Marge, the season's are here!

The beginning of the Football seasons both domestically and overseas has got many people excited, myself being one of them. Don't get me wrong I love most sports, but there is just something extra special about the 90 minute struggle that the real Football provides. I for one have been dusting off the Arsenal and Jets jersey's and sending them off for a good steam clean for the coming season. Because as we all know once your favorite team gets on a winning streak you can't wash the good luck shirt!


Join in the fun
With the start of the premier League season upon us I would like to extend an open invitation to you all to join in the fun of fantasy football. Simply go to http://fantasy.premierleague.com and follow the directions to enter your own team. Then to join our private league use the following code to enter your team. Code to join this league: 397775-93156
Simple and easy! So set yourselves and your team for glory, it's a long season and only the best manager will win! Feel free to invite any of your friends that may be interested.
Skins


Over the moon
After reading the post the other day by Nath it got me thinking about the coming Football season, and I must admit that I am just a little bit excited. Ha, who am I kidding, I am super excited, matter of fact I don't think that I have been this excited in my life since I saw my first naked girl in the flesh. Sure it was from a window and it was just my cousin getting dressed, but damm she is hot! Hey don't judge me, it's legal in Tassie isn't it?

Anyway that's beside the point, I am jumping out of my skin for the new season to kick off and I'm not even playing! You've just got to love Football!
Benny


Disappointed
I must admit that I was kind of hoping that this "Dazzler" was going to turn out to be a real hard bastard and go on the attack and defend his right to write whatever he likes on this blog, and yet, he disappoints! Not only does he not defend himself, he apologises? Then to top it all off he reveals that he is a Manly fan that lives in Parramatta who has never lived in the North Shore! This story just gets better and better! Why the hell did you pick Manly as a kid? Did you "want" to get pick on at school? hahahaha comedy gold!

Dazzler just toughen up and stick by your right to write whatever the hell you want, no matter how bloody long it is!
Harmo

Double Standards
Correct me if I’m way off the track here, but can someone explain to me why the Australian selectors decided to dump batsman Philip Hughes after three test innings in England but yet retained Mitchell Johnson? Both players had a wonderful tour of South Africa earlier in the year, but after the first two Tests in England, (where both haven’t performed well) the selectors decided to drop one player but retain the other? My opinion is that Hughes has been very harshly done by. Remember that he has only three test innings in England and, one of his dismissals surrounded the controversial catch made by Andrew Strauss. I think the selectors should have kept or dropped the both of them given their mirror performances.

But their performances are nothing compared to the form of Michael Hussey. Why on earth hasn’t he being dropped? His form this year, including the last Australian summer, has been absolutely appalling. What about his first ball duck in the Third Ashes Test? Please! Don’t get me wrong, he has been a fantastic player, but at the moment his form is just not up to scratch.

So now we have an all-rounder opening the batting in Shane Watson (who played well for his 62 in the first innings) who seems to get injured every five minutes. Whoever decided not to take along a spare specialised batsmen to England should be shown the door. I would have taken either Phil Jacques or Brad Hodge along as they have previously shown that they are made for Test Cricket.

This Ashes series does have a sense of 2005 about it and if Australia fails to retain the Ashes, than it will be the selectors who should face the axe.
The Dazzler


The greatest coach?
Is rugby leagues greatest coach Wayne Bennett? There is no bias from me, as I have never supported any team that he has been involved with, I am a Bulldogs fan. But the last 12 months has got me wondering if the influence that 'Benny' has on the team he is coaching really as great as it seems, and the only answer I can come up with is yes.

Have a look at the Broncos, they have been in the competition 21 years and have only missed the finals 3 times with the last being in 1991 a whole 17 years ago. And yeah when they missed the finals they finished 6th or 7th (it was a top 5 back then) not a bad effort. They have won 6 premierships and numerous minor premierships and it was all while Wayne Bennett was coaching the side. Recently the Broncos have looked far from the team that they have previously been, with a similar playing roster to last season but guess what no Wayne Bennett. It is well known that during the origin period every year the Broncos have struggled and it is no surprise why with such a large number of players being selected for origin. But this year they haven't just struggled they have capitulated and it seems that there is nothing that Ivan Henjak can do to turn around this form slump. Surely Wayne would have had an answer.

Example 2 the Dragons, for a while the dragons have been called finals chokers and I think this is due to a lack of a highly experienced coach. The club was runners up in 4 grand finals in the 90's, 92-93-96-99 and when in 92 and 93 they were back to back runners up they were beaten by the Broncos, a side coached by Wayne Bennett. Since the turn of the century the side has been unable to make it to the biggest day of the year despite some of the great players the club has had.
But look at this season leading the competition by 4 points and likely to be minor premiers and with the best chance of claiming a premiership since the glory days, but also look at some of the players at the club. Wendell Sailor after spending years playing for the Waratahs and Wallabies and having served a 2 year drugs ban no one thought that he could make a successful return to the NRL. He has turned back the clock and is almost as good as he was 10-15 years ago at his peak. Neville Costigan a player who's career looked to be dying a slow death but this year new life has been evident. Justin Poore and Michael Weyman 2 players who only seemed to be average players which this year have been amongst the comps best forwards and NSW starting props for the origin. And Jamie Soward a player who at the Roosters only looked to be a great reserve grade player but this year is the leading point scorer and one of the best players in the competition. Answer for all of the above the 'Wayne Bennett Factor'.

New Zealand world champions, the whole world cup last year just looked like a competition to see if England or New Zealand would be beaten by the Aussies in the final. As expected the Kangaroos went undefeated into the final including a large win over the Kiwis and everyone thought how large would the margin be in the final. Well as we all know how the final finished up I won't go any further with it but guess who was the assistant coach of the Kiwis, yep you guess it Wayne Bennett.

While I don't really like the man I have to give him respect and have no doubt that Wayne Bennett is the greatest rugby league coach.
Nath