A Footy Rant

I'm a frustrated NSW Blues supporter...and judging by the comments from some of the commentators on Channel 9, they might feel the same. I'm going to vent my frustration here,

NSW are, in general, NOT a professional outfit. They allow emotion to overrule their heads, and that seems to be when a lot of them think with their fists instead of their mind. They forget to play football and play for a fight. And that is the number 1 reason in my mind why they can't beat Qld. Qld are professional almost constantly - if someone blows up, it's done and finished in that moment. It doesn't continue for long minutes afterwards, or sometimes the whole game, as NSW players are often want to do.

This is last night's NSW team with my character assassination afterwards -

Matt Moylan - warming the spot for Josh Dugan. I think he will improve with age.

Blake Ferguson - a hot head who shouldn't be out there. Forgets to play footy when he gets riled. Can look for work, but often doesn't.

Michael Jennings - doesn't often pass the ball. Somehow with Parra, he does a lot better, so it must be some teamwork issue. I wouldn't put him in even though he's fast - he needs good offloads.

Dylan Walker - a real hothead and I think he has tickets on himself. He had to mark GI last night and rather than let actions do his talking, he made a big show of trying to contain a man who should have earned his respect. More often than not, he came off second best. He gave away multiple stupid ruck penalties in the first half, for no reason. He'd never be in my team.

Josh Mansour - worth another go. Does look for work usually but didn't as much last night.

James Maloney - he's a hothead, and also has major brain explosions when things don't go his way. Can be completely embarrassing, but can also show sense. I wonder how he'd go with a different bunch around him...but I'd be looking for someone else, really.

Adam Reynolds - he's in a similar category to Maloney. He can be solid, but he shows some really unprofessional traits too...but it could be the company. If there was a better halfback, I'd want him, but at the moment I think we have to work with this pair. I'd be seriously grooming a young halves pairing for the future.

Aaron Woods - is a hot-head but is also professional.

Robbie Farah - I have never had time for him as a player and he would not be in my team. A ballhog, a hothead, and a man who thinks he's a lot better player than he is.

James Tamou - I think he's grown into his role well.

Tyson Frizell - on debut he had a blinder. On TV they showed him run on to the stadium, then look around. A huge grin swept across his face. He looked excited, but focussed. And then he turned in the best game I've seen from a NSW forward in a long time. He's the type of player you want - his actions speak so much louder than he does.

Josh Jackson - I think he's a professional guy.

Paul Gallen - Another player I've not got a lot of time for. Uninspired ballhog. He just runs, head down into someone. Rarely offloads well. Can't even imagine how he inspires a team.

Greg Bird - Another one I despise. Hot head. Done enough off the field to warrant him gone, and has never done much on-field for me.

David Klemmer - He's a hot head but he can also be professional. I think he's developing well.

Andrew Fafita - Another to add to the despise basket. I think he's ignorant as well as a hothead. He too has doen so much to bring the game into disrepute off-field, it appalls me that he's there. And I can't see that he plays well enough for that to be the reason he's there.

Jack Bird - on debut last night off the bench. Bit hard to tell because he wasn't in a position as such, but he seemed to do okay.

So, there'd be a pretty huge clean out if I had a selector's guernsey on!

If NSW could show some of the professional football skills that they're paid to display, they'd have a chance of winning. As it is, they blow attacking chances because of brain explosions, frustration breaking down plays, or lack of teamwork. In defense, they give away penalties for far too little because they're trying to muscle in, or give a bit of a serve.

As a spectator and supporter, it's difficult to cheer for a team who let you down by stupidity. It's frustrating to watch a slick professional side, and know that your team could be like that, if only they used their brains.

And I know last night the commentators said it wasn't a coaching issue, but I don't think the coaching can be ignored either. Surely the coach has some influence over the players and the selectors? If he was as unhappy as me, he'd not still be in the job.

I think the whole team behind the Blues team needs to have a look at their professionalism. Fighting footy was fine in the 80s, that's how everyone played. But we've come a long way, we pay a lot more money, and we expect a lot more of our team. When will it deliver?