This SOO series was a interesting series and a quality contest....

You have to say the problem with previous series was negative play by NSW trying to grind out wins with a very negative defensive style...

So while I sometimes used to skip it or switch off half way, that was more to do with the boring style of play and the lack of an even contest...

It is nothing to do with the concept... I don't really care that much about the concept either way, but if it throws up a quality contest, I'm all for it.

Even when I didn't like it I watched at least 1.7 games per year, now it is good again, I'll be watching all 3.

As Zef says Tennis & AFL are mind numbingly boring IMO ... Lawn Bowls is more exciting... as the biff can be intense at times...

There's nowhere to hide in origin. That's why its the pinnacle. Stakes are high. All the 1% plays count. 
One must only look at how QLD dumped Hunt from halfback in favour of the "out of favour" DCE. DCE killed it last night. His kicking game was spot on with exception of only 1 chip kick that was caught ingoal fir a 7 tackle set. Just about every grubber or chip kick stayed in goal or was takrn out for a drop out.
Im happy for him because i rate him as one of thr more clever football brains in the NRL. And with no Smith, Cronk, Slater anymore.... its exactly what QLD need going forward. In fact i think Hint proved he can hooker really well. His input was clearly above anx beyond what McCullogh offers.

NSW has a good team, but i think QLD has a good succession plan in place with Ponga, Munster, DCE, Hunt and Morgan 

The problem with DCE is he's an elite player who barely ever puts in elite performances. You seen last night what happens when his planets are in line but you'll be lucky to see that again this season. Manly are the ones who cop it in the neck, they pay for the elite performances and get sweet fa of therm per year. And no I don't call it "inconsistency", it's too consistent for that. I just think most times he doesn't really want to play, or think he should. There's something very... selfish... about DCE.

That's why despite last night I don't think he'll be in QLD's succession planning. I think they were awfully close to picking Ash Taylor this year and he won't have to give them many reasons to be picked next year. I reckon half the reason DCE got in before him this year was so QLD could get the "players just don't want to play with DCE" thing behind them so they can say it's because of form or anything else when they don't pick him again.

Because the truth is - the players just don't want to play with DCE.

Issazk luke anyone? Hearing his in contact with the
Club BUT pending on how much his wants

I even told the club beji would be ok for
A 1 year deal in case cogger dosnt live to
Expectation

Tony...you ever hear of P T Barnum?

I think off the back of that performance from DCE last night, he'll have to be way down on form not to be given first crack next year.
Even coach Kevin Walters was singing his praises in the media today.
Not saying Ash Taylor is not worthy. But its hard to look past the kicking game of DCE- especially last night....

It's not coming home 

NO  steveiwr1 , never ever heared  of him WHY ? is he your norno lol ,or your ya ya  

stevei boy ,  izack luke has rang the club not the club rang him he is leaving the worriers  & club is interested BUT again its all about the money 
as there is rumours of rubbling in the club with lichha as eveything going on he tells his old man & bingo his old man is good mates with 
wait for it are you ready for this bombshell  ,his mates with ex jurno that got fired a few months ago in josh massourd  & its not in the clubs best interest that this is going on & many senior  players have had a gut full  , like wwe wrestler kurt angle says OH ITS TRUE ITS DAM TRUE so i hope i have  enlighted you thank you for you co operation 

Now I get it lol...

Tony..you are a very nice guy..I keep telling myself that but you do seemingly have a fascination for wild rumour over fact. I can't see Luke returning to the club nor can I see it being an embarrassment that Michael Lichaa's father is friends of Josh Massoud.
BTW PT Barnum is universally known as the World's Greatest Showman...a truly fascinating character..one of his quotes stands out above all others but he was always pithy and was one of the first entrepreneurs to realise the benefits of advertising. He is possibly best known for Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus...but that was fairly late in his career.

Bad luck Balso .. a Brazil v England final with Brazil winning 7-3 would have been excellent... :)

It never was.

Tony get a grip. You are being played by this so called "official". 

Will be interesting to see how Meaney goes tonight.  Hope he does well. 

Talking of bs an "official"  at the bulldogs told me once Mbye was going to be far superior than Cronk haha.  Never trust "officials" especially when they are only official in their own mind.

This has my vote for the most comical post of the week ...  I can only assume the official was blind drunk ... and making a joke... hopefully we have sacked that official .. we should :)

That's just mean.

Must have been when he first arrived here.  Moses had a lot of us fooled for a while there  ;)

Never the truth interfere with a good story.

I would be expecting the journos to ask him about Martin and Lewis :)
https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/07/13/pay-weve-still-got-some-recuiting-to-do/

Got this goss off the Ringling Bros  ;)

"OATES TO BELMORE?

Are the Bulldogs looking to sign Corey Oates from Brisbane as a backrower?

That's the whisper out of Belmore with the Bulldogs weighing up whether to make a play for the Queensland Origin star.

Oates has made no secret of his desire to shift from the wing to the forwards and the Bulldogs hierarchy are one club willing to give him that shot.

However, it will ultimately come down to how much the cash-strapped Dogs can afford".

Ya gotta laugh. We are "cash-straped" and yet want Corey Oates hahaha...(I think :)

And I never believed it either , that was the half joke that this song signifies 

For sure but in the absence of Brazil in the important stages , England had to fly the flag lol …..but in regards to the final , Croatia are the real deal . Hardened warriors was the comment by Southgate . 
France will be warm favourites . A very well balanced team on all fronts but the closer it gets the more I am warming to those red flares that the Croat fans set off back home 

So now I am finally over the lack of coming home possibility , it is time to focus on the final and the two nations that have got there . France look formidable and organized , tight in defence and sharp in attack . Rigid in midfield . 
Croatia are dangerous inflammable and up for a battle no question . 

At least a well earned trophy is coming to Parra another one for their collection 😊

I think France will probably win the cup ... big name players generally find something special at the right time.

M,bye had the ability to do some brilliant things but did so at a frequency of Haley's Comet.

2019  hopoate looks set 2  own  the fullback roll  , nick meany did alright in his 1st nrl game but looks  way 2 light  , lets see what dean pay will do with his comments we still have some recruiting 2 do  wonder who will come ,like i said izack luke is in talks but what happens if he comes or not is a different story 

What's the verdict on Meaney?   Negatives   ..... far too light, has no idea how to tackle,  Abbey anyone?   Positives  .....  only his 1st  game, made a couple runs, tried to push up in attack.