Dropped The Hall

The Sydney Swans have resorted to dropping spearhead Barry Hall for the next game or two. He could probably have been dropped for form alone but it did seem obvious that he wasn't as fit as he should be. A mid season wake up call could mean he will come back and absolutely run rings around any opposing player. It may also act as a motivator to the rest of the team who may have been in the mindset that Barry will make it happen. Without him everyone else needs to lift otherwise they will be the next to be dropped. I am sure that the layers know this and are pumped for a big game against league leaders Geelong. It will be a tough ask traveling down there, a ground that Geelong has made into a fearful fortress. I think the job might be too huge but I am still hopeful. A good show here could still be a turning point in our season to make a run for the finals.

Also dropped for this week is Adam Schneider and Heath Grundy. They make way for Nick Davis, Jarred Moore and debutant Matt Laidlaw. Good luck to the young fella it will sure be a huge welcome to the big league. Good on Roos for backing the youngster in the crunch game.

Gower Treason

So Craig Gower is planning to not only to switch codes, but also to switch countries. No big deal right? Well not necessarily. A lot of people would agree that this would be a good move for him after all the dramas he has had from the media this year. However, he went on radio proclaiming that he isn't going anywhere, instead he will see out his current contract with the Panthers. That was Sunday with 2gb's Continuous Call Team. By Tuesday Gower has changed his tune and he is now heading to France to play Rugby. His decision to seek a release is exacerbated by the release of emerging five-eighth, Peter Wallace, to the Broncos. Now the Panthers have no halves combination and have to start from scratch. That could take years to develop a tight unit in the play making division. They have unproven players there at the moment, some of whom must take this opportunity to step up and show how good they are. St George recruit, Richie Williams, would be a prime candidate. Unfortunately I see some tough years ahead for the Panthers and their supporters.

I Can't Take It

I must be the worst at watching my own team when the chips are down.

Saturday night Vs Collingwood was one of the worst games I have seen the Swans play. Coinciding with one of the biggest blown opportunities I have ever seen. A win would have pulled Sydney up to forth, while a loss has left them crowded back in the pack with all the other final eight aspirants.

I think what gets me the most is that after watching a game like that on TV I feel like I have just wasted a Saturday night where I could have been more productive. It's different being at the game because the crowd can make even a poor game somewhat enjoyable.

I need to turn off and get away from it just for my own sanity. I check in every now and then, if things have improved I might stick around, otherwise I continue with other pursuits.

I can be very philosophical after a loss. Pretty much all the losses we have had this season we have deserved to lose. We are no longer the team of 2005, we had a small window of opportunity and we took it and I am grateful for that opportunity to celebrate a premiership. At least I can say that my team won a grand final in my lifetime. Not all supporters can say that.

I don't think I could be called a sook by walking away from the TV. I don't go off and sulk (what a sook would do). Rather, I go and do other things that are a better use of that time. Why potentially sacrifice mental health just for the sake of it?

Of course if my team completes a magical comeback to win I would be disappointed to have missed it. Unfortunately though, this year has brought more horrible losses than miraculous comebacks (eg Semi Final 2005 Vs Geelong), so I have felt justified in my absence.

Now that the game is officially over I can now publish this post.

New Wallabies Jersey

Our nation Rugby teams has just unveiled the jersey they will be wearing in their quest to take their third world cup.

The Peter Parker inspired creation of suppliers Canterbury has brought mixed reaction, and it is only early days.

It features rubber web like inserts around the shoulders meant for grip in the scrum. They called it a "one percenter".

To me the best Wallabies jersey was from the Nick Farr Jones (left) led team that won in 1991. Plain gold with a green collar, green shorts and green and gold socks. Then Reebok came along and tried to mess with it (right). Is this just a case of another clothing manufacturer taking science two far? Or should we be more accepting of jersey innovations? After all, it's just laundry. If you can't play then the most scientifically enhanced jersey is not going to help. Sometime I would just like the jersey to be left alone as most of the time older versions look better than newer fancier creations.

Changing Mid Stream

I have never liked seeing players signing with other clubs before the season is out. The most recent examples of signings have been:

• Craig Wing from Sydney Roosters to Souths
• Joel Clinton from Penrith to Brisbane
• Peter Wallace from Penrith to Brisbane
• Mark O'Meley from Canterbury to Sydney Roosters

I can only speak from personal experience here. I played with Baulkham Hills juniors in the Sydney AFL for five years. Midway through my last season in U/18's I knew I wasn't going to be there the next year. My performance dropped as my heart wasn't at the club anymore, it was already looking forward to the next year with a new club.

