The Aussies are Sooks

We lost the game 26-12 and despite a small glimmer of hope when we snuck back to 16-12 in the second half, we never really looked composed or clinical enough to threaten the Aussies. As is often the case, we fell behind early and were forced into chasing the game, errors came and the opposition capitalised on our mistakes.

Of course we are missing key personnel and we lack quality centres; the direct result being our flanks being exploited by the crafty Lockyer and his three quarters. We will get better, we always do in tournaments or series, and I think the Aussies are a little bit rattled.

What makes me think that?...

''Play hard but don't play dirty,'' Williams said. ''Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and all of those guys… that was something I don't like and I will back up my boys any time. I don't think it was suitable and we will just have to give it back to them. Hopefully we will have a chance to [play] them, I would love to 'verse' them again.''

That’s from the SMH, it’s Tony Williams, a behemoth of a man who goes by the moniker T-Rex. The first point I'd like to make is that this bloke is a fob. "Verse them," geez it’s quite clear you can transplant the coconut to Sydney but you can’t take the coconut out of the coconut.The second point is stop being a poofter. This is international football contested between the fiercest of rivals; it’s the pinnacle of the sport. Don’t let the whole Origin propaganda and marketing fool you, those guys are all mates and that rivalry fizzled out about ten years ago much to Tommy Raudonikis's lament. Not only are the players all mates but some of the best players in the sport don’t play Origin. Some of the best players in our great game watch Origin from the comfort of their own lounge suites, just like you and I. But I digress.

What T-Rex is sooking about is the "Cannonball" tackle by Isaac Luke on David Shillington which saw the latter injured, a couple of marginal late tackles, and a hit on a kicker that was nothing. Real soft stuff for an international footy player to moan about.

The "Cannonball" tackle is a new phenomenon and another great piece of Craig Bellamy handiwork. It's the most recently developed technique used to control the ball carrier and win the ‘play the ball’, whereby two defenders wrap up the ball carrier holding him upright for a third to attack the back of his knees. Like other techniques developed by the cheating Storm, the potential for injury is high. Coincidentally or not, just like the grapple and chicken wing tackle, Melbourne players and particularly their skipper Cameron Smith are the techniques experts. As is always the case, it’s hilarious when the Australians cry foul. I’m willing to bet dollars to donuts that Cam Smith was involved in similar tackles on Kiwi players in that eighty minutes of football. It’s your technique, you developed it, and now we use it too. Until it’s outlawed stop whinging.

What Tony Williams and the Aussies really don’t like is that our boys have their measure. Brad Walter from the SMH commented on Telfer’s Radiosport show about the way Jarrod Warea-Hargreaves was "belting" his opposition. Between him, Jeremy Smith, and Ben Matulino, we could invade Australia tomorrow and take all their women folk while "T-Rex", Paul Gallen, and Matt Scott watch on sheepishly. Throw in Adam Blair who returns this week and our flag will be flying in Canberra.

International league between NZ and Australia is the new Origin; it’s physical, venomous and it means something. It’s a real rivalry.

In case you forgot, we are the defending Four Nations and World Champions and the Convicts hate it. They are the ones crying.