WCC & Round Four Preview

February 29, 2008 at 12:57 pm | In Rugby League, Sport, Super League | Leave a Comment
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Leeds v Melbourne (+8)
Had this been at the end of last year, offering us a suitably fitting climax to the rugby league season, we would be as excited about this game as the teams’ fans themselves.  Sadly the competitions can’t agree to come to a decision about such a finale, leaving us with a preseason fixture that has managed to become a game that takes place after the start of our season.  Brilliant idea to load the game in favour of the British side when in actuality I think Leeds would have given Melbourne a game in a one off end-of-year special anyway.  Instead we’re conned into going in for this unofficial WCC that for all intents and purposes is a preseason game for the Australians and a corporate merchandising tool for a successful British side.  There’s nothing wrong with that, having been witness to several WCC games, both as neutral and supporter of a team, they do allow the fans of the teams participating to get excited and earn some bragging rights if they do win.  So whatever the outcome tonight you can guarantee that whoever wins it will not feel this meaningless.

I don’t know how much of the NRL that you get to watch.  If it’s plenty then my next comments won’t surprise you, if you don’t watch the NRL I am not exaggerating.  Last year’s Melbourne Storm sides has to rank as one of the best that I’ve seen in recent years.  This is a big, physical side that can equal and surpass your pack.  They have a wealth of attacking options and more importantly know how to use them in such a manner that, like with most great teams, most of these players would be significantly less effective in any other side.  We’re about to witness that with Matt King over here, although the drop off in the standard of the competition won’t allow that to be as noticeable (any Warrington fan who takes offence at me suggesting that Melbourne are a hugely better side than their own team has no right to free thought after such a farcical reaction).  Like many, I would have loved to see these two sides go head-to-head at their peak and despite the Storm’s quality I think Leeds could compete with them in an official World Club Challenge.

Due to the nature of this contest and it’s positioning in the season I think that any detailed analysis of strengths and weaknesses for the two sides is a bit dreamy because nobody knows what to expect from the NRL champions in what is a warm-up game for them.   They’re missing the current Kangaroos captain, Golden Boot winner, last year’s State Of Origin player of the series, 2006 Dally M award winner and team leader Cameron Smith.  Also missing will be last year’s NRL Grand Final man of the match and former rookie of the year Greg Inglis.  Wow!  When put like that you know that this is a side to be reckoned with, when at full strength.  It’d be unfair to dismiss any Australian side’s chances in this sport but I think that the losses of these two players, coupled with Leeds’ game-hardened edge, will reduce this match down to a comfortable win for the home side.  To lose Inglis is a loss but to add the best player in the world to that would be like removing Peacock and Sinfield from the Leeds side, if not more.  Leeds by 10.

Wigoon v Bradford (+2)
Tough opponent to face when you’re looking to establish some bouncebackability and these teams need this for different reasons.  Wigoon’s record against Hull is impressive enough for me to state that their last trip has registered a bit of disappointment for their fans, especially with Hull’s depleted first seventeen.  However, that disappointment is a lot less than Bulls fans who would have expected to have beaten Saints, if not before the game then certainly five minutes in when Nick Fozzard left the field.  As stated last week if the Bulls lost I expected there would be the first murmurings of fans questioning McNamara’s ability as a coach.  Fair?  I think so.  I questioned his initial appointment because a club with the Bulls stature, pedigree and expectation took a real gamble on a guy with a wafer thin coaching CV.  Some fans (and I am not specifically referring to Bulls fans) seem to believe that coaching in RL is something that you can just walk into if you’ve played the game.  I’ve never heard anything as stupid in my life.  Like any coaching role, you need to learn how to coach first and whilst McNamara may well have potential, for me he’s been thrust into a shaken pop bottle job without having really established a name for himself.  Where does this leave him now, after last week’s defeat?  Who is under the greater pressure this weekend? 

It’s at home for Wigoon so there’ll be less hope, more belief, about a win and probably less panic.  Recalling the last time that Bradford lost three out of their first four games would probably take us back to the days before Brian Smith and Bulls fan will not be happy at being put in such a situation.  The increase in strength of the competition in league offers the Bulls a tricky away trip to France, a possible banana skin against a dangerous Warrington side before an away match at the champions.  That schedule doesn’t do any favours for a side that could be off to their worst start in years so they need a victory to prevent that.  For Wigoon this is a very good test of their general ability.  Fielden might be on the bench but remains missing from the starting line up and there’s a real test for their hard working back rowers.  Saints managed to halt the Bulls pack with only one front line prop on the field so it is possible and the home side have some young muscle supporting Feka.  It’s a difficult game to call.  There’s no real feeling with these two teams that one is guaranteed to beat the other.  We’ve all seen games between these two clubs where form has played little part in determining the result, which is fortunate because neither side really has any.  What they both have though is the same need to win but for different reasons and I think that although Wigoon’s inconsistency would stop me from putting money on them, they have home support that has improved immeasurably over the past nine years, Bradford still remain a side that you can put on the back foot with a good kicking game and Iestyn Harris is now less mobile and of use than the Bismarck.   Wigoon by 4.

