BIG thumbs up to Jon Sharp for making my weekend.
Nothing to do with that stonking win over Cas which swelled my beer fund a tasty amount (Giants –8 on the handicap???).
And also made my pre-season claim the Tigers wouldn’t finish bottom look a load of old tosh.
Instead it was a comment after the game regarding that Wile E. Coyote winger/full-back Rod Jensen.

Continue reading "SHARP AS ATTACK" »

SOME time ago I had an argument with a deluded pal about who had the biggest bottom in rugby league (stick with me here).
He said Keiron Cunningham; I said Karl Pryce.
After watching a rather larger version of Cunningham trundling around in the opening two games of the season, I feared my pal may be right.
However all has been revealed as to why and it’s another one of those ‘only in rugby league’ scenarios.

Continue reading "KEIRON'S TOY STORY" »

JON Sharp seemed a fairly relaxed man after that no-show against the Bulls.
It’s a bit early to start panicking Mr Mainwaring but it seems fairly obvious – even to a sofa-bound clown like myself – where the Giants are lacking.
The front row isn’t the best but not many stand up to Bradford. Still a bit unsure about George Gatis.
It’s the back row where they’re missing out. Compare the impact Lolesi, Snitch and Raleigh had with the efforts of Glenn Morrison alone (er, not Ian Morrison as the ref kept calling him..nor Jim for that matter).
And that’s a Bulls side missing David Solomona. Time for the Giants to get Stephen Wild back in there.

Continue reading "BLAND OF THE GIANTS" »

SEEING as my plastered leg means I can do little other than eat the boiled egg and soldiers served up by my girlfriend’s mum, I thought I’d finish off a few books.
Let’s face it, most sports books are complete dross.
Last summer I saw some unfortunate soul with the autobiographies of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard by his sun lounger.
Given those two can’t even play together, what hope of the two books getting along?

Continue reading "AUTHOR DAILY" »

JUST clocked all the tries on SKY and early predictions of it being a tight season seem well founded.
My weekend of live action was curtailed by the fact I can only just manage to limp to the end of the road on crutches before breaking out in a prolonged wheezing.
So sofa so good then. Warrington are already playing like loons. They should have utterly pasted Hull on Friday night but kept falling asleep.
Brilliant show by Hull with all those injuries but they really were there for the taking.

Continue reading "SETTEE BREAK" »

OK..only four days late with the final preview but I have a REALLY good excuse this time.
Managed to rupture my Achilles tendon playing footy the other morning. Heard a snap and then my right foot was Mr Flippyfloppy.
So now hobbling around on crutches pretending I’d taken a hit from Willie Mason instead of stumbling around on a bit of Astroturf like a middle-aged oaf.
Two and half hours til Cas v Cats kicks off so better get going..

Continue reading "SEASON PREVIEW THREE" »

TWO days late because the computers in my office are
on the brink of meltdown (you didn’t think I did this
in my own time, did you?)

Continue reading "SEASON PREVIEW PART TWO" »

I’M taking my lead from the genius Australian World Cup organisers who are having the opening ceremony after the tournament begins.
So here, club by club, are some thoughts on the, er,forthcoming 2008 season - after it has started.
As ever injuries and depth of squad will probably dictate who finishes at the top.
For no particular reason let's start with the four clubs beginning with the letter H. Well actually so I can get Huddersfield in on the first day.

Continue reading "SEASON PREVIEW PART ONE" »

QUICK thoughts on the opening game of the season.
THE MUSIC: We wait three months and SKY open the programme with Two Tribes by Frankie Goes to Hollywood (1983). Freeze Frame by the J Geils Band (1981) makes an appearance later on.

I know Eddie's got 80s hair but something a tad more contemporary perhaps?

Continue reading "THE OPENER" »

MEMO to England Rugby Union: Try passing the ball to Lesley Vainikolo if you want to win the game or, perish the thought, score a try.
I don’t know whether to laugh or laugh. Shaun Edwards coaching a Wales rah-rah team to victory over an England one containing Big Les.

Continue reading "RAH HA HA HA" »