Melbourne Storm

go_manly

Well, this year Melbourne have been stripped of all their points, not a certain percentage. As a result, another team will be awarded the premiership even if Melbourne prove to be the best team in the comp by winning the most games. Will that team deserve the premiership?

bodawei

Good point Go_manly. It's a multi-variate problem. Melbourne is continuing to cheat because you can't just go and sack the players (assuming they are innocent.) That could continue to the point that all of those contracts expire. Although I am not a die-hard fan any more I still love the game.

go_manly

My prediction for the ultimate outcome of this fiasco: Melbourne unable to survive, and replaced by the Central Coast Bears. As I now live in the heart of North Sydney territory, perhaps you will see a name-change from me in the future.

(BTW, how could all the players be innocent? Did none of them notice that, their bank-balance was larger than it should have been? And have they declared this extra payment for tax purposes?)

bodawei

With Greg Florimo and Gary Larsen strapping on the boots again. :)

You might be right - I find it hard to imagine Melbourne failing. At least I like to watch them play.

你住在北悉尼，真的吗？欢迎。 我一般住在北悉尼城市中心。

waiguoren

Can any of those blokes play real footy (i.e. AFL)? Maybe they should swap codes since Melbourne have forfeited playing for points for the remainder of the season.

The same thing happened in the AFL a few years ago with Carlton (who won a premiership in 1995, when alleged salary cap breaches took place). They were fined and stripped of draft picks for a few years, and subsequently languished on the bottom of the ladder (much to my delight) for the next few years. Fair enough I thought.

Don't know much about NRL, but stripping the Storm of points for the rest of the season is a bit much isn't it? Let alone taking 'their' premierships away.

Kind of feel bad having this discussion on ChinesePod, so I will have to attempt some Chinese: 加油 Collingwood!

bababardwan

谈到讨论这里这样的而保持它有关中文，有人【特别是中国人】可能喜欢知道澳大利亚足球规则也叫“空中的乒乓“【因为听说多中国人喜欢乒乓球】

bababardwan

顺便，你可以说“加油科灵伍德”

go_manly

Real footy? You have a bunch of guys with shorts halfway up their ass, fumbling after a ball, for the most part unsuccessfully, like inmates fighting over a cake of soap in a prison shower. And when someone actually catches the ball, the game stops, and to celebrate such a rare event, the miracle-worker is awarded a free shot at goal.

waiguoren

哈哈哈哈。。。

Keen observations, I must admit, but I don't see how a game where you smell each others bums is in any way superior...

How many lessons does ChinesePod have on 'Rugby'?

@bababardwan

So I take it that 科灵伍德 is a transliteration of Collingwood?

谢谢

bababardwan

对，不用谢朋友

而且，touche 大声笑

go_manly

I think most League players manage to avoid smelling bums. Except perhaps John Hopoate, who wanted to take the smell home with him, viz. the infamous "Crouching Tiger Hidden Finger" incident.

bababardwan

He played for Manly didn't he mate?

If you can confirm this, what are we to make of someone who calls themself "go_manly" and what exactly is the "go" encouraging ? ;)

go_manly

Yes, but not that season thank god. He was with the Tigers that year, hence the 'crouching Tiger' analogy. Hopoate was nurtured by players with more class while at Manly.

(and I'll thank you not to bring up Ian Roberts)

bababardwan

hehe,I just spotted that narrow escape. Ah yes, I get the first part of crouching tiger analogy now.