(+6) Castleford v Harlequins
Some Cas fans have condemned themselves mentally to a year of development, building a side around young stars Owen and Westerman.  As difficult to take as that will be for the locals there’s a reality edge in it and I think that the rest of the league would like to see the fans remain patient and get some reward for that.  The results from the last two rounds inspire zero confidence in the Tigers, shipping sixty one week and being lucky to not ship fifty in the other.  It’s a long season, fortunately.  Harlequins RL claimed a second win in a row and will probably be reflecting on the fact that they should be undefeated going into this game.  The schedule is favouring our southern heroes, offering them a genuine chance of notching a third consecutive win.  I remain to be convinced about the visitors though.  Last week they could have been out of the reckoning, the first week they were once the opposition found the keys to the ignition and in the second round a blistering start was enough.  Like many progressives I am keen for Harlequins to challenge for a trophy and a six out of eight points start is a tremendous foundation, representing as strong a start for them as I can remember.  My predictions for Harlequins are usually completely wrong so their fans will be pleased to know that I’m more than happy to predict that Cas will get their first win of the season, in front of a hungry crowd against a side that has the kind of inconsistency, with and without the ball, that can be exploited for a win.  Tigers by 2.

Huddersfield v Hull (+4)
My pick of the Super League games this weekend with teams hoping to keep the momentum going following last week’s kick-start to their years.  Huddersfield topped the half-century and in doing so forcibly instigated a re-evaluation of the Tigers fans’ expectations.  Similarly, Hull’s snatching of the points courtesy of a man of the match outing from, Saints fan, Danny Tickle left the visiting team’s fans pondering the same thought.  Prior to the start of the season Giants fans would have expected two points from the three openers whereas Hull fans will perhaps think that their two have come later than anticipated and with more relief than joy.  Slowly Hull are getting players back in their line-up and this game can be a big boost for them, if they win, lifting them to an even footing which is a good start bearing in mind what things were looking like after the home loss to Harlequins RL.  Currently, I have fewer concerns about the Giants.  There have been a couple of personnel changes but the heart of the team is fundamentally the same as it has been for a couple of years with that stability reaping rewards in terms of results and I think that it’s also given the fans a bit more patience with their side.  Knowing that your team can come back from a seven game losing streak means that losses against the Bulls and Leeds are nothing in the greater scheme of things and this Sunday’s tussle is where the real business is.  A win isn’t critical for either side, for the side that wins though, well there’ll be plenty of reasons to get excited.  For Hull, squad depletion will have been overcome and for the Giants it’s a potential first big puff out of the chest.  Tough call.  Giants by 4.

Saints v Wakefield (+24)
Despite not claiming too many victories at Knowsley Road over the years, Wakefield have, in recent years, delivered some competitive performances, demonstrating some nice attacking play whilst doing so, mainly under John Kear.  For most there isn’t really a good time to be playing against a title favourite, particularly not on their own turf.  This week, with Saints missing several regulars and looking under strength in the pack, could be one of those exceptions where you’ve got a right to believe.  As ever, fate intervenes and instead of being in a position where the opposition’s welfare statistics provide you with assistance, Wakefield have their own series of M*A*S*H with Brad Drew out for a few months, Demetriou and Tony Martin probably missing for three or four rounds.  Kear has an uncanny ability to produce upsets, of that there is no doubt.  I am not as confident about him being able to lift his teams to a positive result from situations of adversity and Demetriou and Drew missing is a full-size problem for them.  Both players have been excellent over the past two seasons with Demetriou excelling and earning plaudits and respect from on the field and off it.  Had Demetriou not left the field last week I think that Wakefield would have exploited their first half dominance to see out the game with a win.  To miss two players, in a side without big name stars is even worse than losing Smith and Inglis.  Saints by 16.

Warrington v Catalans (+18)
Brilliant win last week for Wire even if it was a wilting or switching off win.  There are never that many happy bus journeys back from the east coast and last week’s result should be looked at from that perspective.  Catalans had the task of warming up the champions for this week’s world title clash so it’s difficult to assess just what kind of bearing on this game that result has.  Catalans started well at Leeds before penalties, injuries and the home side occasionally clicking eventually caught up with them, conceding 34 when it might have been 54.  That uncertainty about backing Warrington at home in a game they should win is present in this game because it’s a place where Catalans have proven they can win at.  However I’m prepared to give Warrington some confidence for this game because you don’t just rack up at the place of either of the Hull sides and rattle up a 28-0 lead without having some serious offensive power.  Wire’s ability to move the ball so quickly when on the opposition line has been devastating for them so far and there’s no reason to believe that Catalans can contain that.  Wolves by 10.

