and fox. Lachlan Murdoch is a large 10 shareholder and of course is a major in Fox.
Could this result in a coup to strip 9 of RL rights?
We only have so many cashed up advertisers here in Aus. so they couldn't share it 3 ways.
The Murdochs (as far as I know have no interest in 9) and certainly have the cash.
The idea appeals as we could see the end of that appalling 9 "footy show"

i heard tonight that darius boyd will start in the centres in origin. unusual desperate move by qld though nsw has done it with dugan so who knows he has good hands and a good passing game. There have been some great positional changes in the past.
steve morris was a great half but ended up an even better winger. john ribot went from winger to 2nd row noel cleal a centre to 2nd row and most recent luke lewis from a back to a forward.
probably the most notable darren lockyer from fullback to 5/8.
it dosent always work like putting great gap runners into the playmaker role such as Dylan walker,inglis and hayne. i dont think its a great move for boyd and by halftime chambers will be back in the centres. may the best team win.

Paddy
Darius is a great reader of the game and talks a lot.
He has excelled as a winger or fullback for QLD.
He may well be tested at centre but we now have some big forwards to make everything a bit easier.
Watch him work with Cronk, Smith and Thurston to direct plays.
Look out we're coming to get you.

This weekend I think Rabbits, Storm and Sharks should get up.
Struggling a bit with the Eels/Dragons match could go either way.

Well it's not on my TV