Aussie Team

Here's the Aussie squad:

Billy Slater, Brett Morris, Greg Inglis, Justin Hodges, Jharal Yow Yeh, Darren Lockyer (capt), Johnathan Thurston, Matt Scott, Cameron Smith, Petero Civoniceva, Sam Thaiday, Ben Creagh, Paul Gallen. Interchange: Cooper Cronk, Ben Hannant, Jamal Idris, David Shillington.

I am amazed Inglis / Yow Yeh / Idris and Shillington gets starts.....

I understand Yow Yeh is going great guns but crawl, walk, run I say. Idris can't defend, shillington has been playing ordinary and well Inglis no better, anyway I'm sure I am in the minority.

Cheers
Ross

Agree on Idris, Inglis has started to get some decent form, YowYeh is there because of injuries plus plays on the same side as Hodges and Lockyer, Shillington very lucky indeed

Inglis will always get picked on reputation, Its basically just the QLD side.
Gallen should be $1.01 for man of the match!

The kiwi's plan will be simple - run at Idris as soon as he makes it on the field. He is a terrible defender.

Shillington out - Kade Snowden in.

I'm surprised at Idris getting a run too. I didn't think either Bird or Myles should lose their spots for him.

1967Sharks said:

Inglis will always get picked on reputation, Its basically just the QLD side.
Gallen should be $1.01 for man of the match!

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I'm not 100% sure...Lockyer might get it for just turning up this year.

dazla said:

Shillington out - Kade Snowden in.

I'm surprised at Idris getting a run too. I didn't think either Bird or Myles should lose their spots for him.

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Yeah I agree on Bird (although injured and can't train) as he can cover 5/8 as well, I suppose Creagh is a bit lucky, although his club form has been outstanding.

Ross

So ONE Bulldog gets picked in the team, and it's controversial??? Funny, after reading in the "Bulldogs sign Graham" thread, I thought we were LITTERED with international talent, yet only ONE of our boys can get a start in the National team... So which is it: No Dogs deserve to be in the team, or the "salary-cap rorting" allegations are sour grapes?

Hey Axeman I admire your passion but I don't believe any comments on this thread are Bulldogs centric, it is only a comment on Idris' defence at times perhaps letting his extraordinary talent down. Like Yoh Tew I think he still needs to serve an apprenticeship, their time will come, its only coincidence he currently plays for the doggies.

I'm curious though who else in your opinion from the Dogs should have made it?

Obviously I'm a keen Dragons supporter and we have been minor premiers two years running, 2010 premiers, world club champions and are leading the comp this year, yet I can see how we could possibly have no one in the test team.

Bird / Watmough / Waterhouse for Creagh even happy to see Hindmarsh in there for him.
Hayne / Uate / Gordon for Morris.

As for the Dogs and the salary cap comment, I don't actually recall anyone saying they are littered with International talent, unlimited talent maybe, the perception of the Dogs and the cap comes with the extra ordinary number of quality players they seem to attract and the high turn over of players, it's almost an entirely new team since 2009:

Turner / Halatau / Tolman / Tandy / Hodkinson / Keating / Pritchard / Millington / Eastwood / Wright / Lett / Paea / Junior Tia-Kilifi / Payne / Romelo / Graham

Yes granted they have created some cash with the likes of El Masri / Hannant / Patten / Kimmorley and now Idris leaving the club, I suppose its just that many clubs can't / don't seem to be as aggressive and successful in the player market as the Doggies.

I am on record as saying innocent until proven guilty and really would find it unbelievable if they were.

The NSW side is a different matter again;I can easily see Ennis / Morris / Tolman / Idris and even Barba wouldn't be out of place on the bench

Cheers
Ross

hobo said:

Hey Axeman I admire your passion but I don't believe any comments on this thread are Bulldogs centric, it is only a comment on Idris' defence at times perhaps letting his extraordinary talent down. Like Yoh Tew I think he still needs to serve an apprenticeship, their time will come, its only coincidence he currently plays for the doggies.