Last week’s predictions.
Bulls by 6 (lost by 6)
Wigoon by 6 (lost by 2)
Leeds by 18 (won by 28)
Wakefield by 8 (lost by 16)
Giants by 6 (won by 52)
Hull KR by 6 (lost by 1)

Not the best predictions last week although both Saints and Hull won against the bookies odds.  The current running total 9 correct and 9 wrong thereby proving the premise that this competition is getting more competitive every year.

Freeview Films Of The Week w/c 24 Feb

February 24, 2008 at 12:08 pm | In film | Leave a Comment
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Any decent films on Freeview this week?  It’s a slow week this week with not much to pick at until the weekend.  My pick of this week’s offerings.

Today at 4.25pm on Film4 is the great Howard Hawks western Red River complete with John Wayne in fine form.  I know that a lot of people have prejudices towards Wayne for various reasons (usually politically or the fact that the man was a cock), however it shouldn’t detract from his status as one of the screen’s finest cowboys.  Until watching some of the Ford and Hawks films I had a similar attitude and took the plunge into watching more of his work and have been won around.  My preference is still Eastwood because his character and attitude reflect more of our time whereas Wayne’s attitude is one from days gone by and as repulsive as it can be it does sit exceptionally well in westerns.  Ignore your prejudice and watch Red River today.

There’s a couple of interesting films that you might want to look at.  I’ve heard that Morvern Caller (midnight on Tuesday) is pretty good and Walter Hill (48 Hours, The Warriors) directs Southern Comfort at 1.25am on Film4 this Friday morning.  The first film I’ve not seen and will be tucked up in bed for that as I imagine most will be for Southern Comfort.

Onto the weekend and Saturday throws up thre absolute belters.  First up at 9pm on Channel 4 is Ang Lee’s Sense And Sensibility which is highly recommended.  Lee’s track record is exceptionally impressive and this was his first English language film and was followed up by The Ice Storm, which is arguably even better.  Emma Thompson collected an Oscar for her screenplay and like John Wayne I think she’s a person hampered by people’s perception of her.  Lee’s invovlement with the film gives the film a great cinematic quality that sits wonderfully with the script.  I think this is a piece of work that gets overlooked because it’s a British period piece and we all know how boring some of those can be, so throwing in an Emma Thompson doesn’t sound that attractive.  Forget that, it is.  It’s leagues ahead of Joe Wright’s Pride And Prejudice with even Hugh Grant giving a good performance.  It has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Set your video for 10pm on BBC4 for former Ealing Studios legend Alexander Mackendrick’s Sweet Smell Of Success, starring Burt Lancaster in one of his finest roles.  It’s a vicious look at the work of gossip columnists in New York and although it might be difficult for you to connect with, if you’re not into older films, I found it to have a real feel for its time.  If you’re a fan of good writing you’ll enjoy the script which is almost icy cold and bitter at times, underpinning the characters and that dark train of thought that travels through each of them.  8.2 on IMDB, 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and featured in Time Magazine’s Top 100 films of all-time.

Final choice for next Saturday is a personal favourite.  Rodger Dodger at midnight, BBC2, Saturday night is a black comedy about the relationships between men and woman as played out via a man and his nephew.  I won’t give too much away except to say that it’s modern, fresh, funny and cynical with terrific understanding of how the dating game can work.  Tied in with a great ending, it’s a film that you’ve probably not heard of or seen so check it out.

Super League XIII – Round Three Preview

February 21, 2008 at 6:59 pm | In Rugby League, Sport, Super League | 1 Comment
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Bradford v Saints
This week’s headliner is one of the professional era’s most lovable rivalries. Fans that begrudge each other’s success developed a strong dislike for each other before Leeds came onto the scene and suddenly respect and admiration for the other teams’ competitive spirit became empathy of the day. Is battle set to recommence thanks to the influx of some promising youngsters on both sides? Of the two teams more is known and expected of Saints, wheresas spectators understand that this season is Steve McNamara’s first where his hands will truly be on the controls of the Bulls and it’s this that is probably the most intriguing aspect of this game. Saints have enough players in their side to claim victory here and I think it’s a test of McNamara’s coaching ability on whether they do or not. We all know that Saints can win this so it’s not an overly anticipated win for the Bulls, however missing two front rowers of the quality of Cayless and Maurie favours the home side. As fans, we’ve all been in that situation where you know the opposition is good but they’re either missing players or out of form lifting your hopes and although you don’t expect an easy game you’d be disappointed if your side didn’t complete its objective. This is one of those games for the Bulls. Last week they were superb at times, blasting through shoddy defence with Sam Burgess looking like the real deal. This week it’s a top side in town, there’s some pressure on, expectation of victory is not without justification and that ghost of last year’s playoffs is still sending shivers up McNamara’s spine. Lose here and I think the Bulls fans will be surprised and it’s quite possible we’ll learn of the first rumblings of discontent. Bulls by 6.

