Sharks Forever 2009 Fantasy Leagues

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Unearthing 2009's hidden gems

Unearthing 2009's hidden gemsFox Sports, AustraliaAlright Fantasists, we are on the verge of another season of intense NRL action and this time round, you've got to prove you've got what it takes to kick your mate's - well you get the idea. As the season is so close, Fantasy Fanatic thought it might ...

Source: http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25176121-5013492,00.html

Unearthing 2009's hidden gems
Fantasy Fanatic, foxsports.com.au
March 12, 2009

Alright Fantasists, we are on the verge of another season of intense NRL action and this time round, you've got to prove you've got what it takes to kick your mate's - well you get the idea.

As the season is so close, Fantasy Fanatic thought it might be a good idea to go truffle hunting, digging under the surface to unearth those little nuggets of high quality that you might otherwise walk straight past.

So, without further ado, let's have a look at the genuine value first timers for round one of NRL 2009.

Willie Isa - Storm Inside Back. Cost: 3

Despite the obvious jokes about Big Willie and having a whale of a time, this kid could prove to be a real Craig Bellamy bolter.

He is built like his movie star waterborn namesake and could well prove to be top value at just 3 units.

A ready made spot awaits in the wake of Israel Folau and this man has all the trademarks of the next Storm sensation.

A glance at the quality around him should also indicate that if you are feeling brave, this might be a plunge worth taking.

Antonio Winterstein - Broncos Outside Back. Cost: 2

Part of an almost unrecognisable Broncos three-quarter line, this time last year Winterstein was on the cusp of making his first grade debut for the Roosters.

He was a late omission from that squad an instead spent 2008 on a Toyota Cup team that managed just six wins, so to say this junior is chomping at the bit for his first taste of senior action is an understatement.

This rooster has flown north for the winter and after a pre-season body transformation (Ivan Henjak's words, not ours) is ready to set up coop on the Broncos right wing.

Leeson Ah Mau - Warriors Prop. Cost: 2

Built like shut bruck house, this kid will rampage like a bullock towards fear-filled opponents in the opening rounds.

Life in the front row can be tough, but Fantasy Fanatic's sources over the dutch tell us he is up to the task.

Ah Mau's played for his country at junior level and prior to the Toyota Cup's inception spent a season in the Premier League as a 17-year-old.

He's got Steve Price not far away and you sense uncle Stevie will keep an eye on his young charge as he does exactly that towards the opposition.

Matt White - Titans Prop. Cost: 4

Expensive for a relative unknown, but this guy got to the Gold Coast from Newcastle and had a tough time last season.

The raps on him from Newcastle were pretty strong, now the Cartwright machine has got is hands on him and word has it he is buffed, fit and ready to smash some head.

Maybe that's overstating it a bit, but again, he is really cheap for a guy who could get good minutes and will certainly charge up the pitch with the Steeden under his arm - chewing up meters and opposing players in equal measure.

Blake Ferguson - Cronulla Inside Back. Cost: 2

What does a bird say when you stand on its tail? CHEAP.

This youngster is that bird's cry. He comes with pedigree - the nephew of one Solomon Haumono.

He's done his time and proved his worth after strong Toyota Cup campaign and he's tucked into a Sharks backline bursting with talent.

The long and the short of it is that if Ricky Stuart is prepared to stick this kid in for a season opener against a Panthers side which will be stinging from last season's under performance, he believes this one can go okay.

So too do we.

Shaune Corrigan – Rabbitohs Inside Back. Cost: 3.5

He may be an NRL rookie but Corrigan comes into the majors with plenty of big game experience.

The hat-trick hero who led The Entrance to grand final glory in the 2007 Jim Beam Cup played out last season with Souths' feeder club North Sydney and is now primed for a shot at the big time.

Coming out of the rugby league breeding ground that is the Central Coast, there are big raps not just on his speed and footwork but also his defence which could make him a cash cow in the three-quarters.

Any or all of these could prove to be the mystery envelope in the Christmas tree that turns out to house Granny's cheque for five grand.

Some might turn out to be that lovely piano key tie you've constantly avoided from the family matriarch.

Don't come to us if we're wrong, but if we're spot on, we'll gladly take by way of reward the piano key cravat that you've secretly always wanted.

May your selections be bold, your rewards plentiful, and watch all your NRL fantasies come true.

Fantasy Fanatic.

 

[footyfortress]

It says the league is Full...

 

[zakspiders]

It says the league is Full...

try this one footy.

i've created another league for any that have missed out.
league name sharks II
code 168210

 

[Google News]

RIDING THE FANTASY ROLLERCOASTER

RIDING THE FANTASY ROLLERCOASTERWorld of Rugby League, AustraliaFraser Anderson (Second Row, Cronulla Sharks) - If I have to explain why, you may as well throw your fantasy team off a bridge. 3. Three Stats You Should Be Aware Of When Formulating Your Projections... Missed Goals (minus 2-points) - In case it ...

Source: http://www.rleague.com/db/article.php?id=32526

RIDING THE FANTASY ROLLERCOASTER
Thursday 12 Mar 2009 21:18
by Jardian Ormsby
Source: The Sports Neo

Before we get this show on the road, I have a disclaimer for you: last week I petitioned my editors to allow me to dump my annual National Rugby League Season Preview column and write a two-part uber fantasy number instead. They bought into the rationale, thanks in large to my playing of the "I'm pretty sure an Amy Winehouse rant would generate more interest than a Season Preview" card. I sat down, sifted through my collection of notes, arranged them into a slurry of thoughts, analogies and cautions... and banged out part one of the column - a 3,000 word zinger that slotted every single player into one of five categories, ranging from the "Must Have's" to "Only If You're Interested In Fantasy VD". By Friday night I'd finished it off, and quickly hustled it over to my editors well ahead of my Monday morning deadline.

Then the whole Brett Stewart thing happened. Later that night the Anthony Watmough story surfaced. Ugh!

You couldn't have found more derailing counter-material to everything I'd written than that. After playing up their prospects for "beyond breakout" years (I even had Stewart in the Mount Rushmore of Fantasy League group), the chumps wedged a stick of dynamite in the entire column by 'bowing to the booze' (and yes, if you were so drunk that you couldn't remember what happened on a particular night, you bowed to the booze), in the process killing every ounce of validity the article had. On Sunday night, my editor could only conjure up an eight worded knife-twisting e-mail: "So...you still want us to run this?"

Ouch!

So...before 'Part Two' of my uber preview becomes 'Part 1.5', I'd like to personally thank Brett Stewart for taking a dump on approximately 182.39 hours of research. Anytime I get an e-mail from a reader with a subject that reads "Stewart-Gate! Stewart-Gate! Stewart-Gate!" you know you blooped up. Thanks for that.

Before we get into the crux of the column, be aware that...

...of all the different fantasy outlets available to the avid gamer, I'm strongly recommending the Daily Telegraph's Super Coach platform. Although Fox Sports Fantasy is much easier to navigate, their salary cap and player salaries are near impossible to manage. Almost everyone worth talking about is insanely over-priced while those you want to get on the cheap suffer the same flaw (i.e. Jamie "Thanks To Injuries Around Me, I Don't Even Have A Set Position Yet" Soward coming in at the same price as Matt Orford). It's a bizarre salary system to match an equally bizarre scoring system. So yes, everything in this preview is Super Coach related.