I'm curious though who else in your opinion from the Dogs should have made it?

Obviously I'm a keen Dragons supporter and we have been minor premiers two years running, 2010 premiers, world club champions and are leading the comp this year, yet I can see how we could possibly have no one in the test team.

Bird / Watmough / Waterhouse for Creagh even happy to see Hindmarsh in there for him.
Hayne / Uate / Gordon for Morris.


As for the Dogs and the salary cap comment, I don't actually recall anyone saying they are littered with International talent, unlimited talent maybe, the perception of the Dogs and the cap comes with the extra ordinary number of quality players they seem to attract and the high turn over of players, it's almost an entirely new team since 2009:

Turner / Halatau / Tolman / Tandy / Hodkinson / Keating / Pritchard / Millington / Eastwood / Wright / Lett / Paea / Junior Tia-Kilifi / Payne / Romelo / Graham

Yes granted they have created some cash with the likes of El Masri / Hannant / Patten / Kimmorley and now Idris leaving the club, I suppose its just that many clubs can't / don't seem to be as aggressive and successful in the player market as the Doggies.

I am on record as saying innocent until proven guilty and really would find it unbelievable if they were.

The NSW side is a different matter again;I can easily see Ennis / Morris / Tolman / Idris and even Barba wouldn't be out of place on the bench

Cheers
Ross

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The above comments I have to say are quite fair and well thought out. And I can see the logic in "walking before running" with regard to Idris and Yow Yeh. It just annoys me the constant veiled references on many forums about the dogs salary cap situation because of 1 major rort years ago! And year after year we have half a dozen teams fined or warned about being over the cap, (usually marginally, or via a "technicality"). In my opinion, with the grief the Dogs and Storm have copped for admittedly large breaches, I think it's hipocritical of most teams fans to call them out. Its like someone caught speeding by 10km/h saying how deplorable someone caught going 70km/h is. The person going 70 km/h over is undoubtable a shmuck, but shouldn't that be said by someone with a clean slate rather than someone who constantly gets booked for low range offences?

Also people are quick to point out the plkayers coming into certain teams, but don't consider the players leaving. The Dogs since the salary cap breach (in most cases) have lost (among others), Anasta, Thurston, O'Meley, Mason, Asotasi, SBW, Patten, El Mazri, Kimmorley (although not a prime Kimmorley), Jarrod Hickey Steve Price, Vagana, among others. Thats a hell of a lot of salary freed up, which has obviously gone to a lot of new players. I don't think people realise exactly how bad the team that lost Mason and SBW actually WAS for that year and the next couple, I don't think that team would've won NSW Cup!... I stopped watching most of their damn games for a few season!

With regard to the Canterbury team now and the Australian team, I can honestly say that while I'm happy with the team we have, I don't think anyone really "walks in" to the Aussie team. Morris might've been in the mix with an uninterrupted season, Jamal is waiting in the wings, but as I said he could probably use a BIT more experience. For the NSW team we've got a few live chances that may or may not make it, and whether they do or not, I'll support the NSW team. Although I reserve the right to NOT support the damn selectors! lol!

Inglis will always get picked on reputation, Its basically just the QLD side.
Gallen should be $1.01 for man of the match!

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Justin well done on pickin the man of the match.

sharkiefan0102 said:

Justin well done on pickin the man of the match.

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All congratulations goes to Paul Gallen, we are so lucky as Sharks fans we get that every week.

gallen is a machine i wish he would play like he did tonight for cronulla instead of always trying to do everything himself

And there goes Souths season!

Verse1 said:

And there goes Souths season!

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Souths season was done after round 1

I agree, Idris is a sloppy defender, and shouldn't have walked straight into the Test Team. Yow Yeh less so, he's a quality player, and his combinations with the other Broncos in the team certainly got him his place.