Hull v Wigoon
Herein lies a tale of two clubs. Two clubs that a few years ago had exchanged fortunes and league positions in the competition, heralding a new era of rugby league on Humberside. Hull were the new Saints, flying high on the euphoria of two final appearances before the arse fell out of that last year as Hull KR stole their thunder, their derbies, their players and their crowd disturbance convictions. Wigoon were slowly sliding into sleeping giant territory on a hotbed of RL talent and pigeon English. Now they face up, one side unbeaten the other undercooked. Hull’s injury problems have been well highlighted by fans oblivious to other teams’ plights and they face a side that hasn’t exhibited the same kind of vulnerability at the KC as other sexier sides have. Lacking signifiant weight in the front row means that the visiting side pose a lesser threat and Hull should be able to confront the opposition forwards on at least an even basis. The two wins so far for Trent Barrett plc might flatter their league position as both Harleqins and Castleford were tipped for the bottom two or three places by many so there’s still a feeling of uncertainess for some regarding just how capable this side is. Against a side containing Barrett you need to offer something yourself at half and Berrigan can do that, however the lack of a serious alternative option and Hull’s propensity to stuff the ball up their jumper means that the away team can lay down the first piece of wood for Peter Sharp’s coffin. Wigoon by 6.

Leeds v Catalans Dragons
Catalans can give us some of the most astonishing heroics in Super League at home and fleeting glimpses into their potential when in England. What they can’t give us is a miracle from Lourdes against a one-eye-on-the-WCC participants. Leeds by 18.

Harlequins RL v Wakefield
Wakefield at home, a game that every team fancy themslevs for taking the two points, consequently meaning that Harlequins RL are set to lose this. Both of these teams remind me of a lower placed Warrington side, beating the high flyers one week, slipping up against nobodies the week after and when you start to consider things like that you realise where teams have to improve if they want to break free of that inconsistency stranglehold that grips non-playoff teams. There’s no great reasoning behind predicting this game, just work it out for yourself. Harlequins won on the road at the KC last week, Wakefield leaked some bingo numbers at home so normal logic suggests that it’s a home win. Wakefield by 8.

Huddersfield v Castleford
A chance to get some points on the board for the Giants. Less than impressive scorelines against the West Yorkshire heavyweights hide the true ability of the home side, who will be looking to register their first points of the season against Cas, a game they would have singled out as an expected two points. It is a overused cliche about a side needing to concentrate for eighty minutes against the better sides and last week’s game at Odsal was a great example with the Giants more or less out of contention before they found their gears. Playing against Castleford there’s less likelihood of the Tigers being able to maintain a tough defensive line for the full game so you will get chances to claw back some of the points you concede if you start poorly. This doesn’t mean that the Giants only have to turn up with the result dropping into their laps and their fans know that after previous disappointing starts to the season. On song, the Giants pack should be able to completely control the game which is perhaps more of indicator of the mystery and prejudice that we have towards Cas, coming up as they did out of the NL. With relegation finally dropped from the agenda Matterson can develop his team with a more long-term plan, instead of feeling that this is one of those away games where two points is achieveable with a great performance (at some places you can play very well and still come away with nothing) and what a blessing and relief that must be. The Tigers want it but the Giants need it more. Giants by 6.

Hull KR v Warrington
This could well turn out to be the game of the round for me. Okay there’s no flavour of the months in there like Burgess or RL heroes like Roby to give the press the headlines they want but there are two teams here that have a recent history between them, playoff aspirations and players that can deliver progress for their fans this year. I’m really torn on this one. My head says that playing at home, coupled with Rovers’ previous showings against Warrington and so far this seson make this a relatively easy call. I’m not so sure though. Whilst I made light of Warrington being reliant upon one move this season earlier in the week, it is one hell of a move and one that can quickly rack up some points. Against Saints Wire played a very good first half and could easily have had a bigger lead before Matt Gidley showed his class. I’m thinking that although Rovers are looking like playoff material you have doubts about consistency because that’s the same for any club that’s not been in the top half of the table on a regular basis. If Warrington can use the ball to the left hand side of the threequarters as they do to their right they can be exceptionally dangerous at this stage of the season before teams wise up and neutralise their rapid passing. All that said Hull KR, I believe, are here to stay in this playoff hunt, injuries permitting, and this in many ways is a bigger test than last week’s trip to France because it’s the kind of opponent that teams lacking consistency cough up against. Should be a good game. Hull KR by 6.

