A very happy day for the Central Coast Mariners

Yes folks, the Central Coast Mariners have done it again.  On Sunday night in front of over 10 thousand fans at Bluetongue Stadium, the Central Coast Mariners beat Melbourne Victory 1-0 to secure a place in the A-league grand final against the Western Sydney Wanderers.  The stunning goal came courtesy of Daniel McBreen again (who did you expect... he was this seasons A-League Golden Boot winner).

Image: Daniel McBreen [Source: http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2012/11/16/1226509/871950-daniel-mcbreen.jpg]

This will be the fourth Grand Final appearance for the Mariners, which is impressive when you realise that there have only ever been 8 finals in the A-leagues short history.  Unfortunately they have not been able to take their chances to date.  Hopefully this will be their time.

There are promising signs.  The Mariners have had a great season, yet again scoring more than 50 points in the season (the only team to have done this in 3 successive campaigns).  The win against Melbourne Victory was also the first time anyone has beaten a team coached by Ange Postecoglou in the finals series (up until last night he'd never lost a game in any of his previous 7 finals games).  So it sounds easy then. 

Hmmm lets see... all that stands between the Mariners and the title that has eluded them, are the Western Sydney Wanderers - who have surpassed even the wildest of expectations in what has been a phenomenally successful maiden season.  Already WSW have pipped the Mariners to the Premiers Plate and they will be doing everything possible to ensure that they take out the double.  It's going to be a interesting final!!!  Watch this space...

- Scott Copland

Round 6: A Sad Day for the Bulldogs

A depressing day for any Bulldogs fan, 38-nil. Against the bloody Roosters, too. It was a much hyped game, having Sonny Bill Williams face the team he left so controversially in 2008. His first touch sadly was a try assist which was a nice play, but as a loyal doggies fan, just made me hate him more. A penalty goal from right in front left the Roosters 8-0 at half time. 7 minutes into the second half Sonny Bill scores a try on his right wing, adding further insult to injury and really shutting the crowd up.

Tony Williams yet again failed to do anything useful in the whole game, dropping the ball while reaching for the try line. Not even 2 minutes later, Mortimer went over to score the Rooster’s third (irony much?).  Poor defence by the bulldogs on their try line let Sonny Bill crash over to score his second (I may have switched the TV off at this point). A nice kick a few minutes later got Maloney over the line, and the same story happened with Jennings a few minutes after that.

Sonny Bill after scoring his first try in the corner [Source: http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2013/04/12/1226619/485735-sonny-bill.jpg ]

I’ve probably said this in every blog post so far but we need our big forwards back. The vision that Kasiano and Graham provide is invaluable to the Bulldogs. Kris Keating was also out, and he’s not the best of players, but his replacement Hodkinson didn’t play well at all. Inu is also still out for the stupid tackle on Inglis and Benny Barba really wasn’t there on the night, passing to the wingers for kick returns, he just seemed uninterested to me.

And back to Tony Williams. What a waste of money he proved to be, I don’t really like calling specific players out every week, but when you cost a reported $650,000 a season you should be doing a LOT more than he is currently. I understand he’s not an 80 minute player, and he's had to play for the full 80, but really, he’s lazy in defence and he’s run so little ball compared to other big named second rowers it’s an absolute joke. Hopefully the fact he didn't get selected for Australia will fire him up for the next match. I have mixed feelings about dropping him to NSW cup though… His natural replacement would be Alaalatoa, who isn't really up to Tony William’s standard.

Hoping we can best Cronulla next round, bottom of the table isn’t a good feeling. Copping it at work something shocking.

-   Daniel Arthur

Follow us on twitter! @isys100group10

PS: No post for representative round next week, i'll be out partying :)

NRL SuperCoach

Supercoach is an online competition that has been running for a few years; it’s basically a fantasy Football league. You get a $5,000,000 salary cap and choose your players. It’s a nice way to enjoy the NRL, depending on how they do in game they score points and your total points are tallied up and used in head-to-head matchups with other players of the game.

You choose a total for 25 players and choose a 17 man line-up week to week. It’s not all as simple as it sounds though; you have to take into account injuries, suspensions, byes and players who aren’t playing that week due to representative commitments. Players’ values go up or down depending on their week to week performances, choosing rookies who will play well and go up in value is a good way to increase the net worth of your team and then selling them off to buy the greats of the game to further increase your points per week.

Although there are some problems, the way easily score points are putting in all of the game’s greats and choosing decent, cheap rookies to play alongside them. Most teams have Farah, Cronk, Thurston, Inglis, Merrin and Smith, then surround them with rookie players. The interchange is also slightly flawed, in a typical game of NRL you’d have mostly forwards on the interchange, but in Supercoach it’s not limited, you can put a fullback, two wingers and a centre if you really wanted too.

Even with its flaws, it’s a nice way to pit your favourite players against your friends’ favourite players in private leagues or against completely random in public leagues. You can even win money for being the first overall, or first in each round. Link: http://nrlfantasy.dailytelegraph.com.au/.

- Daniel Arthur

An overview of a team in NRL Supercoach [source: http://nrlfantasy.dailytelegraph.com.au/global_2013/news/nrl/common/indexField.jpg ]

Rooster has the highest record against Parramatta within a big win

Sydney rugby Rooster has creates a new record within 50-0 to win over Parramatta in its home. Roosters have stamped themselves within a higher mark.

