NRL 2010

[Winmar]

Predictions etc? The season's off to a decent start.

 

[Goreripper]

Yeah the Eels didn't look to be on their game tonight.

 

[Mark]

I'll actually be able to watch games this season (albeit delayed), so I'm paying attention. That Broncos/Cowboys game was a tight one; looking forward to actually seeing the action when it's posted online.

 

[Spiff]

I'm tipping Melbourne to win the premiership again - with Slater, Inglis and Smith they should by rights be dominating for years to come - but Dallas Johnson's departure might be the thing that undoes them.

Sprucey needs to hurry up and do his big list of things we answer. Otherwise I'll just go to a previous year and cut & paste.

 

[Goreripper]

I think the thing that will hold Melbourne back is hunger. I've yet to see them play this season and they still have one of the best sides. They won the Challenge Cup which few Oz teams manage to do, so it's possible. But there's only been two games so far this year; I think it's a bit early to be making assumptions about who will win.

 

[Spiff]

It's never too early Bri-Bri.

 

[Winmar]

It's always hard to go past Melbourne, unfortunately. It'd be nice to see someone do them 40-0 again, for that was quite hilarious.

 

[Bucko]

TIGERS being talked up as Favorites worries me

 

[Bucko]

well this thread going well. Anywho, Tigers should beat the Roosters on Sunday , so who tipping them

 

[Goreripper]

I'm tipping the Tigers to win the Grand Final.

 

[Ralphe]

go the Roosters. went out to ANZ stadium last week to watch the roosters beat the rabbitohs.will be at the SFS on sunday to watch the roosters beat the tigers.

 

[Spruce Goose]

Ok so we're a week late but we can still look back at it at the end of the season and see how wrong we all were:

NRL 2010 PREDICTIONS:

MINOR PREMIERS
PREMIERS
RUNNERS UP
TOP 4 & 8
WHO WILL CAPTAIN THE BLUES?
ORIGIN RESULT
ORIGIN PLAYER OF THE SERIES
DALLY M
ANZAC TEST SCORE
WOODEN SPOONERS
FIRST COACH SACKED
BIGGEST RIVALRY (TEAM OR INDIVIDUALS)
WHICH COMEBACK KID TO HAVE THE BIGGEST IMPACT: BIRD, CARNEY, TUQUIRI, TAHU, SEYMOUR
WILL SAM BURGESS FULFILL THE HYPE?
HOW MANY TIMES WILL PHIL GOULD SAY 'NO NO NO NO NO NO NO' OR GO ON ABOUT VIDEO REFS?

 

[Goreripper]

Tuquiri's already put a bloke on the sideline for six weeks, so the others have something to aim for.

 

[Iron Zombius]

MINOR PREMIERS - Melbourne
PREMIERS - Parramatta
RUNNERS UP - Tigers
TOP 4 & 8 Melbourne
Parramatta
Tigers
Penrith
Dogs
St George
Gold Coast
Brisbane
WHO WILL CAPTAIN THE BLUES? - Gidley if fit
ORIGIN RESULT - NSW 2-1
ORIGIN PLAYER OF THE SERIES - Hayne
DALLY M - Thurston
ANZAC TEST SCORE - Aust 38 NZ 10
WOODEN SPOONERS - Sharks or warriors
FIRST COACH SACKED - Ivan Cleary
BIGGEST RIVALRY (TEAM OR INDIVIDUALS) - Prince V Thurston for QLD Origin halfback spot
WHICH COMEBACK KID TO HAVE THE BIGGEST IMPACT: BIRD, CARNEY, TUQUIRI, TAHU, SEYMOUR - Lote!
WILL SAM BURGESS FULFILL THE HYPE? - Not this year, will be better in the 2nd half of the season, but next year he will be awesome.
HOW MANY TIMES WILL PHIL GOULD SAY 'NO NO NO NO NO NO NO' OR GO ON ABOUT VIDEO REFS? - 3 times a week on sunday football

 

[Spiff]