Last week’s predictions:
Saints by 6 (won by 8 )
Leeds by 10 (won by 38)
Wigoon by 16 (won by 12)
Bulls by 10 (won by 26)
Dragons by 4 (lost by 4)
Hull by 8 (lost by 18!)

That makes it 7 correct and 5 wrong so far. Hmmm lol.

Farndale’s – A Review

February 20, 2008 at 7:41 pm | In Fish & Chips | 1 Comment
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Farndale’s
138 Aberford Road, Woodlesford, Leeds, LS26 8LG

So, following on from a colleague’s advice, it was that I was travelling outside of Leeds, towards Woodlesford and the decision to stop off at Farndale’s had been made for me. I had expectations that this chippy would be good without delivering something out of this world, a satisfactory experience instead of a defining one and I’d done some preparation work before heading over the hills. Seafish provides a listing of the industry finalists for chip shop of the year so I downloaded their list to see where the nominations for the best in the area were and if Farndale’s was amongst them. It wasn’t. Was that a warning shot that my colleague just hadn’t been exposed to anything like the same kind of quality in fish and chips as myself? It was certainly a suggestion.

Finding out what the nomination for the best in Yorkshire proved to be trickier than it should have been simply because I kept forgetting to search the net when I got home. It didn’t matter really, I had enough confidence that this place was going to be at least edible from the conversation with my colleague, who’d given me enough faith to believe Leeds.

Farndale’s is very much the traditional small chippy and reminded me of Haydock’s historical finest, Dixon’s. It has the feeling that it’s served the local area, probably for a few decades, whether it has or not I’ve no idea. Tight and cramped at peak times, the menu was easy to read, although I had some difficulty determining which was the price for a regular portion of chips because of the price difference between the two quoted prices. It’s basic fish and chips on that menu here meaning dedication to the product. As with many places in the north there’s that initial feeling of being a stranger-in-town which is quickly superceded by local hospitality and humour, making this quite an unusually pleasant experience. Due to the queues service isn’t the fastest I’ve known even for my cod and chips.

The moment of truth and I receive my food. I’m inexperienced with chippies from Yorkshire so I was delighted, when I unwrapped my food, to see that the fish had the same dirty copper look of Bridlington, stoking up that anticipation. The chips, complete with scraps on top looked capable of hitting the spot too. Man, this was exciting. Immediately, I noticed that the portion of chips was small. It wasn’t obvious on the menu what size constituted regular and once I completed my purchase it was clear that the price reflected the size of the portion. Okay, the chips were cheap but it was a lot more for big portion so although the value for money was fine the portion size was disappointing. The fish was of an average size and the price for the meal reflected the size of the portions which isn’t to say that the portions were measly, they were appropriate for the price so being a big man it was really only my own greed that was thwarted.

Sharing the anticipation I felt at that time, in written form, is difficult. Here I had, lying before me, a meal fit for any working person. It looked delcious but how did it taste and rate? The fish did not let me down, an excellent standard in flavour and texture without being overly greasy or battered although it might be a bit too greasy for your average health freak who has guilt spasms over eating something as calorific as a gnat’s chuff. There’s no denying the quality of Farndale’s fish, right up there with The Pride Of Bridlington for me. Even in the most committed fish and chip shops, the issue of chips can be a concern although most usually deliver a consistent product if nothing amazing, not so in Farndale’s. With scraps littered in the trough I was amazed at quality of the chips. My vocabulary is too limited to describe the chips without over-hyping them or misinforming you. Safest to say that if you prefer your chips to mush in your mouth after a few chomps and not have to struggle like you’re breaking down wood chips then these are for you. Champions League chips.

Situated on the main street in Woodlesford about five minutes drive from junction 30 of the M62 I recommend that if you’re driving past, around lunch or tea time, make an effort to stop by you won’t regret. Unlike most of the good chippies it’s open beyond 7.30pm (up until 9pm I think) and is open all day on Saturday.

Quality of fish

10

Quality of chips

10

Quantity of fish

8

Quantity of chips

8

Food presentation

8

Shop presentation

9

Customer service

7

Menu

6

 

 

Overall

91

OVERALL VERDICT: Excellent. The size of the portion of chips was the only real negative which is easily overcome by getting the large portion of chips on the next visit. Fish was excellent quality, the service friendly and the chips may well have been the best that I’ve ever tasted.

Round Two Review

February 19, 2008 at 12:31 pm | In Rugby League, Sport, Super League | 2 Comments
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What then, did we learn from round two of Super League XIII?