(Random vent: Fox Sports lost me for good when they indefensibly rammed an experiment down every manager's throat by forcing them to select a coach who would also score points for your team purely on a win-loss basis. This couldn't have been more annoying! Even if we hated Craig Bellamy, Des Hasler and Ricky Stuart, we were forced to choose them for the good of the team at the expense of our budding sleepers that we could no longer afford because of this curveball policy. Even though it's no longer a part of their game, as Timbaland and Justin Timberlake once said "the damage is done")

...every piece of information I feed you comes with an emphatic disclaimer: "once injury kicks in, all bets are off." Look, I can tell you that it's probably a bad idea to invest any heavy bling into Benji Marshall because of a never-ending supply of "staying healthy issues", but sometimes strange things happen. In my fantasy hoops column at the end of last year I warned owners away from selecting Tracy Mcgrady and Gilbert Arenas because I knew they were eventually going down for the season (I was right, Mcgrady went down for the year after only 35 games and Arenas never even considered playing this year after his Wizards got off to a 4-22 start). BUT...I also encouraged people to pick up Al Jefferson; the young, injury free, rising superstar destined for a guaranteed 22 points and 10 rebounds per game. And what happened? He outdid my projection by averaging 23 points and 11 rebounds through the first fifty games of the season, before horrifically tearing his ACL on an awkward landing. The lesson as always: even the most certain of bets have an Achilles Heel. Buggered if I know exactly who they are and when disaster will strike.

(Note: Next year we'll be calling this "The Brett Stewart Corollary", dedicated to completely and utterly unforeseen circumstances that screw up your fantasy team in a 'king hit'-like manner)

Without further ado, lets rock and roll with Part Two of this preview...

"5 Last Minute Fantasy Related Things You Should Be Aware Of"

1. There Are Multiple Dirt Cheap Playing Options Still Available

You know the temptation to make sentimental picks when you are deliberately buying "fillers"? (aka the minimum salary guys just to fill the gap) You know how you only settled on them because they either had a cool name (i.e. the posse of Everton fans that selected Hep Cahill thinking he was some relation to Tim) or played for your supported team? Well, the truth is there are minimum salary players that are going to play full games. Here is a short list of minimum salary lads that wouldn't hurt having in your team as fillers before round one:

Tim Mannah (Parramatta, Front Row), Alex Glenn (Brisbane, Second Row/Centre), Jamal Idris (Canterbury, Centre), William Isa (Melbourne Storm, Centre - and yes, this is the same kid being touted as the next Israel Falou), Ben Barba (Canterbury, 5/8 - although he's set to start in the centres). I can't emphasise the need to make sure every position is filled with point scoring options, even if you aren't' selecting them as your reserves. Insurance is a great thing, especially around representative season time. Pick these guys up while their still cheap.

2. Three Players You Might Want To Think Carefully About Before Adding Them To Your Payroll...

Brett Stewart (Manly Sea Eagles, Fullback) - Here's what we know about Stewart-Gate; A) We know he's out for at least four rounds... B) We know that turn out to be longer depending on how the whole assault trial plays itself out, and... C) We know that Billy Slater was already a $12,200 cheaper than Stewart and suddenly seems the logical Stewart replacement if he wasn't already on your reserve bench.

Kurt Gidley (Newcastle Knights, Fullback/Five Eighth) - My first reaction to Gidley's $361,200 salary was somewhere in between "What the hell!?" and "Threeeeeee hundred and sixty thooooooousand bucks!?" Look, I like Gidley and I think he'll be a great captain. I also love that he kicks goals BUT...goals are hard to come by when your team doesn't score tries, and I think the Knights will struggle to point consistent points on the board throughout the season. Like everything else in life, it's a matter of preference. Would you rather Gidley and William Zillman at $465,000 or Billy Slater and Matt Bowen at $384,000? (Yeah, me too!)

Fraser Anderson (Second Row, Cronulla Sharks) - If I have to explain why, you may as well throw your fantasy team off a bridge.

3. Three Stats You Should Be Aware Of When Formulating Your Projections...

Missed Goals (minus 2-points) - In case it slipped under your radar, be aware that you now lose points if your goal kicker misses a conversion/penalty, wedging a considerable fork in the "Aha! I'll just load my team with goal-kickers" theory. If you burnt valuable salary cap on a goal-kicker who only kicks at 60%, you may be better served allocating those funds to a forward with a reliable tackle count. Which reminds me...

Missed Tackles (minus 1-point) - Here's why I hate this statistic: in terms of fantasy production, a player is better off to not attempt a 'maybe/maybe not' tackle than to attempt the tackle and miss. Which coach would ever tell their players that!? It isn't unfamiliar for someone like Nathan Hindmarsh to top both the tackles and missed tackles count because he's one of the few guys out there that'll throw himself at everything. So before you roast a good portion of your salary on high tackle-guys, be aware they could have half their point count removed in missed tackles too.

Offloads (4 points) - This is why I recommend quality forwards over so-so goal kickers. Offloads are low risk while goal kicking carries two big risks (1. That the kicker might me having an off day, and... 2. That the kickers' team might be having an off day and struggle to cross the try line). Even though someone like Paul Gallen might cost you an arm and a leg, he's a high-tackle, high hit-up guy who never goes to ground without at least thinking about throwing an offload.

4. Yes, The Representative Season Does Affect Your Team!

I go through this every year with my colleagues: your players do not get points for their representative duties! Although it's great on paper to have a team with Cameron Smith, Paul Gallen and Ben Hannant in your front row, there's three players off the bat you need to replace come State of Origin time. With a little forward planning, you can slowly mould your team making use of the maximum two-transfers-a-week policy, but if you don't plan around representative football, there's no way in hell you're going to see any of the $25,000 the Daily Telegraph is throwing around in prize money this year. Which leads me to...

5. The Pot Of Gold At The End Of The Rainbow

$25,000! That's the prize money for first placed come season's end, and it's changing the way people play the game. For example, my buddy Sean (a devout Mormon) loves loading his team with members of his faith. Last year he named his team the "Stormin Mormon's" and threw out the likes of Israel Falou, Ben Hannant, Krisnan Inu, Jordan Rapana, Albert Hopoate and so on. This year? Hannant is the sole survivor. And that's the thing; almost everyone is taking fantasy a little more seriously than usual because of the retarded economy situation. Considering that there's $500 a week for the weekly top manager, you better make sure you do your research before entering your team into this year's comp if you're playing for the money. Because even fun-loving people like Sean are "bringing the rain" in 2009.

Happy pickings...

 

[bort]

2. Three Players You Might Want To Think Carefully About Before Adding Them To Your Payroll...

Fraser Anderson (Second Row, Cronulla Sharks) - If I have to explain why, you may as well throw your fantasy team off a bridge.

hahaa

 

[Capital_Shark]

Didn't even make the season, I'm already over fantasy league. I had Fraser and Brett Stewart I think lol

 

[Google News]

The teachings of round one

The teachings of round oneFox Sports, AustraliaWith the first week of Fantasy NRL action in the bag Fantasy Fanatic has dissected 643 minutes of top-shelf rugby league to see what lessons we learnt from the opening round. Some of the pre-season's hottest prospects were brought to their knees in ...

Source: http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25210132-5013492,00.html

The teachings of round one
Fantasy Fanatic
March 19, 2009

With the first week of Fantasy NRL action in the bag Fantasy Fanatic has dissected 643 minutes of top-shelf rugby league to see what lessons we learnt from the opening round.

Injuries don’t play favourites.

Some of the pre-season's hottest prospects were brought to their knees in round one, not to mention some of the rounds top performers themselves.

The Sharks felt the pinch more than most with touted Fantasy prospects Brett Kearney and Ben Ross both suffering cringe-worthy injuries with Ross taken out of Fantasy calculations for the remainder of the season.

Over at the Warriors, economical up-and-comer Ben Matulino's campaign hit a speed bump after just 13 minutes and two-try Fantasy golden boy Lance Hohaia only flirted with the action for a quarter of the game before being cut down.

Meanwhile for Dragons loyalists, the red and white's highest priced frontrower Justin Poore has been handed a month on the sideline.

Just like the phoenix, NRL clubs can rise from the ashes.

Ignore 2008 cellar dwellers at your own peril fantasists, round one's dream team backline was dominated by last year's wooden spooners the Bulldogs, while perennial underachievers South Sydney had one of the highest scoring aggregate backlines in the league.

