ParisSurtout
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Everything posted by ParisSurtout
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Good to see the fans of Championship clubs --- present and future -- are so willing to yawn up. I guess that is why they will always be mere Championship club fans. -
Just a bit of a twist on the old "how many grounds have you been to?" topics we've had in the past. How many grounds in the northern hemisphere have you been to to watch rugby league which have a panoramic view of the playing field from at least one sideline stand, and which have decent toilet facilities (extensive urinals and sit down closed cubicles for men, and multiple sit down enclosed cubicles for women)? I have been to most of those: KC in Hull DW in Wigan Galpharm in Huddersfield Gilbert Brutus in Perpignan Ernest Wallon in Toulouse Elland Road in Leeds The Stoop in London Twickenham in London Wembley in London Murrayfield in Edinburgh Milllenium in Cardiff The fact is that all of these other than Gilbert Brutus are dual use or triple use (football, rugby union, rugby league), with Wembley being multi use and Tickenham being primarily rugby union and Elland Road primarily soccer. So of all the Super League clubs stadia only Gilbert Brutus is a dedicated rugby league stadium with modern facilities appropriate for the 21st century. It will be joined by the new St Helens stadium in 2012. How many have a decent restaurant or seated cafes, as well as a large bars? None for the general fan (DW and Galpharm have modern restaurant facilities for the special elite), Wembley and Twickenham for members, but Gilbert Brutus in 2011 and St Helens in 2012 will have modern restaurant and bars for all premium seated fans. Alll of this shows how backward rugby league is in looking after their fans' convenience. Bravo only to Les Catalans and St Helens. Gentle pat on the back to Wigan, Hull FC, Huddersfield, Warrington and Harlequins. Shame on the rest.
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After watching both Wigan and Sydney Roosters recently I have concluded that if Wigan are SL Grand Final winners (as appears likely), and if Sydney Roosters are the NRL Grand Final winners (as now seems more likely), Wigan will not get close to the Australian club. Last night's victory of the Sydney Roosters over Parramatta was one of the most scintillating and breathtaking displays of open rugby league that I have ever seen. The ball was thrown from one side to the other, as forwards and backs smashed through the Danilel Anderson coached Parramatta defence. Moreover the Roosters displayed a defensive technique that no SUper League club is likely to penetrate more than once. (One has to discount the one try by the freakish Jarred Hayne, because no SL player has the talents of Jarred Hayne). As much as I admire some of the talented Wigan players, their forwards will struggle to break even with the Roosters pack, while they simply cannot compete with the likes of Pearce and Carney in the halves, and Shaun Kenny-Dowall and Kate Linnett in the centres, and Anthony Minichiello at full back.
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Steve Deakin back in Perpignan
ParisSurtout replied to audois's topic in The General Rugby League Forum
No, Deakin was replaced by David Waite, who coached the side for all of 2006. Mick Potter came in 2007, after Waite became unpopular with a lot of people, as usually happens. -
Saints Stadium 3D Tour
ParisSurtout replied to Whacky Llama's topic in The General Rugby League Forum
No, but I have been to Wigan often. I have even slept in Wigan for two nights in a row. That was close enough to St Helens for my liking. Nothing against the Saints fans. I love the adventurous ones who come to France to see the Catalans. We had a great time together. But given the disgraceful state of Nose Leigh Road, I have never had a reason to go to St Helens. -
Saints Stadium 3D Tour
ParisSurtout replied to Whacky Llama's topic in The General Rugby League Forum
You mean people who speak English better than they speak Dari or Hindi? I hope so. I am also concerned that they don't try to force very spicy curries on us, disguised as food. Some us will be quite happy with baguettes with poulet, or jambon et fromage, and also croque monsieur. -
I have not been able to make contact with my friends in Australia yet. But I will soon. Matt Orford was filmed sitting in the crowd at Bluetongue Stadium in Gosford last weekend, when Manly played Wests Tigers. He was sitting next to a Manly player who has been charged with sexual assault and behind several Manly reserve players. He seemed at ease, though for all I know he could have been pining for Bradford.
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Luke Patten and Ryan Tandy to....