MINOR PREMIERS - Melbourne
PREMIERS - Melbourne
RUNNERS UP - Broncos
TOP 4 & 8 - Melbourne, Broncos, Panthers, Dragons, Titans, Raiders, Warriors, Knights
WHO WILL CAPTAIN THE BLUES? - Kurt Gidley (even though a captain should really be the first person to be picked in his position - he wouldn't have been fullback last year if Stewart hadn't been injured, and if Hayne is on form then you'd have to assume he'd go to the halves... right? But then, Laurie Daley is one of the selectors and he didn't even pick Kimmorley in the Country side last year because he didn't think he'd play Origin)
ORIGIN RESULT - Qld 3-0
ORIGIN PLAYER OF THE SERIES - Nate Myles
DALLY M - Scott Prince
ANZAC TEST SCORE - NZ 20-18
WOODEN SPOONERS - Sharks
FIRST COACH SACKED - John Lang
BIGGEST RIVALRY (TEAM OR INDIVIDUALS) - Channel 9 and Matthew Johns
WHICH COMEBACK KID TO HAVE THE BIGGEST IMPACT: BIRD, CARNEY, TUQUIRI, TAHU, SEYMOUR - Carney
WILL SAM BURGESS FULFILL THE HYPE? - Yes
HOW MANY TIMES WILL PHIL GOULD SAY 'NO NO NO NO NO NO NO' OR GO ON ABOUT VIDEO REFS? - every second week

 

[Bucko]

go the Roosters. went out to ANZ stadium last week to watch the roosters beat the rabbitohs.will be at the SFS on sunday to watch the roosters beat the tigers.

you'll be lucky

 

[Bucko]

I'm tipping the Tigers to win the Grand Final.

I Don't find that funny Gore

 

[Iron Zombius]

Is this an early contender for the biggest story of the year so far?

Sorry sydo, but im gunna post another article that you could look up yourself. But for those who are not the biggest NRL fans in the world.... from the daily telegraph website
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ing-scott-prince/story-e6frexnr-1225846198416

GOLD Coast captain Scott Prince last night denied allegations he was involved in a plan to build him a $400,000 house in a salary cap rort to keep him at the Titans for life.

The NRL has confirmed to The Daily Telegraph it is investigating explosive allegations which stem from a multi-million dollar dispute between the Titans and a Gold Coast builder. Alex Simpson claims Prince signed a five-year contract extension with the Titans last April on the understanding he would receive a new $400,000 house free of charge."The allegations are untrue," said Prince, who has sought legal advice.

INSIDE STORY: HOW THE SCANDAL UNFOLDED

SCANDAL TIMELINE AN MAIN PLAYERS: SEE BELOW



Titans chief executive Michael Searle has also denied knowledge of the alleged house deal, but a copy of a December 9, 2009 email (pictured below) that Simpson sent to Searle specifically alludes to the agreement. Searle responded to the email in detail one hour later, but made no mention of Prince's new house.

Searle has strongly denied knowledge of a scheme designed to rort the salary cap and claims the email is a complete fabrication.

But Simpson last night denied fabricating the email, claimed Prince's camp personally telephoned him early last year to set up a meeting to broker the arrangement, and has welcomed the NRL to forensically examine his computer.

When contacted last night, Titans halfback Prince said: "I totally deny the suggestions that have been made against me. I have instructed my lawyers to commence defamation proceedings."

The Daily Telegraph has also obtained a council Development Approval form signed by Prince on December 18 last year.

The DA was never submitted to the Gold Coast council, but an independent architect has confirmed being paid $6000 by Simpson's company, Simcorp, to draw up plans for Prince's new house on the Gold Coast.

The architect, Simpson and Prince met at Prince's current home to discuss the $400,000 project midway through last year.

But a Queensland Supreme Court dispute over unpaid money for the incomplete $30 million Titans Centre of Excellence intervened, leading to Simpson going public.

"The whole arrangement was that it was to keep Scott at the Gold Coast and to get around the salary cap," Simpson claimed.

