Go the Blues!!!!!!!

Hi there all, finally it's time for State of Origin!!!!! So to fire you all up lets look at a brawl in another state of Origin game played at Melbourne, this one in 1995!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIX5MA7uiwc
We here at Loving League with Lavers love to hear your ideas on topics for blog, and we have had a suggestion from long time reader Ian Thompson which was goal kicking styles, so here are few-
Jamie Soward- A very different style, especially his pre kick step out and run up. Most kickers take a few steps back then a couple across, not Soward, he does a pirouette in his his walk back, then stares at the posts and finally a little dipsy do skip forward and back on his way in to strike the ball.
Interstingly there is a facebook page called 'That awkward moment when Soward looks Asian just b4 kicking 4 goal' referring to when he sqints his eyes and zooms in at the posts.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Awkward-Moment-When-Jamie-Soward-Looks-Asian-Just-B4-Kicking-4-Goal/214994411876799
Also check out this you tube clip on Soward kicking a goal called 'Jamie Soward Chicken Dance'. Both of these prove that there are other people out there with even more time on their hands than me.
Next is Mark 'Piggy' Riddell, who could forget his 'salute' as he held his hand up before he kicked and the crowd would duly oblige in copying him as shown in this clip from his Wigan days.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1UcKND8q8Y&feature=related
Rod Wishart- His special shimmy and shake of his hips just before he moved in to kick.
Mal Meninga- Probably one of the last exponents of the 'toe poke'.
Benji Marshall- Has changed his style recently to just a 2 step run up.
Johnathon Thurston- Stands almost directly across from the ball and because of this gets huge swing from right to left, so he aims outside the posts and swings it in between them.
Just on Thurston or in particular his laugh, it has its own facebook page!!!!! Plus a montage clip on you tube-
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jonathan-Thurstons-laugh-ahha/244514188893226
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=tLhAjdohmbo

We spoke in the last edition about some commentary on channel nine, well I caught the Warriors vs Roosters game which was played at Mount Smart Stadium in New Zealand, and because of this they have New Zealand commentators. I enjoy how they presumably use the correct pronunciation of the Kiwi players and in particular the Maori names. The normal sounding Feliti Mateo becomes Ma tay o, Jerome Ropati gets the R at the start of his surname rolled become Rrro pati, and the usually easily said Ben Matulino transforms to Ma too lee no.
Whilst we are on the Warriors we had some feed back about how good the Auckland Vulcans (the Warriors reserve garde team) are, well I put it to you The all con-coring Junior Warriors (the warriors Toyota Cup U/20s team) would easily beat the Vulcans. The Junior Warriors have won the Toyota Cup the last 2 years in a row and from what I hear are just as popular as the NRL Warriors because they are just so good!!!! Young Conrad Hurrell who has been quite impressive in first grade this season has only played Rugby League for 18 months, he only decided to do so because he saw the Junior Warriors playing on TV and thought I want to play for them. I'd love to hear from our Kiwi contingent on this one.
Lets have a look at the lookalike wall, today it is none other than my brother Dean Lavers, we have a mixed bag for Dean, firstly greying Bronco Corey Parker, young Tigers prop Aaron Woods, ageing Eel Luke Burt and out of left field Jarryd Hayne. What do you think??

I think we should finish with a poem about the New South Wales Blues

The Blues

The 2012 State of Origin series we will not lose,

When I say 'we' I mean the New South Wales Blues.

In Australia New South Wales is clearly the best state,

But for an Origin series win, a long time we've had to wait.

Taking a home game to Melbourne will make the task even more tricky,

But if anyone can stop the rot, it's our inspirational coach Ricky.

If we don't win this game we will be sure to rue it,

Our team looks strong with brothers Glen and Brett Stewart.

Game 2 in Sydney will have Blues fans packed to the fence,

While Queenslanders are good at footy, they do lack intelligence.

I hope our forwards put in and don't shirk their loads,

Or leave it all up to Paul Gallen to smash those Cane Toads.

To say the Blues have no passion is ridiculous and quite frankly it is a myth,

If you're having beers, pizza and cheering loud, it's probably Lavers your loving League with.

Origin Special

G'Day all and welcome to another edition of Loving League with Lavers, this a representative special.
 The Aussies predictably beat the Kiwis in the one off test and there was a bit of a furore about the selection of James Tamou to play for Australia. In all seriousness the eleigibilty rules need to be reviewed and changed but I feel a simpler method is to make the rule if you have a Maori tattoo then you can only play for the Kiwis, if not you can't. Unfortunately this would make Tamou ineligible to play for Australia as he has one on his arm. The only other change would be Jason Nightingale would not be allowed to play for the Kiwis as he is the only one in their team without a Maori tatt, I suppose in part because he was born in Sydney, Australia.

I have been asked by one of our London readers about Manly resigning some of their stars, so far they have resigned Daly Cherry Evans and Kieran Foran, that still leaves the likes of Tony Williams, Brett Stuart and to a lesser extent Steve Matai and Matt Ballin. So we are half way there to cleaning out TAB dry with Manly to win the wooden spoon next year (through salary cap points deductions) or for those in London I'm sure my old mate William Hill will have a market, failing that perhaps look to Paddy Power or Ladbrokes.