ParisSurtout replied to Northern Exposure's topic in The General Rugby League Forum
Patten and Tandy are a good step forward for Salford. They probaby need another impressive forward to go with him, and probably a Polynesian, and one top class centre. I look forward to Salford in their brand new stadium --- hopefully almost as swank as St Helens stadium --- firing on all cylinders in the 2012 competition. -
Saints Stadium 3D Tour
ParisSurtout replied to Whacky Llama's topic in The General Rugby League Forum
I am impressed. I am sure that the management and supporters of Toulouse will be impressed when they come to play there in 2012. My only concern is with the elevation. I always like to get an elevated seat so that I can get a panoramic view of the playing field. Of all the English stadia KC stadium does that best for me. Wiigan and Galpharm are not bad, though not as good as KC. Of the French stadia Ernest Wallon, Aime Giral, and the top of the main stand at Gilbert Brutus are all good. But I got the impression that the new Saints stadium elevation may not be that good. I hope that I am wrong. Forcing the visiting sides' fans to stand on a terrace behind the posts is a good disciplinary move. -
You bet that traffic would increase more than the 80 posted contributions and 1825 viewings of this thread? That would constitute a massive increase in site traffic ---of the kind that we have seen in rare cases, such as on my Wigan-Melbourne thread, where so far there have been 139 postings and 5,000 viewings!. But thanks for posting on my threads, mate. You have contributed to the massive traffic increase on the site, and we are all delighted, in some cases even amused, to read whatever it is that you try to write.
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Inglis wants to go to Brisbane to be near his sweetheart Sally. He is waiting on Melbourne's decision whether or not they will release him. If they do release Inglis then it means that nobody else other than Inglis needs to be released. If they don't release Inglis then it means that they can fit all Big Four inside their salary cap. Either way, Bill Slater will not be coming to Super League, nor going to any other NRL club.
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Before his appointment as what? Nigel Wood has done nothing in the past two years since he was appointed CEO other than arrange for important international matches to be held in obscure, hard to get to stadia. We have been rewarded with small crowds. Nigel Wood is the master lowballer of international rugby league. The only good things that have happened to rugby league in Britain and France --- like franchises, admitting Catalans and Crusaders, Four Nations, regular World Cups etc. --- have been the brainchildren of Richard Lewis. All that Nigel Wood has done for rugby league has been to keep the M62's pie, fish and chip, and pizza shops financially afloat during the recession.
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Yes, it's the very same one!
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The Bradford journalists -- if that is what the T & A writers consider themselves -- are so damned lazy. In 8 hours from now I will call some journalist friends in Australia to see if they know anything solid about Orford and his attitude to Bradford.
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The Fox Sports article contains the following passage: "Despite Bradford declaring they wanted to see him play out his contract, the 32-year-old is reportedly keen to return to the NRL, where he is believed to be chasing a two-year deal. " So it offers further evidence that Orford does want to go back to Australia!
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I second the motion!
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That newspaper report is seven weeks old! I am quoting from today's papers in Australia. Why doesn't some English journalist --- especially from the T & A -- get off his bum and call Orford now?
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Canberra fans are excited about the prospects of having Matt Orford there. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl...r-1225895857488 I would like to know what the dispute is between Orford and Bradford.
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This story now really has some legs. With Kimmorley likely to follow Barrett into retirement, it seems that Canberra are now also interested in Matt Orford. The other news is that Orford is in dispute with Bradford! http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl...r-1225895857488
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Incidentally, I do not want Bradford to remain weak. As I have written in another thread, it is important to have more competitive clubs with a shot at winning the two competitions. An all-conquering Wigan juggernaut is not in the interests of Super League and hence not in the interests of rugby league in the northern hemisphere. However the future at Bradford is looking grim on the player front. At least they will have a competent coach next year, which should help their on field performances considerably. But they will still have to strengthen their player roster, and get the ball moving on a new ground.
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Royce Simmons is an unknown quantity. He could turn out to be good, We don't know. Michael McGuire has turned out to be a great coach. I predict that with the increased firepower from Melbourne, Wigan will smash all opposition next year. Only Warrington, St Helens and Leeds have the talent to get close to them. I am not completely happy about this, because it is not good for Super League to have one club too dominant.
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Trent Barrett has just confirmed that he is retiring at the end of this season. http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-...0722-10mmq.html This eliminates one option that Parramatta had. It will increase the interest from Parrramata in Matt Orford.
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Compare his salary to David Gallop's. Then compare their work loads and performances.
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There won't be scores of better players than Finch and Hoffman available, and certainly not two and three of near their standard, such as Hull got this year with Long, Fitzgibbon and O'Meley. The market is almost closed down, it is slim pickings left, and if Inglis goes to Brisbane, as seems likely, Melbourne will keep almost all their remaining stars.
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No. I am saying that there will be no massive influx of star players from the NRL to Super League for 2011, such as Wigan have picked up from Melbourne. Everyone in the State of Origin and Kiwi teams, plus the young rising stars, are signed up for 2011.