I can't see how these footballers are able to put in their all when there is no future for them at that club. What if things aren't to well? How do team mates react to the one who is going elsewhere, jumping ship it may be called.

Penrith have dealt with this in a way by dropping Wallace to reserve grade and promoting their latest recruit Richie Williams from St George.

That's the other thing. I have never seen so many players change clubs mid season and play first grade straight away. Granted there have only been 2 or 3 but previously I have never seen any, so that a 200% + increase on previous years.

Aussie Footy in Scotland

Courtesy of The Winning Zone is a write up about the development of Aussie Rules in Scotland. Described by World Footy News as "one of the best write-ups of Australian footy you are likely to see in international media." You are also able to, "find out more on the excellent work of the SARFL in not only growing the game, but in achieving real progress for some of Scotland's youth."

Dollars On His Mind

The Daily Telegraph today reports that the Broncos Warhorse, Petero Civoniceva, has been "axed". Of course this just means that he has not renewed his contract past this season. The headline is mellowed even further when they add that he rejected the Broncos first offer. Instead he will upwards of $400,000 a season in the English Super League. Civoniceva is reportedly "shattered by the reality that this would be his last season at the club." He's shattered yet he rejected their offer. You can't do that and expect to get away with it. I'm sure he is already on good money and was offered something similar to extend his time with the Broncos. But he saw dollar sign and a healthy retirement.

You could say how sad it is that there seems to be no room for loyalty in sport any more. But on the flipside, if Civoniceva had a big enough sense of loyalty he would have taken whatever the Broncos were offering.

So don't shattered Petero. You wanted dollars, now you will get them by the pound.

Just A Tad Premature

Two months ago I proclaimed I was on the bunny bandwagon. I still believe they on on the up and up but right now the are stagnating. They have found it difficult to score points, and we all know how important they are if you want to win a match of anything.

At their height there was uproar at Nathan Merritt's omission from the City Rep side. He drew the race card and was told that if he just keeps doing what he has been doing he will be noticed by selectors. Well guess what? He hasn't done jack all since, not an addition of one single try. That is why he wasn't selected, nothing to do with the fact he is aboriginal. His consistency and work rate is the issue.

Jason Taylor is a genius, but perhaps we all have to be a bit more patient with the bunnies, especially the players.

Origin Series Loss

While I am disappointed that New South Wales lost the series tonight, I am able to look at the loss philosophically and say that we probably didn't deserve to win.

There was a lot of ordinary in the play from both teams where only one or two players proved the difference. Cameron Smith was that difference along with playmaker Johnathon Thurstan. Their awareness around the rucks created the go forward and made plenty of easy metres up the guts.

No one really stood out as playing badly in the New South Wales team. There were just plenty who were very unspectacular. Braith Anasta disappeared, I don't think he took a kick for the whole game. Jamie Lyon proved that he didn't really deserve his place with a lacklustre performance. Brett Kimmorley while working very hard lacked flair in attack. As a result they never looked like breaking the Queensland line. Their only try was a soft dive from dummy half.

I don't think the selectors will make wholesale changes for game three, despite a few not really showing they deserve it. Not even Jarrod Mullen, even though he is the next big thing in rugby league. Let him start afresh next year with a brand new series.

Now for the dead rubber which arguably shouldn't be played now that the series is won. The players say they are playing for pride. It needs to be more than that for clubs to potentially lose their star players for the business end of the season.

West Coast Demise?

On Friday night I witnessed the last quarter and a half of the the Essendon v West Coast match. West Coast squandered a 30 point margin to somehow only lose by 1 point. Where's the fight that won them the grand final last year and almost win the year before? Is their steely resolve showing some chinks in the armour?

Chris Judd is their superstar but unfortunately he can't break a pack and then drill a 50m pass to himself. It's just not physically possible, although with Judd you never say never about anything. Daniel Kerr has gone missing too frequently in recent games and their forward line is still lacking firepower now that they have to work a lot harder to score their goals.

Essendon beating both grand finalists by 1 point in consecutive weeks. Surely that hasn't been done very often. One for the statisticians to check out. I'm not disappointed to see West Coast have a downer but after Essendon beat my team by a point I wasn't too keen on seeing their winners jubilation again. Although I think having the Eagles in a bit of a slump outweighs any Bomber resurgence.

Geelong should win today and knock them off their perch. Is it preemptive to suggest a slide out of the top eight?