With State of Origin just around the corner I am here to tell you New South Wales will win the series!!!!!!! and here is why- Sure Queensland have won 6 in a row and have the best 'spine' in the world in Slater, Thurston, Cronk and Smith. Throw in the 2 best centers in the world in Inglis and Hodges, Aussie rep forwards Matt Scott, Hannant, Shillington and Dave Taylor and few handy players like Boyd, Myles and Civonaceva and you a very imposing and successful team. However there are weakness's in every team, even this one. Granted they are only small weakness's none the less, one is the wingers, Yow Yeh will not play this series due to his broken leg and he is an Australian rep so you would think that his replacement won't be as good, Darius Boyd while he has played on the wing for Australia, it is not his usual position.
The other player missing is Darren Lockyer, sure Cooper Cronk into the halves with Thurston is not a bad replacement but the Queenslanders will not have the extra motivation of it being Lockyer's farewell and wanting to send him out a winner like they had last year.
Another negative is N.S.W giving away a home game to play one in Melbourne which I think is ridiculous especially since 3 of their best players play for Melboune coupled with Melbournians notoriously hating New South Welshman it is going to be a big disadvantage playing there for the Blues.

That being said the real positives for the Blues is the improvement they have in their own team. First of all Danny Buderus should be picked and play hooker, he is a real Origin player for mine, super tough and competitive. Buderus is now under an injury cloud so that would mean Robbie Farah would come into the team, Farah in my opinion hasn't played well since almost 2 seasons ago, however in the last few weeks his running game out of dummy half has been good, this is his strength and if the blues forwards can at least match the maroons he can cause some damage up the middle of the ruck.
Out should be Jason King, Tim Mannah to be replaced by James Tamou who is bigger and stronger than both of them, he is a player in form and will go well in Origin just on his physique, he is a big strong man!!!!! There also should be Tony Williams who is an absolute wrecking ball!!! He has played for Australia but not yet Origin, he will have big impact off the bench, running wide trying to isolate halves one on one and is a good X factor to have which was lacking last year.
Another X factor would be Todd Carney if selected, last year Coach Stuart said winning one game would be a success, playing effectively 2 halfbacks resembled this comment, it was safe to play Soward with Pearce to try and kick their way out of their half. Soward is now on the outer which I feel is a good move because he doesn't run the ball whereas Carney's strength is his running and playing close to the line. Also Carney and Pearce have played together at the Roosters.
Williams and Carney are the sort of players you need to score tries and win games not just compete and limit damage which I believe Stuart was trying to do with a view to winning this years series.
Last year the Blues blooded Trent Merrin who did OK but not great, he won't be there this year. This year if Stuart bloods Tariq Sims he certainly will be there next year and years to come and could have an impact on a game.
It is certainly a mystery to me how Queenslanders can be so inferior to New South Welshman in terms of intelligence yet far superior at playing the greatest game of all Rugby League in recent years, I just don't know how or why it happens, like why my Conditioner always runs out before my Shampoo even though I'm sure I use the same amount for each wash, or say how John Sutton has made a career out of playing Rugby League!!!!!
Another mystery is who is going to get picked for New South Wales.
For the record here is my Origin Team-
1. Dugan
2.  Uate
3. Jennings
4. Lawrence
5. Hayne
6. Carney
7. Pearce
8. Gallen
9. Buderus
10. Tamou
11. Glen Stuart
12. Lewis
13. Bird
Reserves- Tony Williams, Watmough, Sims, Galloway

My Prediction of a Blues series win was not typed whilst having a seat in the Light Hearted Lounge, this however was. It was a wonderful moment during the Tigers vs Eels match on channel 9 when the great Ray 'Rabs' Warren in commentary said of Ben Murdoch Masila's second try for the day and second of  his career- 'He has come here with nothing and gone home with twice as much!!!!!!' At which point Sterlo quickly reminded him that two times nothing equals nothing!!!!! Some people don't like the commentary on a Sunday and especially from Gus Gould but I agree with his favourite saying 'I love my Sunday afternoon footy' and the jibber that goes with it.


I'd now  like to talk about the most exciting players in the game. The players that dazzle with foot work and speed. If I had to pick a back-line that would represent me in a game of Rugby League sevens which I had to bet a million dollars on, it would be this-
1. Ben Barba (Bulldogs)
2. Nathan Merritt (Rabbits)
3. Greg Inglis (Rabbits)
4. Michael Jennings (Panthers)
5. Akuila Uate (Knights)
6. Benji Marshall (Tigers)
7. Shaun Johnson (Warriors)
That would be an exciting team to watch and cheer on a million into the back account!!!!
Remember the World sevens, a great competition!!!! 7 a side, different teams in there like Fiji, the Aboriginals, U.S.A and Tonga. It was round robin then split the teams into group where the lower teams would play off for a 'Plate' and the top teams for the main Trophy and more prize money. Just on the world sevens the current holders and champions are the Wests Tigers with the last competition being held in 2004!!! True story................

We now look to the lookalike wall, today we have Andrew Cameron, I know he has 2 first names but you can trust him. Does he look like former Panther and Bronco Joel Clinton, former Panther half back Craig Gower or Manly's 'Gorgeous' George Rose??

And finally a new inductee into the 40/20 club, men who are in their 20s but look like they are in their 40s. Today we have the Gold Coast's Matthew White, aged 27.

That's all for now, Your comments are welcome and encouraged so have no fear or trepidation, just get yourself a gmail account and comment away at the bottom. So with Origin just around the corner you should all be, as I am, Loving League with Lavers