Managers who took the gamble on players from teams who were written off before a ball had been booted were rewarded in the opening round and now find themselves in possession of players whose Fantasy price tags have already started to rise.

A firm reminder to keep you finger on the pulse and make your selections based on what is and not what has been.

It doesn't have to look good to pay well.

Just because they're not the most attractive players doesn’t mean they don’t have great personalities, umm I mean fantasy value.

The Sharks proved in round one that even ugly, uninspiring play can pay dividends – especially in the forwards.

There was nothing flashy taking place when Penrith visited the shire, however both Paul Gallen and Anthony Tupou raked in the points for Fantasy managers while Trent Barrett and Luke Covell (more his trusty right boot) both showed signs of good things to come.

Age has not wearied them.

It was easy to get carried away with the performance of the young guns in round one (don’t say we didn’t tell you) with Brisbane's fresh crop of three-quarters the most impressive of the lot.

But let's not dismiss the old workhorses who've put their hands up for Fantasy selection and an early show of faith.

Adam McDougall was Newcastle's top scoring outside back while his arch nemesis and ageing compatriot Wendell Sailor was the Dragons high-point man.

Likewise, soon-to-be pensioners Steve Price and Mat Rogers also showed they're keeping father time at bay and are still worth their weight in Fantasy gold.

Thrifty managers can make up-front savings.

Face facts - all front-row forwards essentially carry out the same role and will pick up their points through grinding out the unfashionable hard yards.

This means the bargain bin can often contain players with as much point-scoring potential as the penthouse players.

David Shillington, David Taylor, Shane Tronc and Jeff Lima were among the top scoring hard men who earned their points without the benefit of crossing the white line.

What's more each of them can be drafted in considerably cheaper than their superstar smash and bash compatriots.

And all it takes is a Johnny-on-the-spot meat pie to turn your under-priced gamble into King of the mountain – just ask the Warriors' Russell Packer.

May your selections be bold, your rewards plentiful, and watch all your NRL fantasies come true.

 

[Google News]

Joey's team got whacked

Joey's team got whackedMelbourne Herald Sun, AustraliaThere are 17854 smarter Supercoaches than me out there after round one of the NRL. Yeah, that's right. Like Freddy Fittler's Roosters, my team got smashed in the opening round and I didn't see it coming. "Joey's Mob'' came out of the barriers slower ...

Source: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/nrl/story/0,27074,25214698-14823,00.html

Joey's team got whacked
By Andrew Johns
March 20, 2009 12:00am

I'LL own up to it right here and now. There are 17,854 smarter Supercoaches than me out there after round one of the NRL.

Yeah, that's right. Like Freddy Fittler's Roosters, my team got smashed in the opening round and I didn't see it coming.

"Joey's Mob'' came out of the barriers slower than most of the racehorses I own and back.

Probably serves me right for not spending enough time on coming up with a clever name for the team.

Anyway, I've pondered long and hard on where I went wrong. I've questioned my selection strategies, pored over the form of individual players and looked again at the pointscoring system.

What I've come up with is what I think is the right response to my team's dismal first round performance.

Don't panic!

It's only one round. This is the Melbourne Cup, it's not a sprint. In saying that, there is $500 up for grabs to the Supercoach whose team scores the most points each round so there are benefits each week for the smarties out there.

Congratulations to Froggies Raiders, who scooped the first-round prizemoney with 1250 points to lead the way. That's 349 points better than my side did. But that's OK. Joey's Mob will bounce back.

Canberra's Justin Carney was my best-performed player with 82 points while Knights five-eighth Jarrod Mullen was heavily involved, picking up 76 points in the loss to Gold Coast. Cameron Smith (74) was worth double points as my captain so he didn't let me down either. '

But my strategy in selecting a lot of wingers along with Carney in the hope they would post some tries backfired. For example, Knights winger James McManus had a really off day against the Titans to deliver just 15 points to my team's total.

Unfortunately, I didn't select anyone from the players who made up the first-round top five.

Canberra teammates Terry Campese (104) and Bronson Harrison (101) were the only players to break through the century barrier with Paul Gallen from the Sharks, and Eels teammates Nathan Hindmarsh and Feleti Mateo making up the top five.

So, what to do this week?

I know it's within the rules to trade two players each round for replacements not currently in my 25. But with a limit of 30 trades for the season, I've decided to stay with my original squad this week because I reckon I'm going to need those trades further into the season.

I have fiddled with my bench a little, based on the scores from last week, but that's it. A couple of my forwards didn't get a heap of game time. That obviously affected their scoring potential so I have looked to include as many players as possible who will play the bulk of the 80 minutes for their teams this weekend.

As I said, I'm not panicking.

I'm 17,855th.

The Supercoach whose team is currently running 75,435th - he might be panicking. But not me.

Not yet anyway.

 

[stevow76]

hey zak

i was just looking at the league you started 190252 and it says that i'm coming last on 830 points, is it not working properly or am i just crap:cry

 

[dier]

Is noone in the League Sharks II?

 

[zakspiders]

i think its shifted us around-it does that if there arn't enough players.

i was just looking at the league you started 190252 and it says that i'm coming last on 830 points, is it not working properly or am i just crap:cry

you need to click the tab above the table that says "rank by total points".it will then tell you, you are coming 10th(behind me in 9th)

 

[Google News]

Super scorers for round three

Super scorers for round threeFox Sports, AustraliaTaniela Tuiaki has made the most linebreaks in the NRL this season with four. Jamal Idris is the equal leading try scorer in the NRL with three tries. Chris Walker will make his return to the NRL. He scored the first ever try for Gold Coast Titans and ...

Source: http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25250227-23214,00.html

Super scorers for round three
Fantasy Fanatic
March 27, 2009

Fantasy Fanatic and the guys from Fox Sports Stats have put their heads together once more to bring you all the names most likely to rack up Fantasy capital for you this week.

Tigers v Roosters

Mitchell Aubusson has scored three tries in two matches against Wests Tigers, including two in last years game at Sydney Football Stadium.

Shaun Kenny-Dowall has scored 13 tries in 18 matches at Sydney Football Stadium.

Robbie Farah has scored three tries in five matches against Sydney Roosters.

Taniela Tuiaki has made the most linebreaks in the NRL this season with four.

Titans v Bulldogs

Jamal Idris is the equal leading try scorer in the NRL with three tries.

Chris Walker will make his return to the NRL. He scored the first ever try for Gold Coast Titans and went onto score 14 of the Titans 18 points in that match.

Luke Bailey has scored two tries in three matches against the Bulldogs.

Luke Patten has scored two tries in three matches against the Gold Coast.

Anthony Laffranchi has scored seven tries in 10 games at Skilled Park

Brad Meyers has scored six tries in nine games at the Skilled Park.

Eels v Raiders

Last week both Alan Tongue and Nathan Hindmarsh had big games for their respective sides. Alan Tongue made 43 tackles and Nathan Hindmarsh had 13 runs for 102 metres and made 52 tackles.

Ben Smith has scored six tries in four matches against Canberra and five tries in two games against Canberra at Parramatta Stadium.

David Milne has scored two tries in two matches against the Eels.

Justin Carney has scored seven tries in nine games. He has never gone back to back matches without scoring a try.

Cowboys v Storm

Matt Bowen has scored five tries in his last five matches at Dairy Farmers Stadium and five tries in six games against Melbourne at Dairy Farmers Stadium.

Ty Williams has scored five tries in his last four matches against Melbourne and four tries in his last four matches against Melbourne at Dairy Farmers Stadium.

Greg Inglis has scored seven tries in seven games against the North Queensland, including four tries in four games at Dairy Farmers Stadium.

Steve Turner has scored three tries in his last three matches against North Queensland and he requires one try for 50 NRL career tries. Ashley Graham also requires one try for 50 NRL career tries.

