A Few Ponderings

Hi everyone and welcome back to my weekly thoughts column. I don’t have a major topic to discuss today so will just throw a few smaller things together and see where we end up! You can contribute too through email at andrew.keyte@gmail.com or directly at http://keytonrlhits.blogspot.com and www.sportsaustralia.com. Now, on to the big and not so big issues this week.

Parra Problems
My word has this club hit rock bottom or what? Last week I briefly mentioned their woes but that was written before the Brett Finch stuff happened. I didn’t fully follow the Finch walkout/push or whatever because I was away but for mine this had to be the final straw for Parramatta. The Eels are a club that’s fallen from grace so dramatically.

In just 2001 they were declared one of the great teams but were ambushed by Newcastle in the Grand Final. Since then they have had two coaches walk out (Brian Smith, Michael Hagan), one move on (Jason Taylor) and are now seemingly a club few want to be at. They made just one signing in the off-season, Finch has walked out and the likes of Mark Riddell and Timana Tahu left the NRL altogether!

The Eels are a team with a poor attitude and it reflects through their games. They are the one team I just hate watching, whether for work or fun. I just can’t stand them and from my point of view it all stems from a rotten attitude and culture that’s crept into the club. They need to fix it but it won’t happen overnight, two to three years most likely. They probably won’t get it but Parramatta deserve the wooden spoon this year.

Tipping Nightmares
Hasn’t this been a nightmare so far! I’m right near the bottom of my own comp this year and not doing much better in the other ones I’m in. There appears to be no real form or rhythm to follow this year meaning a lot more guess work is involved. Normally there are two or three teams you can bank on winning/losing but after 5 weeks I can’t name any (well, the Eels maybe). My only advice is good luck and be very careful copying my tips!

Fantasy Fun
Is anyone else enjoying Fantasy Teams as much as I am this year? I played last year but often forgot about it and didn’t care much. This year is a different story; I’m in two comps (Fox Sports and Courier Mail), take great notice of the ins and outs for the weekend and am constantly looking to improve my team! I don’t expect to win but it is nice cheering on certain players in the name of Fantasy Football! I guess in the age of IPL cricket it’s not too surprising that franchise type games are beginning to take off.

TV Scheduling
As most of you know I live in Brisbane so therefore I have a different TV schedule to Sydney on Friday nights. I was under the impression that the double-Friday night game was to provide a different game live in each state; with one game involving a Queensland-based team. It annoys me this week that both the Broncos and Titans are on Friday night because it means I can’t really watch the Gold Coast go around, at least not live.

I don’t care if both games are held in Sydney and I don’t even care if it’s not ‘match of the round’ material...just please Channel 9 stick to the agreement and show the one Queensland game live here EVERY Friday night.

Origin Talk
Uumm, there’s a Test Match on soon right? All the talk last week was about the New South Wales halfback (Pearce v Wallace) and this week is on the Blues fullback and five-eighth (Stewart v Gidley v Anasta v Campese). I love Origin but the season has just started and there’s no point speculating and picking sides right now.

Of course the Queensland side pretty much picks itself but there was also debate over the weekend about Thurston v Prince. I just think we should be enjoying the club season first then in two weeks, just before the Test, we can turn all attention towards the rep season.


Tips this week: Brisbane, Titans, Dragons, Manly, Warriors, Cowboys, Bulldogs, Storm
Last week: 6/8 (Total: 22/38)
Winning percentage: 58%

Thanks for reading and I’ll catch you later. Please remember to send feedback and questions or anything at all to me!

See ya,
Keyto