I have to admit, this is the time of year that I love, not for cold bright crisp mornings or for using lots of de-icer and elbow grease, but for the fact that the Gillette Rugby League Yearbook is available.
Like other years I've been Quick-Draw McGraw and ordered early. Once more it has delivered and failed to disappoint.
Now for a self confessed statto like me there is so much to admire and commit to the brainbox - for example did you know that Danny Washbrook of Wakefield was the top tackler in Super League and despite Rangi Chase playing just 17 games all season for Castleford, he got 29 try assists?
It still pales into insignificance compared with Leigh's Martyn Ridyard (hope he enjoyed the plug there) who had a hand or foot in 51 tries for the Centurions. Okay that is from my stats and not the Gillette Rugby League Yearbook but you get the idea of the myriad of facts that adorn its pages.
For someone who spends a lot of time preparing for games so that my commentary is as full as possible, this book is the perfect addition to my library but I don't feel it just suits RL folks like me, there is lots in here for fans to like and enjoy, from the review of the year, a look back on Grand Finals, Cup Finals and the international scene and lots of brilliant pictures too.
I'd certainly recommend it!
Showing posts with label Rugby League. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rugby League. Show all posts
Thursday, 29 November 2012
Saturday, 6 November 2010
#rugbyleague BLOG 2010/2011: Match Record 1: Leigh Miners v Dudley Hill.
Entry 5: 6th November
I've decided that over the course of the next twelve months I'm going to blog about every game that I've either been watching as a spectator or covered. This means that by the time the end of September 2011 arrives there should be a whole host of games that I've written about and I'm quite interested about where my travels take me.
Match number: 1
Location: Twist Lane, Leigh.
Game: Leigh Miners v Dudley Hill
Score: 42-12
It was the Miners who got the better of their plucky visitors despite the Bradford side having the better of play at the start of both halves.
It took Miners a good twenty minutes to settle into the game and the first try came when Flannery cleverly linked with Woods and his pass sent Ryan Smith racing in for the first of his hat-trick. Tom Bradbury added the goal and Miners led 6-0.
A few minutes later Dudley Hill were reduced to twelve men after their fullback butted one of the Miners players.
The hosts took advantage of the extra man with tries from workaholic Darryl Kay and Smith before half-time and led 18-0 at the interval.
Once again the visitors bossed territory at the start of the second half but fell further behind when Jimmy Muir outpaced the defence from sixty metres. There was no let up as Smith followed a Scott O'Brien break for his hat-trick and O'Brien himself got in on the act after some almost super human work from John Woods. The final Miners try went the way of birthday boy Kay with Bradbury adding his 7th goal.
Hill scored a couple of converted tries themselves to add some respectability to the score while Miners ended their run of two defeats to move within touching distance at the top of the table again after the 42-12 win.
I've decided that over the course of the next twelve months I'm going to blog about every game that I've either been watching as a spectator or covered. This means that by the time the end of September 2011 arrives there should be a whole host of games that I've written about and I'm quite interested about where my travels take me.
Match number: 1
Location: Twist Lane, Leigh.
Game: Leigh Miners v Dudley Hill
Score: 42-12
It was the Miners who got the better of their plucky visitors despite the Bradford side having the better of play at the start of both halves.
It took Miners a good twenty minutes to settle into the game and the first try came when Flannery cleverly linked with Woods and his pass sent Ryan Smith racing in for the first of his hat-trick. Tom Bradbury added the goal and Miners led 6-0.
A few minutes later Dudley Hill were reduced to twelve men after their fullback butted one of the Miners players.
The hosts took advantage of the extra man with tries from workaholic Darryl Kay and Smith before half-time and led 18-0 at the interval.
Once again the visitors bossed territory at the start of the second half but fell further behind when Jimmy Muir outpaced the defence from sixty metres. There was no let up as Smith followed a Scott O'Brien break for his hat-trick and O'Brien himself got in on the act after some almost super human work from John Woods. The final Miners try went the way of birthday boy Kay with Bradbury adding his 7th goal.
Hill scored a couple of converted tries themselves to add some respectability to the score while Miners ended their run of two defeats to move within touching distance at the top of the table again after the 42-12 win.
Friday, 5 November 2010
#rugbyleague BLOG 2010/2011: Looking ahead to the Kumuls
Entry 4: 5th November
There may well be fireworks tonight but be rest assured there will also be some tomorrow when New Zealand take on Australia and Papua New Guinea meet England in the Four Nations.
I've already gone into quite a lot of detail as to where I feel there have been deficiencies in the England game but pride really is at stake against a PNG team shorn of many of their stars and struggling.
Having said that, the Kumuls are not to be taken lightly. They boast a quintet of players that all have experience of the English game, playing for teams such as Sheffield (Menzie Yere), Featherstone (and from next year Wakefield in the case of Jessie Joe Parker), Halifax (Makali Aizue) and Hunslet pair Michael Mark and the superbly named Charlie Wabo.
Yere has just completed his second season in the Championship with the Eagles and still appears to be improving. His defensive work against Australia earned him the nickname "Jukebox" in the Aussie press.
Parker was having a tremendous season with Featherstone before having to return home. Certainly for the first half of the year, the raw boned centre was Rovers main go-to attacking player and even claimed a couple of tries against Warrington in a 48-24 defeat.
Aizue has had something of a mixed year at Halifax. After joining them in the close season and playing a few games, he got injured and then fell out of favour only to force his way back into contention in the closing stages. He turned in a couple of inspirational performances at the end of the season, including a crackerjack performance in the Championship Grand Final as Halifax recovered from 22-4 down to win 23-22 in extra time.