Rabbitohs v Knights

Adam MacDougall has scored four tries in his last three matches against South Sydney. He also requires 8 points for 300 career points for Newcastle.

Kurt Gidley has scored three tries in two matches against South Sydney at Bluetongue Stadium.

Dragons v Sharks

Matt Cooper has scored three tries in his past three games against Cronulla at WIN Jubilee Oval.

Sea Eagles v Panthers

Last week: Petero Civoniceva, 16 runs for 140m, 34 tackles, three offloads, one try Assist and one linebreak assist.

Last week: Trent Waterhouse, two tries, two linebreaks, seven tackle busts and 30 tackles.

Last week: Anthony Watmough 17 runs for 144m, four offloads, one linebreak, eight tackle busts.

May your selections be bold, your rewards plentiful, and watch all your NRL fantasies come true.

Fantasy Fanatic.

 

[Google News]

Fantasy flops and follies

Fantasy flops and folliesFox Sports, AustraliaIt's round four and Fantasy Fanatic is casting an eye across the Fantasy NRL moneybags who just aren't living up to their lofty price-tags so far in season 2009. What does the near future hold in the search for form reversal and are they worth the leap ...

Source: http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25274449-5015862,00.html

Fantasy flops and follies
Fantasy Fanatic
01-Apr-2009

April 01, 2009 It's round four and Fantasy Fanatic is casting an eye across the Fantasy NRL moneybags who just aren't living up to their lofty price-tags so far in season 2009.

What does the near future hold in the search for form reversal and are they worth the leap of faith to hold onto.

Maybe shedding some of the high-priced weight will help you get hold of the surprise packets whose values are skyrocketing every week.

Johnathan Thurston (11.0)

It's been a tough start to 2009 with match-ups against Brisbane and Melbourne but that's no excuse for the world's top No.7.

Even North Queensland's most dominant showing to date was orchestrated by Warriors reject Grant Rovelli with JT choosing to chillax in the back-field.

Thurston's attacking potency is lacking (runs and metres both down over 50 per cent from last year) and error rate is increasing (almost six missed tackles a game, people!) and pundits expect more from the competition's most expensive commodity

The upcoming trip to Canberra could prove the litmus test for Thurston to show his worth to Fantasy managers.

Michael Robertson (7.8 from 8.0)

Out of position until Brett Stewart returns from suspension, Robertson's disappointing Fantasy production doesn’t tell the full story.

His runs and metres per game are up on his 2008 averages but it's his inability to cross the stripe which has sent his value spiralling.

In addition to being a square peg in a round hole, the entire backline is lacking cohesion and losing more confidence with every loss.

The Brett Stewart saga is being used to excuse the Sea Eagles on almost every front so Fantasy Fanatic wants in on that – and chooses not to judge Robbo terminally until the enigmatic custodian returns.

Wade McKinnon (9.8 from 10.0)

Demanded a high price tag after an abridged 2008 season, during which he averaged more Fantasy points per game than Billy Slater.

But despite the Warriors positive start to the year McKinnon is yet to make a linebreak or score a four-pointer.

Mac-Attack's tackle busts are down significantly but performances such as that against Manly shows he can still put many of the league's custodians to shame.

The promise is still there even if the sting has gone for now.

McKinnon has proved himself a clutch player though and the fact is the Warriors haven't really needed his magic so far.

Matt Orford (9.9 from 10.0)

Not that Fantasy Fanatic's trying to kick a Sea Eagle while it's down but here's another case of over-promise under-deliver.

Like Thurston, Orford's a goal-kicking playmaker that should be bringing home the bacon by setting up and converting opportunities – but has failed on all fronts in 2009.

And speaking of converting, being the nominated kicker doesn't mean you’re a good one, it's just an indication that you're depth is seriously lacking

With only one try assist, one line break assist and striking a lowly 55 per cent with the boot, Ox is also missing twice as many tackles a game as last year – turning him into a genuine Fantasy liability.

Luke Covell (9.8 from 10.0)

Covell's diminishing value and lowly points production says less about him and more about Cronulla's ever-inefficient attack.

Never in danger of being labelled entertainers, the Sharks have presented Covell with little ball and had few shots at the sticks and as a result his stats are down across all attacking verticals.

On the upside, Covell is making the most of the few opportunities he's been given (yet to miss a shot at goal in 2009) and had a similarly slow start to the 2008 campaign before discovering the art of try-scoring and crossing the chalk 14 times in 16 outings.

May your selections be bold, your rewards plentiful, and watch all your NRL fantasies come true.

Fantasy Fanatic.

 

[Google News]

The Statman digs out the files for a closer look at round six

The Statman digs out the files for a closer look at round sixFox Sports, AustraliaNorth Queensland has won only once in 11 matches against Cronulla outside of Queensland. The Storm's Cameron Smith plays 150th NRL match on Monday night. Billy Slater has scored 10 tries in nine games against the Wests Tigers, including six tries in ...

Source: http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25341659-23214,00.html

The Statman digs out the files for a closer look at round six
The Statman
April 16, 2009

This week the Statman takes a closer look at Jamie Soward's impressive kicking game, Melbourne and North Queensland's recent dismal home record, the re-emergence of the double-chip kick and more.

The wrestling coaches tackling techniques have certainly been under the scrutiny of the NRL over the last few years, and their effect on the players thinking is there for all to see.

Last Friday night the Dragons Ben Hornby did a near perfect rendition of bouncing off the turnbuckle wrestling style as he caught Jamie Soward's bomb for a try when careering into the padding of the goalpost.............gotta love your wrestling or is that league?

Speaking of Jamie Soward, his kicking game was just about perfect against the Eels in the Dragons 22-8 win.

Soward made 12 long kicks for 584 metres, 10 to open space and only two straight to a defender. Nine bombs, one leading to the Hornby try, of which six were not defused by the Eels and only three were directly caught by the defending team.

He totalled 22 kicks for 770 metres in total, which is the sixth most kick metres ever recorded (since 2003). The most ever stands at 828 metres by Michael Monaghan in 2004.

Would his improved form be the result of the greater protection kickers in general play are given by the referees crackdown on late tackles on the kicker, the stronger pack he is playing behind, the better structure the team has, their stronger line-up this season, or the influence super coach Wayne Bennett might be having on his game?…take your pick!

Kicking off out on the full has hit epidemic proportions in the early rounds, with 12 to date after five rounds.

The Bulldogs are the real deal in this area managing three, the Warriors and Cowboys have two apiece, while Canberra, Parramatta, St George Illawarra, Roosters, and Wests Tigers each one…what is going on?

Have Melbourne lost their mojo at home, or is the building of their new stadium next door shifting some of the aura of “the graveyard”?

While still boasting an amazing record at Olympic Park which includes just four losses in their previous 46 matches, the stats are starting to suggest visiting teams are finally learning how to compete at the highly challenging dimensioned ground.

Let’s take a look at the trends…in their last four matches at the ground, they have won two and lost two, averaging just 13.5 points per game while conceding 16.5 points per game. The 10 matches prior, Melbourne averaged 33.8 points per game and conceded just 6.5 points.

Of all the matches Canberra could play following their round four Monday night match, facing Cronulla at Toyota Stadium would not have been their most popular pick.

In the previous 20 seasons the Green Machine's number of victories at the ground is the same number as the various names the ground has had over that time. For those still unsure, that number is three...Caltex Field, Shark Park, Toyota Park/Stadium.

Is it their fear of flying, the food on the planes, missing their families, the unfamiliar surrounds, have they gone somewhere that is too cold, too hot, maybe the locals aren’t too friendly, or are they just plain tired?

Whatever it is the Bulldogs, Newcastle, North Queensland, Parramatta, Penrith and Wests Tigers all have no wins on the board when they have had to travel to away games by plane this season.

Come on boys sort it out.

There's no place like home as the supporters give the away team a good old fashioned Aussie welcome, but are the "out-of-towners" listening? Well maybe not judging by the stats at one ground in particular.