"Scott didn't say much during the meeting but he did say if it gets out that he was going to be in a lot of trouble. Hush, hush was the word.

"I also had a meeting with Michael Searle and I said to Michael, 'Mate, I just need to know we're all on the same page with the Scott Prince deal'. He said, 'What, the house?' I said 'Yes' and he said, 'Yes mate, I know all about it. I don't want to talk any further'.

"Then he said, 'I want to be able to put my hand on my heart in front of David Gallop and say I know nothing about it."'

The Titans have offered to throw open their financial records and have computers forensically examined.

NRL chief executive David Gallop said: "We will certainly look into it further but at this stage we've spoken to Michael Searle and he strongly denies any breach of the cap and has offered complete access to the salary cap auditor to examine all accounts."

Simpson has signed a stat dec, detailing his preparations to build Prince's new house. "The upside for me was I got Scott Prince exclusive for my construction advertising, a game day sponsorship for free and I got the so-called marquee player agreement for nothing," Simpson said. "The upside for Michael Searle and the Gold Coast Titans was they got to keep Scott Prince."

THE MAIN PLAYERS

Michael Searle: Super sharp Titans CEO. Considered a major candidate to eventually assume throne as chief executive of the NRL when David Gallop decides to move on. Salary cap breach allegations are major issue

Scott Prince: Superstar of the NRL and face of league on the Gold Coast. Re-negotiated a five-year extension until the end of 2014 last year, which was announced in April. Considered one of the code’s good guys

Steve Robinson: Scott Prince’s long-term manager. Alleged to have been present when the secret deal with builder Alex Simpson was allegedly struck

Alex Simpson: Gold Coast builder and Titans sponsor entangled in complex legal battle with the Titans over $30m Centre of Excellence. Simpson’s company Simcorp claim the Titans owe them $5.2 million. The Titans counter-claim Simcorp owes them $1.022 million

TIMELINE

July 2008: Scott Prince purchases $1.3 million property at 6 Garden Grove, Carrara February 2009 Prince allegedly rings Gold Coast builder and Titans sponsor Alex Simpson to set up meeting

February 2009: Prince allegedly rings Gold Coast builder and Titans sponsor Alex Simpson to set up a meeting

February 2009: Prince, his agent Steve Robinson and Simpson meet at the Aiport in Coolongatta to discuss the deal

March 2009: Simpson agrees to build Prince a $400,000 home free of charge in return for Prince being the face of Simpcorp Constructions advertising campaigns in Coffs Harbour and Papua New Guinea

April 2009: Gold Coast announce Prince has signed new five-year contract until end of 2014

June 2009: Simpson meets Prince at the Garden Grove address to discuss designs for new home

July 2009: Simpson and architect Brian Kenny meet Prince at his home to further discuss plans

August 2009: Architect Kenny sends sketches for Prince’s new home to Simpson

September 2009: Architect Kenny sends DA drawings to Simpson to prepare to submit to council for Development Approval

December 2009: Simpson meets Prince who signs the Development Approval forms to submit to council

If this is true and can be proven by the NRL, then the Titans must be stripped of all competition points similar to the bulldogs in 2002.

$400,000 for a house - free! Not a bad retirement fund if you can get it

 

[Spiff]

It's only a big story if it's true. And if they do get stripped of all competition points, then it will only be for the games they've played up until the decision is made. The Bulldogs' rort of the salary cap was exposed with two rounds of the season left. The 2010 season isn't even three rounds old.

And I think the Bulldogs thing was a lot more calculated than just building a free house for someone - they actively hid extra payments to the players. It was a while ago though so I can't remember all the details. If anything it might only end up being like the Warriors, who lost four or six points at the beginning of the season for the previous season's indiscretions.

 

[Winmar]

I went to my annual Dragons game this year and they sucked arse. Didn't attack much at all and forgot to defend a few times. Why do they do that down here? Melbourne are pretty impressive though. 25k at Etihad Stadium was a pretty decent effort too. It's a much better place to watch games than the horrid Olympic Park. The new stadium should be even better.