You can’t rely on Harlequins
If there is one that is predictable about Harlequins it’s that they aren’t very predictable.  Consigned to fighting for eleventh in the league by many after folding so poorly from a position of advantage last week their trip to Hull was supposed to end in the injury-plagued pretenders gaining an expected first win of the season.   A blistering start for the visitors though was enough to shock the faithful and leave the home side starting to look down the fixture list for that first win.  At the beginning of Super League XII Quins went to Knowsley Road and came away victorious and despite Hull’s apparently decimated squad this win must rank as highly, certainly in team spirit.  How much can we read into this performance?  Quins fans do not like their team being written off because it happens so often despite a track record of pulling upsets off when they’re in a poor run of form.  It will come as no surprise to them that I don’t consider a fifteen minute attacking burst at the start of a game, that effectively wins it, any sort of reliable indicator for future form.  Matched up against an attack that demonstrated all the attacking flair of Ian Potter at his peak the week before, a fifteen point start can go a long way.  It’s credit to McDermott and his side that they managed to restrict a home side to just one score, a marvellous achievement no matter what the quality of the opposition, so I don’t want to detract from that.  However, as Warrington showed in round one, defending your line against a side who rarely attempt to pass the ball more than once in each passage of play, is no real challenge and I think for any Quins fan to look at this result outside of that context is dangerous.

Where does this leave Hull?
In a bit of a hole.  Last week I highlighted that there’s every possibility of Hull lining up against Rovers on Good Friday with just one win behind them and with Wigoon visiting the KC this week there’s unlikely to be an easy opportunity for two points.  Injuries appear to be playing a part at Hull but just how much leeway should they be given?  Each of the sides west of the backbone of England have injury problems of their own, yet remain competitive because they are not devoid of ideas in attack.  Okay, in fairness to Hull they haven’t been able to put their first choice halfback pairing out on the pitch but we are talking about Hull here and it wouldn’t be the first time that somebody has criticised them for being flat in attack.  Once Dykes and Horne appear in the side with Berrigan working at acting half there will be an upturn in Hull’s fortunes, the question for me will be just how far behind Rovers will they be by that time?

Invincible Leeds?
It’s mildy surprising that nobody has yet suggested that this current Leeds side might go through the season undefeated.  It’s not surprising that they’ve taken hold of pole position so early on in the season.  The upcoming WCC has meant that the champions have notched up three wins in a row, two of them very comfortably away from home against teams that other top six contenders would struggle at.  Having the extra game behind them may have given Leeds an edge and a chance to claim a second WCC next week has had some suggesting that it will be a peak thereafter which maintaining the same level of intensity will be difficult.  I’m not so sure about that.  In every WCC that’s happened in recent years nobody has been sure which NRL champions would show up.  There’s been awesome displays by Melbourne and the Roosters one year followed by Rhys Wesser disasters the next, leaving the fans wondering just how serious a confrontation this is going to be.  I doubt Brian McClennan is worried about whether Craig Bellamy will be using this as a preseason tool, McClennan will be wanting to give his side that taste of winning so the can build on that for later in the year when the silverware is knocking around.  Yes, Leeds have started well, they may drop off in intensity and it’s likely that they will lose a game at some point during the season but I don’t think we can expect that big a drop off in performance from them.  The highlights from their trip to Wakefield on Friday served up enough warning to me that this Leeds team is capable of repeating the feats of the Saints of Super League XI and with Castleford (A), Harlequins (H), Bradford (H), Hull (A) and Saints (A) following the WCC there’s two relatively easy games that will give them time to get back to this level of intensity before three games against pre-season contenders tell us how good this side really is.

New York atttidue can help the Giants
One thing that struck me during Saturday’s game about Huddersfield and that’s when they get their physical game going they can challenge the best in this competition.  At Odsal they managed that for a short time in the middle of the match before the Bulls determination wore the Giants down.  There doesn’t appear to be any fundamental problems wrong with the Giants other than Chris Thorman’s capability to apply himself defensively to any level of competence at full back but I think they could take a leaf out of their American football namesakes by applying themselves in that physical manner that has been so successful for them over the past two years.  When they raised their game on Saturday there was a genuinely competitive match, unfortunately by the time they had managed to turn up to play the Bulls were more or less out of sight.  The Giants pack is not full of household names and I don’t see any big yardage makers in there.  What I do see though is a group of players that have manhandled bigger names than their own, on more than one occasion and are capable of doing that again.  There are question marks over this Giants side and in a few more weeks I think that the halves will be under a bit more scrutiny.  Until then it’s just a case of those forwards working harder and getting back to the efforts of last year to make up for the lack of big name starters.