The Cowboys recent record at home has them with just two wins in their last 12, back to round seven last year.

This is nothing like their 12 games prior in Townsville; when they chalked up nine wins and had just three losses. Can Neil Henry turn that around?

Although Easter is behind us for another year, there are still many bunnies to be found.

Titans winger Chris 'I’ve been everywhere' Walker comes face-to-face with his 'bunny', the Raiders Joel Monaghan this Friday night at Skilled Park. Walker boasts an 8-0 career win tally against him.

With all the talking between Wendell Sailor and Adam MacDougall in the lead up to Saturday's match-up, it would appear the always talkative Del can not only talk the talk, he can indeed walk the walk. He has five wins from six games against his mate, Old MacDougall.

It seems like just yesterday that the Tigers “bunny” was the Manly side.

From 1961 to 1969 the Tigers and their army of supporters would always pencil in their clashes against the Sea Eagles as an almost certain win, losing just once in 19 matches.

But 40 years later the situation is well and truly reversed, with last Sunday's win by Manly their fifth in succession. That's what 40 years does sometimes.

How good is the double chip kick? It surfaced again in round five, with the Knights Scott Dureau eighth minute effort, when he chipped and regathered and chipped and tried to regather again, and the memories instantly came flooding back.

Two great examples of this talent in years gone past were: Canterbury’s Steve Mortimer in front of a packed Belmore Sports Ground against Parramatta in 1982 when he chipped and regathered twice to score the match-winner and literally brought the house down against the defending premiers.

Another classic effort was Balmain’s Scott Gale who did the same trick against North Sydney at the SCG in a play-off for fifth in 1986, to put the Tigers into the semi-finals.

Now let’s see what stats we’ve noticed for round six.

Brett Stewart must be a big chance to continue his try-scoring ways this weekend, he has scored 14 tries in 11 games against South Sydney.

Ian Donnelly is the only player from Cronulla and North Queensland to have played at Adelaide's Hindmarsh Stadium, coming off the bench for Melbourne in 2006 in their win against Penrith.

North Queensland has won only once in 11 matches against Cronulla outside of Queensland.

The Storm’s Cameron Smith plays 150th NRL match on Monday night.

Billy Slater has scored 10 tries in nine games against the Wests Tigers, including six tries in three games against them at Leichhardt Oval.

St George Illawarra coach Wayne Bennett holds an advantage in the clash of two of the most experienced coaches in the NRL, when his Dragons take on Brian Smith's Knights . Bennett has not lost against a Smith coached team in the last five matches, and holds a healthy overall lead of 21-14, which dates back to 1987.

Two of the last four matches between Penrith and Brisbane have gone to Golden Point Extra Time (round 16, 2008 and round three, 2007)

Penrith's Luke Lewis has scored 12 tries in 12 matches against the Broncos.

Brisbane are the Friday night specialists of 2009, with this week’s match their fifth of the season.

Canberra has not won in Queensland since round 12, 2006 (six matches).

Of the four matches between the Gold Coast and Canberra, the home team has won every game.

The Bulldogs have lost their last four matches against Parramatta, all of which have been at ANZ Stadium.

 

[Google News]

Super scorers for round six

Super scorers for round sixFox Sports, AustraliaMatt Bowen has scored six tries in 10 games against Cronulla. David Simmons has scored four tries in eight games against North Queensland Cowboys. He has scored four tries in his last two matches, including a hat-trick last week against Canberra. ...

Source: http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25346922-23214,00.html

Super scorers for round six
Fantasy Fanatic
April 17, 2009

Fantasy Fanatic have once again slipped the guys in Fox Sports Stats an undisclosed amount to convince them to provide all the inside info on this week's Fantasy prospects.
Panthers v Broncos

Luke Lewis has scored 12 tries in 12 matches against Brisbane Broncos, including eight tries in seven matches against the Broncos at CUA Stadium.

Michael Jennings has scored four tries in four matches against the Broncos, including two tries in two matches against the Broncos at CUA Stadium.

Justin Hodges has scored six tries in five games against Penrith Panthers, including five tries in his last two matches against them.

Titans v Raiders

Canberra’s Terry Campese is having an outstanding start to the season. He leads the NRL in both try assists and linebreak assists (seven each) and 40/20 kicks (three).

Bronson Harrison has made the most offloads this season with 22.

Both Anthony Laffranchi and Luke O’Dwyer have scored two tries in three games against Canberra.

Laffranchi is the leading try scorer at Skilled Park, having scored seven tries in 11 games at the venue.

Both Adrian Purtell and Joe Picker have both scored two tries in two games against Gold Coast Titans.

William Zillman will play against his former side for the first time. He played 24 games for Canberra from 2006-2008. He scored two tries in his first two games for Gold Coast.

Dragons v Knights

Jamie Soward has scored three tries in his last three matches against Newcastle Knights.

Darius Boyd has scored seven tries in six games against the Knights.

Wendell Sailor has the wood over Adam MacDougall, having beaten MacDougall in five of six matches. However Sailor’s try scoring record against the Knights is not a good one scoring just one try in nine matches against them. This is in fact his worst scoring strike rate against any club, besides the Titans who he has played only once and scored no tries.

On the other hand MacDougall has scored five tries in seven matches playing for Newcastle against the St George Illawarra.

Rabbitohs v Sea Eagles

Nathan Merritt has scored eight tries in seven games against Manly, including five tries in three games against them at ANZ Stadium. He scored a hat-trick of tries the last time they met at ANZ Stadium.

John Sutton has the equal most try assists this season with Canberra’s Terry Campese (seven). Five of his try assists this season have come from a kick. He is also ranked second in the NRL this season for offloads with 20.

Brett Stewart has scored 14 tries in only 11 games against South Sydney, including 11 tries in his last seven games against them and four tries in three games against them at ANZ Stadium. He has scored seven tries in eight games at ANZ Stadium.

Michael Robertson has scored eight tries in nine games at ANZ Stadium. He has scored three tries in three games against South Sydney at ANZ Stadium.

Warriors v Roosters

Jerome Ropati has scored five tries in five matches against Sydney Roosters at Mt Smart Stadium.

Manu Vatuvei has scored four tries in his last four matches against the Roosters. He has scored eight tries in his last seven matches.

Aiden Kirk has scored six tries in eight matches at Mt Smart Stadium, including 2 tries in 2 matches against the Roosters at Mt Smart Stadium.

Shaun Kenny-Dowall has scored four tries in five matches this season and he has scored seven tries in his last seven matches. In his only match against the Warriors, he scored a hat-trick.

The Warriors will welcome back Steve Price with open arms. So Far this season he is averaging 64 minutes per game for 17.7 runs and 165 metres per game, the most for any forward.

Sharks v Cowboys

Matt Bowen has scored six tries in 10 games against Cronulla.

David Simmons has scored four tries in eight games against North Queensland Cowboys. He has scored four tries in his last two matches, including a hat-trick last week against Canberra.

Eels v Bulldogs

Eric Grothe has scored seven tries in eight matches against the Bulldogs, including five tries in his last six matches against them at ANZ Stadium.

Tigers v Storm

Taniela Tuiaki has scored the most tries in the NRL this season with six. He has also made the equal most linebreaks with six. Tuiaki has scored five tries in seven games at Leichhardt Oval.

Robbie Farah has scored nine tries in 13 games at Leichhardt Oval.

Dallas Johnson is the leading tackler in the NRL this season with 250 tackles (averaging 50 per game).

Chris Lawrence has scored two tries in three games against Melbourne.

Billy Slater has scored 10 tries in nine games against Wests Tigers, including six tries in three games against them at Leichhardt Oval.

Greg Inglis has scored six tries in seven games against Wests Tigers.

 

[Google News]

The Statman takes on round seven

The Statman takes on round sevenFox Sports, AustraliaAgainst Cronulla they had 58 percent possession and 57 tackles inside the opposition 20. The previous week against Gold Coast they had 56% of possession and 57 tackles inside the opposition 20, but only produced 10 points and lost! ...

