rhugh89
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Tommy Raudonikis, John Singleton's house, the NSW team and the fish with the bung eye
Tom Raudonikis (left) with John Singleton. Picture: Grant Turner Source: DailyTelegraph
TOMMY Raudonkis wants to know why no one from the NRL has marked August 2 on the calendar. "You're telling me that Friday is International Beer Day?" the NSW Origin legend spits.
" International ... Beer ... Day ? Wow. Wow. As soon as we're done here on the phone I'm going to ring Singo."
One of the greatest rogues to ever lace a boat, Raudonikis is also a walk up starter for the Rugby League Drinking Team Of The Century - as soon as CEO Dave Smith finds a gap between ASADA investigations, salary cap summits and scheduling debacles to name it.
And so today, with that holiest of celebrations upon us, let's give time to reflect on some magnificent careers.
Read More: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ith-the-bung-eye/story-fni3fbgz-1226689778531
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How Penrith Panthers cashed in on exit of star player Michael Jennings
AT his lowest ebb, Isaac John tried to sleep the days away.
He would draw the curtains on his tiny Wakefield apartment and, with snow falling outside, look to shave three, maybe four hours from the reality of an ailing league career. Of increasing depression.Of a footy dream which, inside, this schoolboy prodigy knew was already dead.
"My problems, yeah, they'd taken over everything," John recalls softly. "I'd fallen out with the coach, wasn't getting a run; most afternoons the sun had set by four o'clock and I'd just be home by myself, sitting in the dark."Even this Christmas just gone, I tried to sleep through it.
"Then Christmas Day rolled into New Year and, yeah, rock bottom. I was actually making plans to walk out on my contract, to go back to New Zealand, find a job, settle down . . . and then Michael Jennings left Penrith."
Yep, welcome to Ground Zero.To that day way back in January day when, with Panthers supremo Phil Gould being grilled for releasing a $600,000 NSW Origin star, his coaching staff were already taking the first quiet steps towards spending it.
See, while much of the ongoing debate out west surrounds Gould's infamous Five Year Plan, the real story is the players behind it. Or more specifically, the five youngsters who, secured with Jennings' cash, are now accepting the greatest challenge since Royce Simmons vowed to have a beer with everyone in Penrith.
Read More: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...michael-jennings/story-fni3gfvk-1226689756256
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It all went stale for Neil Henry and his North Queensland Cowboys, writes Matty Johns
MATTY Johns reflects on the up and down career of sacked North Queensland coach Neil Henry.
"All I know about football is that one day I will be sacked ... " - Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho.
"There are two types of football coaches, them that's fired, and them that's gonna be fired ... " - Legendary NFL coach Bum Phillips.
''For a coach, there is winning and there is misery." NFL coach Bill Parcells.
It was the night of the third State of Origin, I was at the ANZ Stadium media centre before the match when a friend approached me and told me the news that Neil Henry would not see out his contract and would be replaced as North Queensland coach at season's end.
It wasn't earth-shattering news, Henry was under pressure.
At half-time the media jostled for muffins and cake, a fellow ex-player approached me and basically confirmed the news, adding he believed Henry was going to be told that day.
Cowboys coach Neil Henry. Source: Getty Images
The next morning on the Triple M Grill team I stated that: "The strong mail out of ANZ Stadium last night was that Cowboys coach Neil Henry would be replaced at season's end, and it was believed that he was told yesterday."
That night, I was having dinner when a call came through to my phone. I didn't recognise the number.
"Hello."
The person on the other end sounded agitated: "Yeah, who's this?"
I replied: "You called me pal, who's this?"
"It's Neil Henry ... "
You get these types of calls occasionally; time to slip on the hard hat.
Neil was ****ed off and told me that what I said on Triple M was crap and if I wanted the real story I should have asked him.
So I asked him: "Neil, have you been told you're going to be sacked at the end of the year?" Now he was really ****ed off ...
He explained he had not, and had received nothing but support from the board, and although he was under pressure, had no reason to believe he wouldn't be in charge next year.
I apologised ... my bad call.
Fifteen minutes later I was driving into Fox Sports and thinking about my conversation with Neil. I pulled over and called him back.
"Listen Neil, those two blokes who told me you won't be coaching your team next year aren't mugs, I trust them 100 per cent. If I was you, I'd be calling your chairman and asking him if he's being totally upfront and honest with you."
This time our conversation was very different. Neil conceded he'd heard the whispers about Trent Barrett and Brad Arthur.
