0
![Not allowed!](images/buttons/down_dis.png)
![Not allowed!](images/buttons/up_dis.png)
Jordan Way is the Ref for todays game. Originally from the Gold Coast, then moved to Cairns with Family when still at school. Started Reffing in North Queensland at an early age. Moved to Brisbane played Colts and then Premier Grade at Easts Club in Brisbane. He continued to Ref in Brisbane whilst playing. He Reffed his first Premier Grade game in Brisbane in 2015. Stopped Playing in 2016 to concentrate on reffing. Is only a youngster at 22. Has Reffed at NRC level and has done a Super Rugby Trial Match. Hopefully he will do a good fair job today.
For goodness sake.....can we just concentrate on rebuilding and consolidating the professional game in Perth BEFORE we start branching out.
The players will have enough travel time without adding regional trips on a regular basis.
And at what expense?
Maybe you hadn't noticed but financially the game is in trouble at all levels.
WA is recovering from having the Western Force having to seek financial support from the ARU and the whole sorry debacle of axing the Western Force from SR also took down RugbyWA. Thank goodness for Minderoo and Andrew Forrest.
Those places listed are nice ideals but, unlike NZ, WA suffers from the 'tyrany of distance' and Rugby isn't 'the only game in town'.
Broome to Port Hedland is >600km.
Perth to Albany >400km.
Karratha to Port Hedland is 240km.
It costs more to fly to the Pilbara than it does to fly east.
The economy return airfare to Kalgoorlie is >$900.
For this little black duck and for those funding the NRC - $$s don't grow on trees.
But nice dreams...........and perhaps one day.
So it's half-time, and all I can say is, where's my tea? That, and
ORRRRRRRRRRR!
Japan and the Pacific Islands for Aussie Super 9's!
Let's have one of these in WA! Click this link: Saitama Super Arena - New Perth Stadium?
Fuckem boys ......
Ten minutes to go
Spoiler
And ... It's all over!![]()
That pitch was a goat track
Playing surface looked a lot like Kuhl Park , ARKS original
Ground
Very impressed boys! They looked composed , structured & well drilled. Kieran is brilliant! Just classy. Can’t wait for the hill!
35 metre rolling maul .... go you good thing !!
I know Cedric has already laughed at this, but I thought I'd add a bit of context whilst watching the live scores on the Roar.
Although the rivalry of United and City is not unlike that of Catholic Liverpool and Protestant Everton, they weren't originally rivals like that.
Manchester City were originally a winter sport team to keep the players of the cricket club for St Mark's Church in West Gorton fit. St Mark's is an Anglican church, but they never barred entry based on religion. It was originally set up to combat gang violence and alcoholism among the unemployed. Manchester United were originally a company team for Newton Heath LYR (Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway). The two clubs did become rivals early on and West Gorton (St Mark's) did refer to Newton Heath LYR as "The Heathens", both a play on their name and their non-religious affiliation.
West Gorton is ~2 km east of the city, so would indeed be considered close to city centre, while Newton Heath is more suburbia (~4-5 km north-east) but neither side stayed there for long.
West Gorton moved to Ardwick and became Manchester City in 1894; Newton Heath became Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford, west of the city centre in 1908 and cemented their popularity with the population to the north and west of the city. City moved to Maine Road, south of the city, and became the favoured team there. The east tended to be split, as both clubs had significant ties there.
Irish immigrants to Manchester, of which there have been a significant number, have tended to favour United; partly due to City's roots as an Anglican church side, and partly as they tended to move to new housing estates to the north of the city - United territory. This has led to there being a religious divide between the clubs, especially after WW2 and up to the 1980s, but that's dying down now.
Basically United were seen as the more 'working man's club' and City as the more genteel club, and so if you looked at where the supporters lived, City had more support in the suburbs (Stockport, Oldham, Bury, Bolton, etc) and United more support in the city, with a strong preference in the north, west & east of the city for United, and a weaker preference for City to south of the city. City's new Etihad* stadium is in an area with a stronger United support than City support.
Now when United were successful, they had supporters from all over the country, if not the world, so if you considered how far the 'average' supporter lived from Manchester city centre, City fans did live nearer the city than United fans, but for the exception of the Moss Side, Rusholme and Levenshulme area, Greater Manchester supports United, and suburbia supports City.
[* 'Etihad', the naming sponsor of City's stadium translates from Arabic as "together", or "join as one", i.e., "United"!]
Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon
The Force have flexed their World Series Rugby muscle against a Wallabies laden Brisbane City at Hugh Courtney Oval with a 47-29 win.
City may have boasted the star power with Quade Cooper, Karmichael Hunt and Brandon Paenga-Amosa all lining up as capped Wallabies in the starting XV but the Force played smarter, more efficient rugby and that was the difference on Sunday.
Andrew Deegan showed he is capable of featuring for a Super Rugby side in the very near future with a flyhalf masterclass which flashed brilliant passing, classy game management and stout defence - outpointing Cooper in the process.
His quiet achieving partnership with Ian Prior and some silky touches from Jack McGregor caught City napping on their right edge four times throughout the match - former Red Rod Davies the beneficiary of two opportunities.
The visitors relied on strong general play kicking from Deegan, a rolling maul City could not stop and a top natch pack which kept hitting hard until the final siren.
City, in contrast, scored three well constructed tries in the first 20 minutes but were otherwise limited to counterattacking opportunities as the Force's defence took control.
Cooper's hand in Con Foley's try was a touch of class but an audacious flick pass to Moses Sorovi just short of half time was ill advised.
It went awry and cost City seven crucial points which would have made a world of difference before the break.
The mercurial flyhalf ran a nice line to score early in the second term as well but the defensive side of his game has not improved since being banished from the Reds by coach Brad Thorn.
Paenga-Amosa's performance will have the hooker well placed for a Wallabies comeback when he re-joins camp this week.
His breakdown nous was on show and the City set piece ran like a well oiled machine.
Hunt was similarly impressive with the limited touches he did have from outside centre and showed his strong Souths form was no fluke.
RESULT
Brisbane City 29
Tries: Foley, Thompson-Te Muunu, Morrey, Cooper, Ngamanu
Cons: Cooper 2
Pens:
Force 47
Tries: Davies 2, Thrush, McGregor, Orr, Kaituu 2
Cons: Prior 6
Pens:
Go the PIGS!!!!
Oh, ummmmmmm. Are we still the pigs?