Source: http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25370944-5018942,00.html

The Statman takes on round seven
By The Statman
April 22, 2009

Statman, the eighth wonder of the world, is back with another serving of statistics, damn statistics and lies.

This week he's focusing on Dad’s Army, are on the march?; the ups and downs of Fortress Rabina; the fun of being a Roosters or Eels supporter in '09, a rendition of remember when, no place like home, Statman’s omens and so much more.

Are Dad’s Army are on the march, have all the "elders" of the NRL been inspired with talk of Anzac Day? Round six showed the old timers are not quite ready for the glue factory just yet.

With their grey hair blowing in the wind, or their bald heads shining like beacons, the likes of Steve Price at 35 years returned from injury to lead his side to a memorable win. He made 176 metres from 17 runs and 23 tackles. And while he still has a full head of hair, his memory would appear a problem. After the game he thought the two points for the late penalty goal were to win the game, not level the scores.

While in the various backlines across the competition a number of oldies made their mark bagging tries: Wendell Sailor (34 years), Adam MacDougall (33), Matt Rogers (33), Hazem El Masri (33), Stacey Jones (32) and Brett Kimmorley (32).

But let’s keep the best oldie til last. He might be big, he might be slow and he might be old but what about big Petero Civoniceva (33 years), who chalked up his 40th consecutive match where he made over 100 metres. What's the matter young'uns, can’t you stop the old warhorse?

Do you believe in omens? Statman does. The Storm have wno their last 21 matches in a row when Billy Slater scores a try at Olympic Park. The run stretches back to Round 13, 2004. Also one more try at the ground and he will notch up his 50th and take him above Matt Geyer as the leading tryscorer at "The Graveyard".

This week's rendition of remember when: Yeah, I know Parramatta fans are doing it tough after three straight losses plus many off-field issues, but the older folk out there will recount the days when things were even more miserable.

For six consecutive years from 1956 to 1961 the Parramatta, then named "the Fruitpickers", finished with the wooden spoon, winning just 16 of 108 matches (14%). They went through four different coaches, averaged just over 4,500 fans at home matches, not once getting above 10,000. They had no money and no leagues club. Ah, the gold old days.

How does the saying go, "There's no place like home"? That is of course unless you are Matt Elliott. As Panthers coach his record at "the foot of the mountains" is a dismal. Played 27, Won eight, lost 18 and drawn one for a 29.6percent winning rate. I guess it can only get better.

Fortress Robina is back. No it's not, yes it is! What is going on in the Sunshine State? The Titans won their first seven games at home last season, before losing their next five to finish the season. This year they’ve won their first three home games, it's got me beat.

The Roosters supporters did the country proud this week, spending their financial stimulus package amounts on televisions in Bondi Junction as they replaced damaged sets caused by yet another second half capitulation from the men in red, white and blue.

But Statman worked overtime this week and found a positive stat for you suffering Roosters supporters. On the seven occasions these sides have met each other on Anzac Day since 2002 the team lower on the ladder has won on every occasion.

And even though the Roosters are leaking points at an alarming rate and giving up apparent match-winning leads, the fact they languish in 13th place might be just enough to get them home on this special day in our calendar.

Speaking of the Roosters, their backline this week would give anyone with a speech impediment a heart attack with every player from 1 through 5 having a name starting with "S". Sam Perrett, Sisa Waqa, Sia Soliola, Setaimata Sa and Shaun Kenny-Dowall would be tough enough, but throw in Shane Shackleton in the back row and the Roosters are fielding more S's than the Mississippi!

Consistency is the word. Ever had a place you really hate going to? That's how the Raiders feel these days every time they go to Queensland, where they've lost their last seven games. Their last win in Queensland was Round 12, 2006 in Townsville.

Another disturbing trend for the Raiders this season is their spluttering second half efforts. They have led at half-time four times in 2009, but have only gone on to win the game once. Nothing inspiring there, but at least they’re consistent.

Which team has the best record on long trips in recent times? The Broncos defeat of the Panthers was their fifth straight interstate win.

Which team is the best at jumping out to a lead? The Dragons have led at half-time in all their games this season, the only team to have done so.

Which teams have the best and worst golden point record of all-time? The Roosters loss in extra time last week leaves Canberra now alone as the only team undefeated in golden point since its introduction in 2003 with five wins from five matches, while Tigers will do anything to avoid a golden point match with a terrible record of just one win in six matches.

What is it about the Cowboys parking themselves inside their opponents 20 this season? Against Cronulla they had 58 percent possession and 57 tackles inside the opposition 20. The previous week against Gold Coast they had 56% of possession and 57 tackles inside the opposition 20, but only produced 10 points and lost!

Has the talented Johnathan Thurston finally hit the "go switch"? Last week's much improved showing saw him with three try assists and one line break assist. Prior to that he had gone four straight games without a single try assist.

Justin Hodges was always going to break his try scoring drought for the season against Penrith. In his best game of the season to-date, his two tries gave him seven in his last three games against the Panthers.

Everyone hates a drought and the Sharks are no different. Their winning has dried up and the points are now down to a trickle. Last round made it five losses in a row and seven games in a row where they haven't reached the 20-point mark. That's the trouble with droughts, sometimes you think it will never break.

 

[Google News]

All that glitters is not gold

All that glitters is not goldFox Sports, AustraliaThe going's been tough for Cronulla rookie Blake Ferguson after big things were expected of the flyer when 2009 kicked off. While his swag of 103 points isn't horrendous, he's already lost his starting spot to Matthew Wright as the Sharks sink quickly ...

Source: http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25374971-23214,00.html

All that glitters is not gold
Fantasy Fanatic
April 23, 2009

Uate know ... the under-rated international is set to return. Phil Hillyard

It's easy to get caught up in the hype of a break-out performance or stunning debut, but Fantasy managers need to pay close attention to tracking this season's surprise packets, because it's rare that good things last.

Just ask one-Test wonder Paul Hauff or 1992 rookie-of-the-year Matthew Rodwell – success can be fleeting, and as a quick as a superstar emerges they can disappear completely.

So what of our current crop of upstarts, sporting their bargain-basement price tags and astonishing Fantasy averages? Will their early-season form result in point-mongering longevity?

Bryson Goodwin had thrifty managers counting their Fantasy chooks in round one when he raked in 62 points in his first outing for the Bulldogs, but his second-round return of 10 made us wonder if it was all downhill from there. But not only has Goodwin been a model of consistency since, he's cemented his place in a Bulldogs backline that's among the league’s most prolific. With the injury blow to Josh Morris, more will be expected of Goodwin - expect him to deliver.

Akuila Uate started the season right where his 2008 World Cup campaign left off. Not many international representatives can be snapped up at bit-player prices and Fantasy managers were waiting for the bubble to burst on Uate’s show-stopping entrance to the top grade. The Fijian was averaging 24 points a round thanks to his 24 tackle busts and three tries before injury finally brought the honeymoon to an end. Good news is that Uate returns to a high-flying Newcastle Knights side in round seven and we expect him to slot back in like he’s never been away.

Parramatta’s Tim Mannah was one player who had big raps on him coming into the season, but didn’t hit his straps right away. Slowly but surely the big man is coming into his own, with his involvement increasing every week leading to a surge in his Fantasy value. It's like manna from heaven for managers who have kept faith in him. Mannah may prove to be the beneficiary of a woeful Eels’ future that Fantasy Fanatic can see in his crystal ball. He’s one to keep on the scouting list

But while these whipper-snappers are on the up-and-up, some of the NRL’s new boys are feeling the unenviable rush on the downside of that rollercoaster.