The last names I mentioned were those of Michael Mark and Charlie Wabo. Both have done well for Hunslet this year having first come over to try their luck in England after the 2008 World Cup. Wabo is a clever hooker and caused the Kiwi defence a couple of problems last week, especially when he chipped over the defence and regathered to then send stand off Glen Nami racing to the line. Mark is a winger small in stature, big on heart that has had little chance to show his wares in this competition but has scored a number of memorable tries for the Hawks.
It is hoped that England do not take to their task with any complacency. The team should have too much for PNG and for the first time on tour, club halfbacks Kevin Brown and Luke Robinson are paired together while Tony Clubb of Harlequins returns to the international side alongside Warrington's Garreth Carvell who is on the bench. There is also a recall at substitute for Gareth Widdop.
Here is the England team in full:
1 Sam Tomkins (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Patricks)
2 Ryan Hall (Leeds Rhinos, Oulton Raiders)
3 Leroy Cudjoe (Huddersfield Giants, Newsome)
4 Tony Clubb (Harlequins RL, Greenwich Admirals)
5 Tom Briscoe (Hull FC, Featherstone Lions)
6 Kevin Brown (Huddersfield Giants, Thatto Heath)
7 Luke Robinson (Huddersfield Giants, Siddal)
8 James Graham (St Helens, Blackbrook) (capt)
9 James Roby (St Helens, Blackbrook)
10 Sam Burgess (South Sydney, Dewsbury Moor)
11 Gareth Ellis (Wests Tigers, Castleford Lock Lane)
12 Ben Westwood (Warrington Wolves, Normanton Knights)
13 Sean O'Loughlin (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Patricks)
Interchange
14 Darrell Griffin (Huddersfield Giants, Oxford Cavaliers)
15 Garreth Carvell (Warrington Wolves, Stanningley)
16 Ben Harrison (Warrington Wolves, Barrow Island)
17 Gareth Widdop (Melbourne Storm, King Cross)
Hopefully I'll be blogging a little more positively after the game!
There may well be fireworks tonight but be rest assured there will also be some tomorrow when New Zealand take on Australia and Papua New Guinea meet England in the Four Nations.
I've already gone into quite a lot of detail as to where I feel there have been deficiencies in the England game but pride really is at stake against a PNG team shorn of many of their stars and struggling.
Having said that, the Kumuls are not to be taken lightly. They boast a quintet of players that all have experience of the English game, playing for teams such as Sheffield (Menzie Yere), Featherstone (and from next year Wakefield in the case of Jessie Joe Parker), Halifax (Makali Aizue) and Hunslet pair Michael Mark and the superbly named Charlie Wabo.
Yere has just completed his second season in the Championship with the Eagles and still appears to be improving. His defensive work against Australia earned him the nickname "Jukebox" in the Aussie press.
Parker was having a tremendous season with Featherstone before having to return home. Certainly for the first half of the year, the raw boned centre was Rovers main go-to attacking player and even claimed a couple of tries against Warrington in a 48-24 defeat.
Aizue has had something of a mixed year at Halifax. After joining them in the close season and playing a few games, he got injured and then fell out of favour only to force his way back into contention in the closing stages. He turned in a couple of inspirational performances at the end of the season, including a crackerjack performance in the Championship Grand Final as Halifax recovered from 22-4 down to win 23-22 in extra time.
The last names I mentioned were those of Michael Mark and Charlie Wabo. Both have done well for Hunslet this year having first come over to try their luck in England after the 2008 World Cup. Wabo is a clever hooker and caused the Kiwi defence a couple of problems last week, especially when he chipped over the defence and regathered to then send stand off Glen Nami racing to the line. Mark is a winger small in stature, big on heart that has had little chance to show his wares in this competition but has scored a number of memorable tries for the Hawks.
It is hoped that England do not take to their task with any complacency. The team should have too much for PNG and for the first time on tour, club halfbacks Kevin Brown and Luke Robinson are paired together while Tony Clubb of Harlequins returns to the international side alongside Warrington's Garreth Carvell who is on the bench. There is also a recall at substitute for Gareth Widdop.
Here is the England team in full:
1 Sam Tomkins (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Patricks)
2 Ryan Hall (Leeds Rhinos, Oulton Raiders)
3 Leroy Cudjoe (Huddersfield Giants, Newsome)
4 Tony Clubb (Harlequins RL, Greenwich Admirals)
5 Tom Briscoe (Hull FC, Featherstone Lions)
6 Kevin Brown (Huddersfield Giants, Thatto Heath)
7 Luke Robinson (Huddersfield Giants, Siddal)
8 James Graham (St Helens, Blackbrook) (capt)
9 James Roby (St Helens, Blackbrook)
10 Sam Burgess (South Sydney, Dewsbury Moor)
11 Gareth Ellis (Wests Tigers, Castleford Lock Lane)
12 Ben Westwood (Warrington Wolves, Normanton Knights)
13 Sean O'Loughlin (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Patricks)
Interchange
14 Darrell Griffin (Huddersfield Giants, Oxford Cavaliers)
15 Garreth Carvell (Warrington Wolves, Stanningley)
16 Ben Harrison (Warrington Wolves, Barrow Island)
17 Gareth Widdop (Melbourne Storm, King Cross)
Hopefully I'll be blogging a little more positively after the game!
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