Weekly anti-Warrington diatribe
As you may have noticed I don’t have anything positive to say about Warrington Wolves in this blog, it is rife with unsubstantiated statements about their inability to progress up the ranks of Super League into a regular playoff position.  Obviously those of you who watch the game will understand that my observations are made purely from watching the Wolves on the pitch.  I think that now is the time that I should declare myself as not having that vested interest in seeing Warrington fail to perform that other Saints fans who live/work with Warrington fans have.  I would go so far as to say that I would have no hesitation whatsoever in confirming that I want Warrington to win whenever they play Wigoon and probably always will.  Onto this week’s observation and it’s more of a question that I’d like to ask.  Do Warrington have any plans to adopt another attacking move besides just throwing it wide to Gleeson?  I know that Lee Briers can only pass effectively in one direction but can you imagine how difficult it would be to defend against them on your own line if they could give the ball as much air towards King as they do towards the right centre channel.

Freeview Films Of The Week

February 18, 2008 at 7:23 pm | In film | Leave a Comment
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Thought I’d take a look to see what films are on Freeview this week and pick out some that are worth watching if you’re looking for something you might not have watched before.

First up tonight is The French Connection II on BBC1 (11.20pm) which many site as being as good a sequel as you can find, some say even better than the first. I don’t subscribe to the latter view though it is a very good film and worth watching solely for Gene Hackman’s performance which puts Keifer Sutherland’s 24 turn to shame.

On Tuesday at 9pm on Film4, Alexander Payne of Sideways and Election fame (both worth checking out if you haven’t seen either before) directs Jack Nicholson in another terrific acting performance in About Scmidt. It’s not your usual Jack Nicholson role. I hadn’t seen this until recently this year and loved it. It’s a film that is rich in the central characters emotions without ever going over the edge into sentimentality. I’d go so far to say that it’s probably my favourite Nicholson performance from the past twenty years.

Onto Friday (10.45pm) and it’s Film4 again for Paul Verhoeven directing Black Book, a tale about the Dutch resistance in WWII. It’s a film that I’ve not managed to catch yet and I’m told that Carice van Houten steals the plaudits although I’ve heard mixed reviews about it.

Mayweather Slaps A Wrestler

February 18, 2008 at 7:01 pm | In Boxing, Sport | Leave a Comment
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Following up from that great one round match up here’s Floyd Mayweather at one of the Wrestlemania things punching one of the wrestlers. More of a slap than proper punches in line with the phoney wrestling ethos.

Kapow! Watch this

February 16, 2008 at 1:03 pm | In Boxing, Sport | Leave a Comment
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I got sent this link today.  It’s Manuel Gomez v Jeffrey Hill in a tremendous one round match up.  As they say, don’t blink and check it out here

Super League XIII – Round Two Preview

February 15, 2008 at 12:11 pm | In Rugby League, Sport, Super League | Leave a Comment
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The second round of games is always interesting because even more than the first week there can be scramble to register a first win before any sort of losing mentality manifests itself.  This week will leave us with at least two sides still waiting to claim their first win of the season and possibly four with perfect records.  Read on…

Saints v Warrington
Talk about setting one up over the plate for the away team for a game about which they’d probably all each give their sixth finger to win.  It’s two prop forwards down for Saints which evens things up in the pack and with the Bulls, Wakefield and Hull in the coming weeks asking Graham and Fozzard to do over 60 minutes each alongside a second rower may not be an option for Daniel Anderson this week.  The week’s headline game just got bigger.  Missing the two props pulls both sides closer and restricts the advantage that the Saints pack usually carries into this game.  Last week Adrian Morley picked his time to give his side good momentum and he will need to perform at his best to give the backs field position in the Saints half.  Warrington can’t afford to be throwing the ball around in their own half against a defence like Saints’ so the contributions of Morley and his companions in the pack will be equally as critical as the service that the backs get from Monoghan and, occasionally, Briers.  For Saints, you expect the Warrington defence to give up yardage and points so it’s not doom and gloom, however it is time for the defence to hold its ground, contain this potentially devastating opposition threequarter line and pepper Chris Bridge like crazy with bombs if he turns up at full back.  Saints by 6.

Wakefield v Leeds
The team with the hardest set of opening fixtures (each of The Big Three in the first four weeks) has already taken two points more than they could seriously have anticipated last weekend and now continue their quest for West Yorkshire domination.  A great result last week should mean that there is another chance of an upset here, sadly for the Wildcats they haven’t won at home against Leeds since they came into Super League and I’m going to have to go with that telling statistic.  Leeds by 10.

Wigoon v Castleford
Victory here will see the best bet for this year’s team-most-likely-to-break-into-The-Big-Three make their best start to a season since 2001, so I’m told anyway.  In that year Frank Endacott was sacked just a few months later in May so defeat might be a preferable option to a promising beginning for Brian Noble.  Castleford will hold no fears for a side that rattled up nearly fifty points away from home and they must be anticipating an explosion of points again on Friday, just like in ‘the good old days’ last century.  Cas are not completely out of this game though, over the past three years Wigoon have been vulnerable to inconsistency, poor handling and defensive lapses, however one thing that I think we’ve learned about Noble is how he builds his teams on confidence and last week’s Get Out Of Jail Card will have served his team well in their mindset for this.  Wigoon by 16.