Brisbane Broncos' round-one clash against North Queensland Cowboys was an 80-minute shoot-out between youngsters Jharal Yow Yeh and Antonio Winterstein, with one having to make way for the imminent return of Justin Hodges. Both shone that night with respective Fantasy hauls of 35 and 32, but it was the latter that got the nod full-time with Yow Yeh resigned to waiting until Origin for his next chance in the top grade.

The going's been tough for Cronulla rookie Blake Ferguson after big things were expected of the flyer when 2009 kicked off. While his swag of 103 points isn't horrendous, he’s already lost his starting spot to Matthew Wright as the Sharks sink quickly to the bottom of the NRL ocean. Ferguson simply isn’t doing enough with the ball, often relying on his defence to get him Fantasy points – not exactly what you want from an inside back.

Sydney Roosters rake Jake Friend has felt the highs and lows of a rugby league career all in six weeks. A shining light in the Roosters' nightmare start to the season, Friend then found himself suspended and since his return has failed to live up to the early hype, splitting time behind James Aubusson. Whether it’s the NRL-enforced ban that’s knocked the wind out of him or the inconsistency of a team lacking in commitment to each other, the future doesn’t look friendly for Jake the Rake.

May your selections be bold, your rewards plentiful, and watch all your NRL fantasies come true.

 

[Google News]

The Statman tackles round eight

The Statman tackles round eightFox Sports, AustraliaYes, I know all you cynics are thinking, "big deal they are only playing Cronulla this week". The Broncos backline stars continue to shine over the early rounds. Last week Karmichael Hunt's numbers read three tries, one try assist, three line breaks, ...

Source: http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25408467-5018942,00.html

The Statman tackles round eight
The Statman
April 30, 2009

This week Statman takes a look at opportunities lost, the quick and the dead and Brisbane's own "Bruise Brothers" - not to mention lobbying for the Zip Zip man to lace up his boots again.

It was déjà vu for Newcastle Knights at Campbelltown Sport Stadium when they once again stole defeat from the jaws of victory, this time against Wests Tigers.

It was the second time this season the Novocastrians had blown a 14-point lead, and little wonder coach Brian Smith was not his usual smiling self at the press conference.

He should take heart as it wasn't as bad as in 2001, when at the same venue the Knights squandered a 24-0 lead to lose 36-32. Apparently the "Tigers" chant was still going when the cleaners turned up the next day!

Sydney Roosters and Canberra fans will both feel some level of empathy for their counterparts in blue and red. The Roosters have butchered a 16-0 lead against the Warriors and a 12-0 lead against the Tigers, while Canberra led Parramatta 16-4 and the Bulldogs 12-0 but managed to lose both matches.

Jamie Soward and Shane Elford booked their provisional places in the NRL 4x100 relay team with their respective 90 metres dashes at the weekend. Frank Paul Nuuausala and Mark O’Meley are still running to try and catch the zippy St George Illawarra five-eighth whose pace was the major difference against his former club.

Elford may not be as quick as Soward, and quite a few others for that matter, but he looked the part streaking (well sort of) away from Gold Coast Titans defence on Monday night to seal a timely win for Penrith.

Other candidates for places in the team are Nathan Merritt (97m South Sydney v Roosters), Jarrod Hayne (94m Parramatta v Canberra), Greg Inglis (90m Melbourne Storm v North Queensland Cowboys), Fetuli Talanoa (90m South Sydney v Warriors) and Brett Morris (90m St George Illawarra v Brisbane Broncos).

It’s rugby league 2009 style. However I don’t know if it’s rugby league or wrestling I’m watching these days.

The "wrestlers" were again out showing their skill last round, with various suplexes, ankle locks, head locks, arm locks, crusher tackles and chicken wings. It reminds me of the halcyon days of Friday night wrestling at The Sydney Stadium in 1966 when Killer Karl Cox, Skull Murphy and Chief Billy White Wolf would employ tactics to similar effect.

Thumbing through Statman’s mountain of information shows that same year saw violence of a different nature. The first ever players sent-off in Australia's decimal currency era were forwards Ted Heinrich (Parramatta) and Mick Veivers (Manly), for fighting.

Players were reacting to the rise in similar thuggery by showing interest in new plastic mouth guards to save their teeth being uprooted. But let’s get back to the present and maybe with players getting more creative with the variations of grapple the two referees should reply by giving them the standing three-count, just like in the wrestling.

I couldn't let the week go without commenting on Dean Collis and what a wonderful accomplishment the Wests Tigers centre's hat-trick was against the Knights. The Collis clan, a sports-minded mixture of interesting talents, would I’m sure have celebrated with a hearty baked dinner and Yorkshire pudding on Sunday evening -they love their food.

They certainly are in a hurry round Dragons territory. Twice in the last two weeks the Saints have scored inside the opening two minutes, sending Statman scrambling to his tattered notebooks to jot them down in his quickest tries of the season page.

For the record Brett Morris’ try inside 57 seconds against the Roosters tops the list for this season. Maybe he was upset that his twin bother Josh had scored inside two minutes the week before! The quickest tries of the year so far are:

57 sec Brett Morris (Dragons) Rd 7 v Roosters;
1 min 7 sec James McManus (Knights) Rd 3 v Souths;
1 min 18 sec Beau Champion (South Sydney) Rd 5 v Bulldogs;
1 min 32 sec Wendell Sailor (Dragons) Rd 6 v Newcastle;
1 min 36 sec Josh Morris (Bulldogs) Rd 6 v Parramatta;
1 min 46 sec Billy Slater (Melbourne Storm) Rd 2 v Brisbane;
1 min 55 sec Beau Ryan (Wests Tigers) Rd 5 v Manly.


I've got good news and bad new this week for the Roosters team.

Statman prefers the bad news first, the Roosters continued their headless chook rendition last week, when held to nil, for the 38th time in their history. But now for the good news, and in the previous seven times (back to 1991) they've been "nilled" the following match they have replied with a win, and scored at least 20 points!

Yes, I know all you cynics are thinking, "big deal they are only playing Cronulla this week".

The Broncos backline stars continue to shine over the early rounds.

Last week Karmichael Hunt's numbers read three tries, one try assist, three line breaks, one line break assist, 13 runs for 137 metres, eight tackle busts. That's six tries in Hunt’s last three games, after he didn’t score in any of their first four games this season

With the hair receding, Darren Lockyer plays his 300th match this week, becoming just the 12th player to reach this milestone. He had his best game of the season last week against the Eels with three try assists and three line break assists.

The pairing of Israel Folau and Justin Hodges could lay claim to becoming the code's "Bruise Brothers". Last week their stats read: Israel Folau one try, three line breaks, 15 runs for 141 metres, nine tackle busts and Justin Hodges one try, two line breaks, two line break assists, nine tackle busts. He has scored a try in each of his last five matches v Parramatta.

We love our stats here at Fox Sports Stats, but were somewhat confused by these numbers last round.

Souths won despite having less possession (46%), tackles inside the opposition 20 (14 against 41), line breaks (six to seven) and losing the penalty count 5-6.

Manly lost despite having a better completion rate (85 per cent as opposed to 67.4 per cent), tackles inside the opposition 20 (37 to 29), offloads (12 to seven), and line breaks (seven to four).

Next they’ll be telling me that the old gut instinct will prevail over the stats in picking a winner.

All signs are that the fans should be in for an entertaining Sunday afternoon at ANZ Stadium when the Tigers and Bulldogs do battle.

In the past seven matches between these sides the winning team has scored at least 32 points, with the Tigers twice clocking 50. Also since 2006 both teams have a terrible record when scoring less than 20 points, the Bulldogs winning just two of 28 matches with the Tigers an equally disappointing three of 37.

This year both teams have had no trouble scoring points, the Bulldogs averaging a competition best 27.1 points per game while the Tigers aren't far behind with 23.1. However it’s the Tigers defence that could prove the real difference here, they have leaked 26.7 points per game in 2009 the most of any team.