Read More: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ites-matty-johns/story-fni3fh9n-1226689723693
- NICK WALSHAW
- THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
- AUGUST 02, 2013 12:00AM
Tom Raudonikis (left) with John Singleton. Picture: Grant Turner Source: DailyTelegraph
TOMMY Raudonkis wants to know why no one from the NRL has marked August 2 on the calendar. "You're telling me that Friday is International Beer Day?" the NSW Origin legend spits.
" International ... Beer ... Day ? Wow. Wow. As soon as we're done here on the phone I'm going to ring Singo."
One of the greatest rogues to ever lace a boat, Raudonikis is also a walk up starter for the Rugby League Drinking Team Of The Century - as soon as CEO Dave Smith finds a gap between ASADA investigations, salary cap summits and scheduling debacles to name it.
And so today, with that holiest of celebrations upon us, let's give time to reflect on some magnificent careers.
Read More: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ith-the-bung-eye/story-fni3fbgz-1226689778531
- - - Updated - - -
How Penrith Panthers cashed in on exit of star player Michael Jennings
- NICK WALSHAW
- THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
- AUGUST 02, 2013 12:00AM
AT his lowest ebb, Isaac John tried to sleep the days away.
He would draw the curtains on his tiny Wakefield apartment and, with snow falling outside, look to shave three, maybe four hours from the reality of an ailing league career. Of increasing depression.Of a footy dream which, inside, this schoolboy prodigy knew was already dead.
"My problems, yeah, they'd taken over everything," John recalls softly. "I'd fallen out with the coach, wasn't getting a run; most afternoons the sun had set by four o'clock and I'd just be home by myself, sitting in the dark."Even this Christmas just gone, I tried to sleep through it.
"Then Christmas Day rolled into New Year and, yeah, rock bottom. I was actually making plans to walk out on my contract, to go back to New Zealand, find a job, settle down . . . and then Michael Jennings left Penrith."
Yep, welcome to Ground Zero.To that day way back in January day when, with Panthers supremo Phil Gould being grilled for releasing a $600,000 NSW Origin star, his coaching staff were already taking the first quiet steps towards spending it.
See, while much of the ongoing debate out west surrounds Gould's infamous Five Year Plan, the real story is the players behind it. Or more specifically, the five youngsters who, secured with Jennings' cash, are now accepting the greatest challenge since Royce Simmons vowed to have a beer with everyone in Penrith.
Read More: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...michael-jennings/story-fni3gfvk-1226689756256
- - - Updated - - -
It all went stale for Neil Henry and his North Queensland Cowboys, writes Matty Johns
- MATTHEW JOHNS
- THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
- AUGUST 02, 2013 12:00AM
MATTY Johns reflects on the up and down career of sacked North Queensland coach Neil Henry.
"All I know about football is that one day I will be sacked ... " - Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho.
"There are two types of football coaches, them that's fired, and them that's gonna be fired ... " - Legendary NFL coach Bum Phillips.
''For a coach, there is winning and there is misery." NFL coach Bill Parcells.
It was the night of the third State of Origin, I was at the ANZ Stadium media centre before the match when a friend approached me and told me the news that Neil Henry would not see out his contract and would be replaced as North Queensland coach at season's end.
It wasn't earth-shattering news, Henry was under pressure.
At half-time the media jostled for muffins and cake, a fellow ex-player approached me and basically confirmed the news, adding he believed Henry was going to be told that day.
Cowboys coach Neil Henry. Source: Getty Images
The next morning on the Triple M Grill team I stated that: "The strong mail out of ANZ Stadium last night was that Cowboys coach Neil Henry would be replaced at season's end, and it was believed that he was told yesterday."
That night, I was having dinner when a call came through to my phone. I didn't recognise the number.
"Hello."
The person on the other end sounded agitated: "Yeah, who's this?"
I replied: "You called me pal, who's this?"
"It's Neil Henry ... "
You get these types of calls occasionally; time to slip on the hard hat.
Neil was ****ed off and told me that what I said on Triple M was crap and if I wanted the real story I should have asked him.
So I asked him: "Neil, have you been told you're going to be sacked at the end of the year?" Now he was really ****ed off ...
He explained he had not, and had received nothing but support from the board, and although he was under pressure, had no reason to believe he wouldn't be in charge next year.
I apologised ... my bad call.
Fifteen minutes later I was driving into Fox Sports and thinking about my conversation with Neil. I pulled over and called him back.
"Listen Neil, those two blokes who told me you won't be coaching your team next year aren't mugs, I trust them 100 per cent. If I was you, I'd be calling your chairman and asking him if he's being totally upfront and honest with you."
This time our conversation was very different. Neil conceded he'd heard the whispers about Trent Barrett and Brad Arthur.
Read More: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ites-matty-johns/story-fni3fh9n-1226689723693
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