A disappointing week all round

It’s been another funny old week in the NRL and one that has sort of summed up the 2011 season. On one hand, I have loved watching the good teams play. This current top eight will be in the Finals barring some kind of miracle – and we’ve known that for a month. The bottom eight have largely been terrible with Canberra, Parramatta, Roosters and Gold Coast at no stage challenging for a Finals berth. While I normally try and write positively, there’s too much negativity to avoid this week.

Parra woes

I don’t like Parramatta, I don’t support them and quite frankly I don’t care what happens at that club. But I do feel sorry for their fans, the coach and people like Nathan Hindmarsh. They were belted by 50 points the other night and probably deserved it.

Former Panthers coach Matt Elliott once said after a hammering, “We’ve had our pants pulled down, bums smacked ... and, whatever comes next”.

I feel 2011 has been a total write-off for the Eels started by punting a coach after he had already recruited Dad’s Army for the new season. They have been in many tight contests but never really looked like winning most of them.

Hopefully this will make them a better team for 2012 because a strong Parramatta is good for the competition – and save for three months in 2009, we haven’t seen that for a long time.

Roosters Fall

The more we look at things the more it seems the Roosters 2010 Grand Final appearance was a fluke, or a case of last club standing. Let’s take a look back at last year ...

Melbourne were booted out of the competition, the Broncos fell over in the last month, a red-hot Raiders lost their best player and the Tigers were controversially beaten in a match where the Roosters were likely gone had they lost.

This club has been disgraceful all season and I don’t know if it’s a lack of professionalism, a party attitude or if the players just enjoy taking their pay cheques and don’t care about the result.

I feel sorry for Braith Anasta who has tried to hold this club together. He stayed on because of loyalty and sacrificed his position for the good of the team. A contract at the Cowboys playing alongside Johnathan Thurston probably looks pretty good now.

C-O-N-spiracy

I don’t buy into the whole Queensland conspiracy thing we had going on during the Origin series. But ... seriously!?!

How did Paul Gallen get off a stomping charge last night?? In my opinion, had his boot hit that player in the face it was a send off.

I thought one week was a very light punishment but it was at least something and he had to be suspended. Did anyone see the Channel Nine guys try and justify his actions last Sunday? They couldn’t keep a straight face!

Gallen made a mistake and I don’t think it was entirely deliberate – but there was intent on that vision and worthy of some suspension.

When Queenslanders see Thurston pulled in to face a bogus charge and Dave Taylor get a questionable 5 week ban only to see Gallen escape this ... it’s no wonder they (we) call shenanigans.

Todd Carney

Quite frankly, I’m sick of writing about this guy. Already this year I’ve expressed my own disappointment because I had no time for him, only to be inspired by the way he turned his life around. I had new respect for him but 2011 has been just like the ‘good-old-days’.

When I heard about his latest trouble all I could do was laugh.

Yeah he didn’t break any laws, throw hands or piss on another person in a urinal ... but it’s just one more to the list.

I respect the fact he can play rugby league but it’s at the stage now where I don’t want him on my television. We need to think about sponsors and the fact this guy is constantly bringing negative headlines for our game.

It’s time for the NRL to punt him for two years. He has to get his life sorted and I don’t care if that’s in England, North Queensland or PNG. If he can clean his act up then I’d be glad to have him back.

But for now, Carney has worn out his welcome and must surely have had his last chance.

TIPPING

Tips – Tigers, Broncos, Warriors, Sea Eagles, Storm, Raiders, Dragons, Sharks
Last Week – 5/8
Total –98/160(63%)

Hope your team wins,
Keyto