Onwards and Upwards

After a heartbreaking 12 - 5 loss to Eltham last week, the Plovers are finally back at 'The Nest' for only the second time this season, and its a tough encounter with competition high flyers, Geelong.

If the weather remains fine, the ground will be in perfect nick for the encounter.

With two narrow losses, the focus this week has been on decision making, as the team has acknowledged that this, along with poor starts, has contributed to less than satisfactory results.

Being at home should mean that a fairly competitive field is available for selection, and the availability of a decent bench is probably a reasonable likelihood also.

Traveling has never been kind to the Plovers, with sparse numbers and often a mixed up look to the line up which takes the field. Last week being a classic example, with an incomplete backline and a paucity of loose forwards, many that did play, were in unaccustomed roles. The end result despite all other factors, was a credit to their tenacity. Even big Dom on the wing, played a significant role, getting on the end of the only scoring play.

The Plovers need to make the most of being at home. Hopefully the team can put in the performance that earns them the win they desperately desire.

Big Road Trip Saturday

It'll be a big journey for the Plovers this weekend as we head to Eltham. After a narrow loss to Melbouren Uni, the team needs to focus on the positives from the loss and carry them forward into this weekends encounter.

Hopefully a decent number will be available, although traveling and good numbers have never traditionally mixed for the Plovers. Often last season, trips to Bendigo had us barely able to field a full side.

Still its heads up, there is only one way to go from the foot of the ladder.

Swoop

Aussie Big Banks are Scum

When the financial crisis first hit, the banks cried wolf and governments globally ran to their aid with taxpayer money to guarantee their deposits. The reserve bank cut the OCR to help keep the recession at bay. The latest move by the CBA and it appears the other majors will follow by raising fixed and possibly variable home mortgages is nothing short of a greedy F@#king Disgrace. The OCR has remained at 3.5% for sometime with no prompts from the RBA that they intend to raise it, as they are not convinced the recession is at its end.

GREED GREED GREED, is this not what landed us in the poop in the first place. I guess the rate hikes are needed though. The CEO's still need the tens of millions of dollars they receive in salaries and bonuses.

What has been the Kevinators response? "Fair suck of the sauce bottle bank wanky poo's, would you be good chaps and not do that. I am disappointed"

He might as well fart in a jar. Asking nicely is appealing to a sense of morality, and banks don't have one. Serious action needs to be taken to curb their greed, after all when a private citizen holds up a servo with a sawn off shotty they face the full force of the law. What the CBA, NAB et al are doing is not much different.

To those responsible for these recent gluttonous decisions, may the seeds of your loins be fruitful in the belly of your women
Boomshanka

Plovers suffer heart breaker in Melbourne

I have decided not to reflect as so many have on the game at the Brook last night. Enuff will be said over coming days. Instead I will focus on the heartbreaking defeat suffered by the courageous Warrnambool Plovers at Werribee yesterday.

It had all the makings of an even contest as the Plovers travelled to Melbourne to take on Melbourne Uni. Both sides with poor records this season. The game started well with the Plovers pack dominating. The defensive work of Scott Geange and Matt Webster was again on show. However it was the combined pack effort that had the Uni boys pinned in their 22 for much of the first half. Two superb tries scored out wide and through a driving maul off a well worked lineout had the boys up 10-7 at the half, after Uni capitalised on an error in the midfield to grab a run away try.

If only the highlight real could end there. Just before half time the purple and blacks were dealt a crushing blow Reihana 'Pep'
Heremaia was red carded when the Ref deemed a charge down attempt to be a high and late tackle.

Before time on in the second half, Uni approached the ref with a complaint that there hooker was struggling at scrum time. No real surprise as the Purple and Black pack had totally dominated this set piece for the first half. The ref ceded to their request for non contested scrums, robbing the plovers of a key area of dominance. This made both defence and attack easier for Uni and increasing the advantage they had in numbers. None of the boys were happy

One man down the plovers fought hard in the second half, some good defence at the back by Mike Diack and Jeremy 'Jezz' Hunt held for most of the half until with about 15 to go, the uni boys breached the line. A late penalty attempt was taken but missed by Jezz and the score finished 12-10 to Uni.

The boys were gutted.

A big hearted game from the pack, strong running from new boy Andy 'Jamar' Marr, and good work at the back from Mike Diack. Hard running from Matt, Scott and Liam Devlin in the forwards. The boys should be proud.

Note to Celebrities STFU

When will they learn.  This time it is Outrageous Fortune star Robyn Malcolm throwing her considerable climatology credentials behind the cause of climate change.

Would celebrities please STFU, unless when you are not acting you are an ICCC recognised expert on the state of the global climate your opinion is worth no more than mine.

I would like to start a group dedicated to melting these flakes like a good dose of green house gas.

 

SBW flags "Show me the Money"

SBW signals his intent to try to start a bidding war for his services What does SBW Really Want.

I'd love to see him the black jersey, but its about the pride and love of representing your country that should be at the front of your mind, not the money.

Playing for the AB's is a dream of so many young kiwi boys, and even some of us more senior joke of getting the call up, even though we are past it.  For many that aspire it aint about the money.

I think Sonny Bill's statement of eligibility will polarise the rugby public

I am fed up with the MSM

Australian MSM needs to give itself an uppercut.  Whenever a public figure acts inappropriately, the act itself is replayed time and again, complete with handwringing tut tutting, it makes me sick.

Exhibit A) AFL footballer flips the bird at dressing room camera.  The troubled star as he is labelled is publicly chastised on every network, by anyone with an opinion.  Typically with the old fashioned, these guys are roll models, how could they sanctimonious crap.  What gets me is to add weight to their point the replay the incident, over and over.  If you don't want kids to repeat this sort of behaviour, why keep showing it.

Exhibit B) Chasers War on Everything.  Brilliant show, goes off the mark with a sketch aimed at the Make a Wish Foundation.  I never saw the original when it went to air.  Never fear every other network tried to grab ratings and down the ABC's by showing the juicy bits repeatedly.

Aussie Media, grow up.  It's fine to condemn behaviour, but by repeatedly replaying it, you condone more than you condemn me thinks.

Welcome to my blog

Welcome to my Blog.  Its a crappy wet day here in the west island, well the little corner occupied by me, my long suffering partner and two now thoroughly drenched dogs.

The Wallabies got their International campaign off to a start against the Baa Baa's last night at the SFS.  The big match up between SBW and Stirling Mortlock was for mine a bit of a fizzer.  It was none the less a reasonably entertaining game

It was a shame to see Luke McAlistar spend so little time at first five, if he is to be a back up for the AB's here he needs more time in the spot. 

It was however great to see some old greats like Justin Marshall giving it a crack.  He certainly has not lost any of the grit and competitive fight that took him to the top.

Bring on the Tri-Nations