Since Joey left, Newcastle has become one of the most bland teams in the comp. With no one left to pass around the party pills, League Blog's commentary will be as interesting as Kurt Gidley's future memoirs.
Knight of the Living Dead
The real reason the Knights lost - Jennifer Hawkins now loves the Bulldogs.
Highlight: Mad Dog's form over the year. Mad Dog officially qualifies for the World Masters Games, but he showed this year he can still match it with the supposed best centres in the game.
Lowlight: Mad Dog's lack of quotes... Gone are the days when Mad Dog would be the first in the news, saying comments like "I'm going to turn Wendell white out there". Now he just toes the official company lines and the League world is poorer for it.
Most Valuable Player: Mad Dog. Not really anyone else since Fish Lips' season went downhill after Origin, where he became the first Blues Captain who's best position was utility.
Most Worthless Player: De Gois... the labels thrown around on Saturday morning were 'brave', 'heroic', and 'dedicated', after Isaac de Gois decided to play with a busted knee. But after lasting just one tackle before sitting out the game on the sideline, the whisper of 'dickhead' went around the League World.
Telling Statistic: Since 2004, the Knights have only won 45% of their games. Many would attribute this to the injury and retirement of Joey Johns. However I think it is a clear result of Jennifer Hawkins leaving their cheerleading ranks, leaving the team with nothing to play for.
Quote that sums up their year: "It's a gamble that we took and one that didn't pay off and hurt us" - Rick Stone could have been talking about de Gois, but it's more likely he's admonishing the Knights board for allowing Smith to go and hiring Rick Stone.
2010 Outlook: With the benefit of a full preseason under Rick Stone, look for the Knights to duplicate their 7th position and first week exit from the playoffs. Also look for Mad Dog to grow a Martin Riggs mullet after big Dell's Roger Murtagh impersonation this year.
Now I am just getting in early to remind you that by any sane measure the Sea Eagles should feature in Part XI (or above) despite their recent elimination from the finals. Whilst there has been some debate among Manly fans about whether the team finished 5th or 7th, it should be obvious to great analysts such as your good selves that 5th is it (as opposed to last year's 1st position, despite finishing second on the ladder). If there is any confusion at all about this just call and I shall be pleased to explain it with patience if not good humour.
ReplyDeleteAll will be revealed in the fullness of due season, SeaEagleRock8. I think there's an argument for 8th actually, but the Knights have taken that spot...
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