Parramatta, once a fine attacking outfit, have averaged a measly 12.9 points per game over the first seven rounds for a total of just 90 points.

They have yet to score 20 points in a game this season, and in three of them have been kept under 10 points. Maybe with "Mr Perpetual Motion", "Bert" and "The Guru" forming a part of a new board perhaps they can get the "Zip Zip Man", "Sterlo" and "The Cro" back on the playing field. Even in their well advanced years surely this would improve the Eels attack and quickly turn their season around. Well we can dream can’t we?

 

[Google News]

Fantasy Roos raise their fists

Fantasy Roos raise their fistsFox Sports, AustraliaLastly Anthony Tupou (8.6) proves that not everything in Cronulla is cursed with misfortune, maintaining his representative stripes. May your selections be bold, your rewards plentiful, and watch all your NRL fantasies come true.

Source: http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25437854-23214,00.html

Fantasy Roos raise their fists
Fantasy Fanatic
May 06, 2009

With rep season underway Fantasy Fanatic is unearthing the hottest Fantasy prospects from both sides of the Tasman. Check out the Kangaroos who have prospered in Fantasy Land.

If things don’t go right for Tim Sheens on Friday night then he may well look to your favourite Fanatic to get an idea of what his team should have looked like.

Outside Backs

With two stunning fullbacks in awesome Fantasy form, Billy Slater (10.0) will shift to his old wing position to accommodate Karmichael Hunt (9.3) in the custodian's spot. On the other wing is every Fantasy spruiker's two-dollar shop special – Bryson Goodwin (3.1). There's a good mix of finishing finesse and roving support play to ensure the points roll in.

Inside Backs

Back together again in the positions where they belong, Israel Folau (10.4) and Greg Inglis (10.4) are the ultimate centre pairing, combining blistering speed and forward-like physique. There's no room for sentiment with "former" captain Darren Lockyer stepping aside for Fantasy's must-have man Terry Campese (10.6).

Halfback

Not for the first time Fantasy Land mirrors that real-life caper with Johnathan Thurston (11.0) starting the season out of favour before finding form at the right time and ensuring he's the first-choice playmaker in any rep or Fantasy team.

Back Row Forwards

There's a Test recall in the offing after four years in the wilderness for Trent Waterhouse (7.6) with House's stellar ball-running game complimented with the inclusion of tackling machine David Stagg (7.8). Locking the scrum is Australia's No.1 plot-loser Paul Gallen (7.9) who'll get his hands on the ball more than any other big man which is great if he can keep his error rate and temper in similar check.

Hooker

Cameron who? Start scoring me some Fantasy points Smithy then we'll think about rep honours. Wests Tigers upstart Robbie Farah (10.4) has put his battle with Michael Ennis to rest to steal the green and gold job off the vice captain. Even Smith's goal-kicking advantage doesn’t win the selectors over with Farah's assist and linebreaking ability the clincher.

Prop Forwards

Ben Hannant's (7.8) younger legs have seen him wrestle a starting gig away from an injury-riddled Steve Price while the evergreen Petero Civoniceva (9.3) ensures Hannant's got an experienced hand-holder accompanying him up front. It's tough, no-nonsense, ball-carrying man-mountains leading the way in green and gold.

Interchange

Kurt Gidley (11.3) resides on the bench despite being one of the game's most reliable scorers. An inside back in Fantasy Land, Gids will tear it up in tight, out wide or in the pack. Steve Price (9.4) is excused his injury blights to take a spot on the timber while Feleti Mateo (9.3) adds another ball-playing utility to Australia's stakes. Lastly Anthony Tupou (8.6) proves that not everything in Cronulla is cursed with misfortune, maintaining his representative stripes.

May your selections be bold, your rewards plentiful, and watch all your NRL fantasies come true.

 

[Google News]

When reality tells a different story

When reality tells a different storyFox Sports, AustraliaSure he's an old fella who's outlived his representative career, but on the back of a career season with Cronulla, Noddy has taken his magic to the Bulldogs and is reaping the same results. So why can't we see the benefits in drafting BK? ...

Source: http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25477032-23214,00.html

When reality tells a different story
Fantasy Fanatic
May 13, 2009

Fantasy Fanatic takes a look at the confusing side of Fantasy Land, where the players who are earning the plaudits of all and sundry on the field aren't translating to Fantasy earnings.

Who do these fellas think they are? Are they playing for themselves? Their club? Their fans? How selfish! What about us toiling away in Fantasy Land – why aren't we seeing the fruits of this labour?

Maybe it's because we've lived through so many of his lows that a plateau of good form from Brett Kimmorley (8.8) appears greater than it really is. Sure he's an old fella who's outlived his representative career, but on the back of a career season with Cronulla, Noddy has taken his magic to the Bulldogs and is reaping the same results. So why can't we see the benefits in drafting BK?

Kimmorley is 200-plus points back from master-half Johnathan Thurston and behind non-entities such as Matt Orford and Brett Finch.

It's true there are no Fantasy points for lifting morale or inspiring greatness, but a closer look reveals how little Kimmorley does with the ball. His runs and try assists are well off the pace of his peers while he's yet to break the line once in 2009.

In saying that his defensive efforts rank fifth among halfbacks and it may well be that what he's not doing with the ball is what's most impressive.

When your performances are linked the sudden upturn of your team's fortunes you'd think there'd be a Fantasy windfall to be had. Well then Jarrod Sammut (5.1), Fantasy Fanatic would like to know where his return is.

The kid from the Riff is 250 points adrift of the star inside backs which would be excusable if his early season inconsistency had him missing game time. But Sammut, who has flourished with greater support in the halves, has been persevered with and now his praises are being sung due to a scaled back approach to the game.

With Luke Walsh and Wade Graham taking charge, Sammut's game has become more about playmaking and the occasional piece of individual brilliance not to mention an improved last line of defence.

With his brother sidelined for what seems like the last decade, Mark Minichiello has become the first-choice Mini on everyone's lips. Under John Cartwright he's stormed into Origin contention and his club form has been rewarded and furthered by a two-try outing for City in Orange.

While Mini's haul of 219 points isn't too shabby, we expect more back from a man on the cusp of rep glory. Fair play he doesn't kick goals like Corey Parker and his inability to last 80 minutes means he's not racking up the tackle numbers of David Stagg.

What Mini the kid does do is get his hands on the ball and give the Titans a real settling midfield presence. Sadly we don't reward such good Samaritan plays in Fantasy Land.

If only Fantasy points were awarded for sheer wiliness. If there was a category headed "made markers look like someone was shooting at their feet" then that list would be headed by Ian Henderson (7.3).

Hendo was last year's points-earning super bargain (think Bryson Goodwin with more guile). Sadly the bearded bagpiper won't see much Fantasy value for his on-field exploits this season. He's been overshadowed by the new breed of hooker-cum-halfback-cum-pretty boy and while he's keeping pace with leading hooker Robbie Farah in terms of runs and tackle busts, Farah's creativity wins out in the end.

Still Hendo remains the Warriors No.1 irritant to opposition teams, something that's immediately noticeable from the stands or the couch but not reflected in any statistical field – Fantasy Fanatic is having the big wigs look into this for future campaigns.

There's no more sure-fire way of creating the illusion that you get involved more than you really do than by every fan and commentator firing up when you get near the ball. A dome of red hair doesn't hurt on that count. So with only 174 points to show for season 2009 is Keith Galloway really worth the hype?

Of course he is, because every team needs a cult icon. While cult points aren't awarded in Fantasy Land the Fanatic still regards the status highly and Big Keiff does have Fantasy potential.

He can bust the odd tackle but he can't make it for a linebreak while he's also missed the memo that bookends can cross the strip in the modern era.

It's worth noting that Keiffy has been a bit MIA in the defensive department this season, not that something as fundamental as tackling should ever get in the way of rapping a loveable bloodnut.

May your selections be bold, your rewards plentiful, and watch all your NRL fantasies come true.