Official NRL 2012 Thread | Boncos win worst jersey design

[Megaman]

'Early' means an hour before kick off.

[pilonv1]

That's earlier than any Eels game in the last 2 years, which never sold out.

[Candy Arse]

Which makes perfect sense given how terrible they are.

[pilonv1]

Which was implied by me saying they never sold out.

[Madmya]

Because they are so shit.

[pilonv1]

Were shit

[Madmya]

Buying an inconsistent player to fix your inconsistent performances won't help.

[DjBigK]

Canterbury and Gold Coast will be the biggest improvers.

Thurston was still carrying that injured knee even in the Four Nations.

I'm tempted to go to Sydney for Round 1 against Parramatta.

Eels to be biggest improvers IF, and it's a big IF, they can get their attitude and motivation right.

[DjBigK]

Buying an inconsistent player to fix your inconsistent performances won't help.

As much as their results were fundamentally shit, they have the quality to easily be a top 4 team and on their day can beat anyone. They blew some big leads in the mid stage of the season, and came very close against highly fancied opposition along the way not picking up many points. As a result they were out of the running and their already spasmodic motivation was gone completely until the final round where they needed a win to save face and avoid the spoon.

With the pressure largely off them this season it could be quite different, they tend to perform at their best when noone believes in them and they have a point to prove.

In terms of their results, nothing will surprise me with them.

On the other hand the fact that theirr continued to be pretty good attendances at their home game despite their poor position on the table was slightly surprising.

[pilonv1]

They'll be better purely based on the fact that Robson won't be playing anymore.

[westical]

[Madmya]

Fucking. Lol.

Douchebags.

[pilonv1]

Just the right bunch of fuckwits for it to happen to.

[Candy Arse]

Agree with the above two posts.

[pilonv1]

All Star jerseys are going to have club logos on the sleeves, club stripes and an Artie Beetson tribute

[DjBigK]

All-Star shirts look quite good, the Beetson tribute and club logos are nice touches.

[pilonv1]

It's really classy. I wonder if they're going to sell the all-star jerseys with club logos? Or just the generic ones they sell now?

[Madmya]

I forgot Buderus was back for the Knights:

Fullback: Darius Boyd
Five-eighth: Kurt Gidley
Halfback: Jarrod Mullen
Hooker: Danny Buderus

Not a bad spine, Buderus might be past it though? I'd imagine he'd be the slowest hooker in the league.

[mxlegend99]

The 2012 NRL All Stars team for the 2012 Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars game on February 4 at Skilled Park on the Gold Coast is:

Josh Dugan (Canberra Raiders)
Jason Nightingale* (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Jack Reed* (Brisbane Broncos)
Michael Jennings (Penrith Panthers)
Manu Vatuvei (Warriors)
Benji Marshall - Captain (Wests Tigers) #
Cooper Cronk* (Melbourne Storm)
Kade Snowden* (Newcastle Knights)
Cameron Smith (Melbourne Storm) #
Luke Bailey (Gold Coast Titans)
Nathan Hindmarsh (Parramatta Eels)
David Taylor (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Paul Gallen (Cronulla Sharks)

Interchange:
Adam Blair (Wests Tigers)
Frank Pritchard* (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves* (Sydney Roosters)
Tony Williams* (Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles)
Brent Tate* (North Queensland Cowboys)

Coach's Selections:
Luke Lewis* (Penrith Panthers)
Ben Hornby* (St George Illawarra Dragons)

Not a bad team. Although if Wayne was going to select 2 utility players I think Jarryd Hayne or Kurt Gidley would have been better choices than Ben Hornby. That said... with Luke Lewis as one selection there's not much point in picking another utility anyway. IMO a specialist hooker would have made more sense. Every position is well and truly covered between the fan picked bench and Luke Lewis except for hooker.

Cam Smith shouldn't have to play 80 minutes in what is essentially a trial match. With a 20 man squad, a specialist hooker would offer more to the side then a second utility who wouldn't be much of a hooker replacement.

[Madmya]

He picked Gidley last year. Good team.

[pilonv1]

I'm sure they'll play Cronk/Hornby at hooker anyway. It's just a trial it doesn't really matter.

[Madmya]

Nah man white pride. And maori pride.

[westical]

What's with the astericks in the list?

[Madmya]

My guess is All Stars debut?

[westical]

Could well be, love your work.