League vs Union

[Guest Anti-Hero]

Is Matai moving on or something? Because I couldn't see a spot for him with Jamie Lyon coming in and Steve Bell being awesome (unless Lyon moves to five-eigth and Travis Burns gets benched).

[Zaz]

Could be either wing (I hope not), lock or coming off the bench as a 2nd rower.

I prefer the latter, he could do serious damage as a wide running backrower coming off the bench at about the 25 minute mark.

[Guest Anti-Hero]

Actually, Matai does seem like he'd be a decent interchange forward.

[Zaz]

I've got a bet with my Ancient History teacher. If Manly win by more than a point (I gave him a 1 1/2 point start >_>), he buys me a packet of Clinkers. The other way around if we lose or win by 1 point.

CARN MANLY!

[Guest Anti-Hero]

Since my team's gone from the finals series, I'm hoping Parra will somehow tame the Storm. Not likely, but I'd be happy if either Newcastle, Manly or Brisbane made the final. Just not St George, please not St George.

[Chris the Human]

Newcastle for the win this weekend. The referee can't screw us out of a second consecutive game against the Sea Eagles, surely. My tips are:

Melbourne in a narrow one

Canterbury in a fairly one sided one

Brisbane comfortably

Newcastle in a thriller

[Zaz]

Maybe you should blame your players for not scoring enough points?

[Guest Anti-Hero]

I wish I could watch Friday's game, but unfortunately (or not), I'm going to see INXS at The Big Top at Luna Park.

[Zaz]

They're playing at the Grand Final too.

[Zaz]

Most one sided fucking reffing ever. I wouldn't care less if Hampstead and the entire Newcastle team die in a fire. They deserve no less.

[Chris the Human]

Haha, hurts doesn't it Zaz? Maybe now you know how we all felt when the referee gave you that last game at EnergyAustralia Stadium.

I do disagree with Ben Kennedy being sin binned, but what else about it was one sided? The gift penalty Orford was given with which to wrap up the game? The scrum win against the feed that he made us repack? Ben Kennedy's blatant offside after debating a penalty? Brett Stewart being kept on the field despite a blatant professional foul in the dying minutes of the first half?

The Sea Eagles' defence in the first half was nothing short of amazing, and it was a game that neither side deserved to lose. But ultimately the better side won, and it was because we had the classy players and Hagan was smart enough to only use two interchanges in the first half.

For what it's worth, I hope that Manly survive another week at least. They're a team I love to hate, and it's good to see them finally back there.

[Zaz]

Haha, hurts doesn't it Zaz? Maybe now you know how we all felt when the referee gave you that last game at EnergyAustralia Stadium.

I do disagree with Ben Kennedy being sin binned, but what else about it was one sided? The gift penalty Orford was given with which to wrap up the game? The scrum win against the feed that he made us repack? Ben Kennedy's blatant offside after debating a penalty? Brett Stewart being kept on the field despite a blatant professional foul in the dying minutes of the first half?

The Sea Eagles' defence in the first half was nothing short of amazing, and it was a game that neither side deserved to lose. But ultimately the better side won, and it was because we had the classy players and Hagan was smart enough to only use two interchanges in the first half.

For what it's worth, I hope that Manly survive another week at least. They're a team I love to hate, and it's good to see them finally back there.

[Chris the Human]

Firstly, neither Burns nor Carmont should have been sin binned. That call hurt us more than you (2 tries to 1, I believe)

[Zaz]

Selective reading, eh?

I blamed our poor handling just as much as the reffing, in the end. They went hand-in-hand. Buderus' rake was a steal, you could see his hand deliberately rake the ball out. Even Ray Warren with his fading eye sight could tell that. Stewart's suppsoed knock-on was when Johns kicked forward, Stewart dived and caught it. There was no evidence of the ball spilling at all yet the Hamster still called it.

What exactly did Burns deserve to go for? He was being pulled off the tackle by another Newcastle player, I believe. What was he supposed to do? Carmont was sent for being the third man in throwing punches, that has happened with others this year (Utai or someone, I believe?). BK was sent because his teammate had been speared and he dived on top and just pushed Buderus off before the others came in. One of the highlights was Buderus pleading for forgiveness with BK after.

From what I've seen, even non-Manly fans were disgusted with the reffing performance by Hampstead. Some called it the most 'one-sided reffing performance' they'd ever seen.

Edit: Just on 2GB now, one of them said Hampstead called Tanner offside FOUR times Orford's field goal play, yet when he charged it down nothing happened.

Edited September 9, 2006 by Zaz

[Chris the Human]

What exactly did Burns deserve to go for?

[Zaz]

Well Quinn should learn not to pull defenders off the tackle. Your lot was doing it numerous times throughout the match- people interfering in the tackle or pushing the markers.

I remember Matai being penalised for pushing the marker before the play-the-ball in a game earlier this season. The amount of times it happened tonight was amazing (granted, both teams). Also, the amount of times your lot walked off the mark in the play the ball. There was one time where the play the ball ended up BEHIND Menzies at marker. He looked back at Hampstead with a look of utmost confusion on his face. Again, nothing happened with it.

Another thing was Burns being penalised for the grapple tackle. There were hundreds of times I saw it later in the game (again, by both teams) and it not being penalised. People such as Burns and Matai are unfairly targeted by the refs. If it were one of them to do that spear tackle, they would have been sent. Hampstead was going to send Buderus (was heard on Sport's Ears), by Harrigan stopped him or he changed his mind.

Kennedy dropped an elbow? Ok, whatever you want to see. I'll let you have it with a forearm, but an elbow no way. He just practically pushed him off, as he was hardly moving. If it had been one of our players who did the spear and you're captain came in, you'd be spewing too if he got sent off. However, knowing their favouritism with Johns, that'd never happen.

Carmont came in throwing punches, there's a difference.

There's also a bit of a difference between shoddy refereeing costing you 2 points in the regular season and hopeless refereeing perhaps eliminating you from the finals. BK should be well pissed if his last minutes of rugby league were in the sin bin for something such as that.

[Chris the Human]

Carmont came in throwing punches, there's a difference.

[Zaz]

And you don't call yourself one-eyed?

If Carmont didn't throw any, he indicated he was going to as he rushed in with a clenched fist (that I definitely remember).

There are also several threads. "Buderus should have been sent off", "How pathetic was the dive from Johns?", "Time to invest, Manly" and the main thread. Hell, most of the arguements don't involve Manly supporters. I've seen Canberra, Bulldogs and even Parra fans, our biggest rivals, complaining both about the reffing and various other incidents in the match.

Johns had his every need attened to by the refs tonight. Maybe we should go around calling touchies "fucking cunts". Notice how that none of our players went off at the refs at the end like that tonight? Even though this reffing performance was all throughout the match and not just one isolated incident at the end.

[Chris the Human]

You know, you could make a great deal of money from the abundance of sour grapes you seem to have. Put out a line of wine, maybe. You could call it 'Manly Whine'.

[Zaz]

And you like to come back with oh so witty retorts when you have nothing else. I seem to remember you saying "I'D RATHER HAVE AIDS THAN BE A CRONULLA SUPPORTER" or some such when you lost to them?

Pot. Kettle. Black.

I wouldn't be one to go on about whinging. Johns and Buderus say hello