Sonny Bill William and Michael Jennings both given their best for the roosters in the game by bagged a hat trick as the hosts ran into nine unanswered 4 pointers.

James Maloney has good as always by kicking seven goals as the rooster held team and continues his successive after last week he beats Brisbane at 8-0.

 Jared Waera –Hargreaves has given the exciting teasing kick to the Parramatta team at after 12 minutes of the games begin get the ball from Parramatta winger Vai Tautai fumbled before Williams assed his second of the season.

Tautai;s defensive frailties were again exposed by Pearce that he has prepared for Tuivasa-Sheck  with a well weighted kick to not break his scoring duck.

Rooster’s coach Trend Robinson has presented his confidences at the beginning, but said that he was not expecting the good performance like this at the end of the game.

References:

http://au.sports.yahoo.com/news/article/-/16484963/roosters-chalk-up-record-parramatta-win/

-Cathy(Wenqi) Yang

Manchester United breaks record 25th win

After the game of Sunderland 0:1 Manchester United on March 30, 2013. Manchester United gets closer to 20th English title. They win 25 out of their first 30 games, set the best record in Premier League. If they win the remaining eight games they will reach 101 points, beating Chelsea’s record of 95.

 

Image: Sunderland defender Titus Bramble (C) deflects Robin Van Persie's shot into his own net for the winning goal. Source:http://sports.nationalpost.com/2013/03/30/sunderland-own-goal-gives-manchester-united-record-25th-win/

Manager of Manchester United, Alex Ferguson said, ‘If we win four more games, we should get the trophy.’

- Shiu Heng Tong (Wilson)

Final A-League standings - 2012-2013 season

After another weekend of great footy the normal season has come to an end and the Ladder positions have been finalised.  Congratulations to Western Sydney Wanderers for winning the Premiership in their first season.

Don't worry though, the end of the season marks the start of the finals series so you won't miss your footy fix just yet.  WSW (1st place) and the Central Coast Mariners (2nd place) can now look forward to playing semi-finals at home whilst Melbourne Victory and Adelaide United host Perth Glory and Brisbane Roar respectively in the knock out stages.

Here's how the final table looks.

Image: A-League Ladder [Source: http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league]

- Scott Copland

Round 4 – The Return of Ben Barba

Ben Barba returned to football after reported off-field issues: alleged gambling and personal problems after the breakdown of his relationship with his childhood sweetheart. Sadly the reigning Dally M medallist had a quiet return to rugby league, no ridiculous length of the field tries, just a solid game with him scoring a try in the dying minutes. They were up against the Rabbitohs on Good Friday. It also marked the return of Frank Pritchard who had been out with a groin injury, who had an equally quiet game, starting from the bench.

He was keen to get the ball, and right off the kick off Josh (not Adam, don’t get confused) Reynolds passed it straight to him. He almost looked as if he was going to break through 2 player with a beautiful dummy but it wasn't to be.

Image: Ben Barba running onto the field on Good Friday [source: http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/-k4vS9MVlm4/Bulldogs+v+Rabbitohs/ozqqVb_ab1t]

The Doggies were deep in Rabbits territory in the 13^th minute when Josh Reynolds bombed it, and 6 more tackles were awarded. They didn't even need one, after going from one wing to the other; Tony Williams got a beautiful offload out to put Mitch Brown over the line.

Adam Reynolds’ kicking game earned the Rabbits 3 repeat sets, eventually George Burgess crashing over the line, mostly from sloppy play from Tony Williams, what a great investment he was /sarcasm. A Roy Asotasi hit on Mike Ennis sent him off the field, concussed and it never helps to have your captain injured.

A smart piece of play from Inglis gave Merrit space on the outside off a Reynolds kick, with him going over for the Rabbits second. What a season he’s been having, 7^th try. Crazy stuff. Mostly due to Adam Reynold’s kicking game, but nonetheless a good season beginning for him.

Krisnan Inu was left on report after a dangerous tackle on Greg Inglis who landed on the point of his head. It was pretty funny, because no one likes Greg Inglis (let’s be honest) but it could see a 4 week ban, making him miss the ANZAC test for New Zealand and leaving another gaping hole in the Bulldogs line up.

A beautiful offload from Merritt left Goodwin with some space who went over to score the Bunnies third. A field goal from Adam Reynolds sealed the deal, but the Doggies were the ones to have the final say after a kick in the dying minutes sent Barba to score, a nice confidence booster in his returning NRL game. We’ll see how next week goes, with or without Inu.

I would REALLY like to see the Bulldogs with their full strength side, with two forwards still out in Kasiano and James Graham and the possibility (well, probability) of Inu being suspended, the Bulldogs will have a rough start to the season. I’d also like to see Tony Williams play less minutes because quite frankly he’s done nothing and got incredibly lazy in defence; I’d like to see him get those rests and show some of the form he had at Manly, he's on a reported $650,000 a year and he's NOT playing well at all. Seasons aren’t won in March, though and the Bulldogs will show why they’re the reigning minor premiers in the weeks to come.

Final Score Bulldogs 12, Rabbitohs 17.

- Daniel Arthur

GO THE DOGGIES