The Dogs salary cap scandal was an embarrassment for all fans of the club. I spent quite a few years too ashamed to even say I was a Doggies fan. As far as comparisons with the Storm situation go, I don't know enough about the finer details of each to make any valid comment. But, I think it's like comparing one turd with another. They're both turds. Since then, many bad eggs have been shafted from the club, both board members and players. I think Todd Greenberg has done a super job getting the club back on it's feet, and I'm now have no problems showing my support for the team. Yes we committed the crime, but I also feel we've done the time. The team was pretty woeful for quite a few years, and given the crime, it was deserved. They were that bad I stopped watching too.

I don't think there's anything suspicious about their current playing roster though, a lot of our best performers tend to be rookies who we get cheap, and then lose to other clubs once they have demonstrated their worth (Thurston, SBW, Asotasi, Idris, Barba etc) That also explains why they have such a high turnover of players, they have a strong juniors base and a bit of talent coming through the ranks. Because of the salary cap, they can't keep them all. I think the current playing roster shows a bit more of an even spending on players, and the money freed up by the loss of Idris would definitely cover the signing of Graham. I understand your frustration though Axeman, it is still brought up on a regular basis, and it's not always fair, especialy given what's happened in the nine years since then. I guess sports fans have good memories sometimes, and mud tends to stick, even for a decade it seems. But in saying that, I think Hobo's right, nobody on this thread is having a dig at them as far as I can see. I realise though you were talking about a different thread.

If I had my way, no Dogs would be picked for rep teams. The two premiership points are worth more to me than a Test Match victory, and I'd like to see them playing in the blue & white every week! Drop Idris from the team!!! He owes us a few more good performances before he shogs off to the sunny Gold Coast.

PS Anymore red hot tips Justin? Nice one, I hope you got on that $1.01!!

Couple of points:
Hobo: Barba is a QLD so forget about him playing for NSW
DamoG: Who are you losing Barba to??... Idris was NOT on a big contract, (he is from next year with the Titans) you can't justify Idris contract money for Graham....

They're not losing Barba to anyone yet, I just listed him as the latest newcomer to be playing well for them, and he's probably not getting paid what he will soon be worth. And no Idris is not on a big contract, but they were offering him one for the coming years. After that fell through, they spent the money elsewhere, Graham. If they were ignoring the cap again, they would probably be keeping Idris!

Do you think their current squad isn't under the cap?

On 2SM Talkin' Sport Greenberg was interviewed regarding the signing of Graham, he said that the Dogs had been speaking to him since Nov 2010 to, keeping this in mind, the dogs also offered Idris a big contract and were very confident in signing him, even Greenberg was quoted saying they were very confident, so you can't say that Idris "future" money has gone to Graham..
You have also paid big money for JMorris, Hodkinson, Pritchard, Eastwood, Tolman, Ennis, now the question do i think your under the salary cap, well Yes, if your not Greenberg desrves to be shot, i am thinking your probably back ending and front loading contracts.....

I'm guessing Graham wasn't the only player they were talking to, that's a very long bow mate. I have a girlfriend, but I still perv on the odd chick. If she gives me the flick (perhaps after reading this over my shoulder ...), I'll be getting amongst them. It's pretty common for clubs to speak with quality players on the market, it happens every day. That's how you work out the most effective way to spend your money, shop around, gauge player values. Before I bought my last car, I looked at more than one. This doesn't equate to a contract and a salary cap breach. You've never been window shopping? I agree completely though, if they are over the cap Greenberg should be shot. I'll be in the queue to pull the trigger.

While I don't think Idris should have walzted straight into the Test team, the fact is he did. A club wouldn't lose a player of this calibre if they were rorting the cap. He was involved in talks with Newcastle too, but that didn't mean they had a contract.

Your missing my point, sure clubs suss out players, they actually forecast rosters from 1-5 years and i said before i don't think your rorting, i just made an observation that Greenberg was very confident of Idris signing, so obviously money was put aside for him and so was for Graham....