Machine to run through Bulldogs in Belmore bash-fest
Canberra Raiders middle forwards, particularly Josh Papali'i in Game 300, will run over and through the Bulldogs at Belmore today, and Jamal Fogarty will kick them to death. Get on while there is time
Game day, the best kind of day, and we, the people of the Green, have got this game at Belmore today, got it like a pit-bull has a meerkat locked in its powerful jaws, if ever someone took a dog bred to kill out to the African savannah to blood them with … you know, a meerkat.
Or something I dunno but! The Green Machine is on a tidy little roll at the moment, it’s been Same XVII for the last few weeks, we can forget how good continuity is for momentum and cohesion, all the people have a good idea what the other people are going to do, and the split seconds in timing is very, very important.
Also helps they’ve been tackling lots better. And having the gun halfback fit and firing hasn’t hurt either, his kicking game is amongst the best in the competition. And he will pin the Dogs into their corners like bugs stuck in a bug display like that quite weird baddie did in Silence of the Lambs.
The Dogs? They’re good, the Dogs. Not very good. But good. I have them with us, the Sharks, Dolphins, Manly, you could throw in Melborne Storm and in-form Gold Coast Titans at either end of that ideological spectrum if you were a betting man, teams that are scrapping for the six spots below the Roosters and Panthers, my hot tip for the grand final, you read it here 431st.
Stephen Crichton is clearly their top gun and Big Leader, and you’d love to him running about in lime green livery. But he’s not, the golden coin fountain out of Canterbury League Club has ensured the next few generations of Crichton will attend Newington College or the like, for mine the big marauder, in 2035, could be a spoken about up there with Mal Meninga, I sense similar presence and ability. People follow Crichton as they did Big Mal, and the Critter is still 23.
So, Hudson Young will have to play the role of whack man and rougher-upper, and Seb Kris has a job on that edge too, perhaps Sebbie’s biggest challenge to date.
On the other side is the excellent Viliame Kikau, another of my Favourites who, with Hudson, is a topical and tasty Same Game Multi Any Time Tryscorer option if you were of a mind.
And Hudson could be employed to get Kikau, too, but he is but one man and one edge, so Zac Hosking and Matty Timoko will need to be up and on him to get their Kiks, you may see what I did there.
That said … this fixture will be won in the middle and I like our big yins - Joe Tapine, Trey Mooney, Ata Mariota and Ram Man from Masters of the Universe, Josh Papali’i, in NRL game 300 - much more than I do theirs - Josh Curran, Sam Hughes, Harry Hayes and the superbly-named Lipoi Lipoi.
And our Big People are going to fairly bombard through their Big People at Belmore, a ground so small there’s a train line that takes up the entire northern end, and a hill full of crazies in the east, while the southern end has brown brick dwellings with little balconies upon which grandmas eat lamingtons.
And if we can hold said weapons on the edge, and keep them and Josh Addo-Carr busy by running them ragged, I predict a 25-18 victory on the back of pack domination and Jamal Fogarty’s hot kicking boot.
Get on while there is still time.
Corey Horsburgh? They say he’s off with Ricky Stuart because Sticky stuck and picked a kid instead of bringing in Big Red. Horsburgh responded to that affront by being suspended in reserve grade for head-butting, don’t know one hundred percent what’s going on but, you could suggest with some confidence, that Stuart’s told Horsburgh some home truths and stayed loyal to the people who have been winning games.
See above re: continuity, cohesion, momentum, and all that.
Do hope Horsburgh hangs around, for there is a bit about him. Be good if he and Sticky sit down, and give each other cuddle, and then Sticky tells Red to harden fuckn up, and they get on with things in the ways of men. And then, if the mad bastard tears them apart in reserve grade, it will give Stuart no option but to bring him back in.
And rugby league and Canberra Raiders Rugby League Football Club will be the winner.
But there is no “I” in team and there is only one in Canberra Raiders Rugby League Football Club, and that’s why Red’s in reserve grade and not bopping about at Belmore. See the error of your ways, Rusty.
Up the Milk.
Entertaining indeed .👍 up the milk