Bradford v Huddersfield
Like Wakefield, Huddersfield are having a tough time with the draw in the first two weeks, facing a Leeds side with a game already under their belt when a fresh Leeds side at your own place could have been a shock opening win any other year.  This week it’s a trip to Bradford and one of their unhappiest hunting grounds when the Bulls should still really be smarting from defeat at Wakefield.  It’s not all bad news for Sharp’s men with Castleford next week so I think that they should use Saturday’s televised game to try and build on last week’s second half performance.  Bulls by 10.

Catalans v Hull KR
Anybody fancy a 10k plus crowd for this?  Great opening match for the Dragons against the team that’s pushed one and beaten the other Grand Finalist from last year.  How can you not fail to get excited by this impending visit, complete with a migration of various stages of human evolution supporting them.  If either side has aspirations of finishing in a playoff position this is the kind of match that they’d be targetting as an achievable win.  Catalans will be hoping to improve on their home season form of the past two years, which has seen them pull off some cracking wins, similarly for Hull KR this is one of those trips that they can avoid going home with a loss (bearing in mind the result last year).  Both teams I think would be happy with the start that they’ve made although I’m not sure who would be more disappointed if they lost this one.  Both teams have the ability to promote the ball to a standard that is higher than some of the more fancied sides in the competiton and though Hull KR have some form behind them I think you have to go with the home team who did well to spoil Castleford’s party last week.  Dragons by 4.

Hull v Harlequins
This week’s Sunday shopper alternative becomes the first real coin flip of the round although home form should secure Hull the points.  Quins threw away the two points from a winning position last week whilst Hull cough, spluttered and put some effort in with little in the way of creativity or imagination which makes me think that Harlequins can open their account here.  With Wigoon visiting next week, a side that’s done relatively well over at the KC, trips to Huddersfield and Saints following that a loss in this game could put Hull amongst the early season cellar dwellers.  All thee of those matches will require a lot of work and none guarantee even a sniff of return and whilst Wakefield at home after those three is two points you fancy Hull to pick up I don’t think they’d want to be going into that match win no points on the board, particularly with the Good Friday Smackdown a week later.  There’s a lot of pressure on Hull to get back up there with The Big Three and the side they had out last week should be able to squeeze out the two points against a side that last week leaked 47 points at home to against one ten minute prop.  Hull by 8.

Last week predictions:
Warrington by 12 (Won by 12!!)
Tigers by 2 (lost by 7)
Wigoon by 6 (won by 19)
Leeds by 8 (won by 20)
Saints by 4 (lost by 2)
Bulls by 10 (lost by 2)

A 50% success rate so heads/tails it is again this week.

Haydock Supper Bar

February 13, 2008 at 6:49 pm | In Fish & Chips, Haydock | 1 Comment
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For previous posts referring to fish and chips, please click here

Prior to visiting the chippy over in Leeds that a colleague recommended I figured it would be wise to start my assessing at a local chippy and at the one that is the best in the village, which is actually in Blackbrook and not Haydock. Not that that matters because it is one of three that are owned by the same people and produces similar quality fish and chips to the other two.

I’ve always found the product and service to be slightly better at Blackbrook Supper Bar compared to Haydock Supper Bar and The Crispy Cod (located opposite The Ram’s Head down the post-apocalytic end of Haydock). There’s probably little difference inbetween the three shops, however Blackbrook has certainly tasted better to me when I’ve gone and unlike Haydock Supper Bar there’s not an endless cue of people which usually means that you aren’t waiting for chips so they can develop some colour in the fryer.

What is the product like then? What is the order? Straight up fish and chips, cod or haddock doesn’t really mind, although that kind of option is rare in Haydock due to the complexities of learning seven letter words. So cod and chips it is, normal portion size, salt and vinegar applied as per personal preference, wrapped up with a plastic fork in hand to tackle what is the pinnacle of Haydock fast food cuisine.

First up, the incidentals, for the sake of argument I’ve included the menu from the other two sister chippies so that there’s no deliberate marking down of the three just because I went to the Blackbrook branch of this ever-increasing business empire. Both Haydock Supper Bar and The Crispy Cod offer various stock foods like burgers and kebabs (the hot chilli sauce is surprisingly good) so there’s an alternative for those of you that have abandoned British culture. The speed of service is good and the chippy is clean placing a lot of emphasis on the importance of the food.

Sadly, the food is variable. Starting with the chips, it’s good sized portion (as is the fish) and they generally look tasty and attractive to the average consumer. I’m obviously not going to describe the taste sensations that swirl around your mouth when you eat a chip because it’s a chip not art and my vocabulary is limited enough for me to be aware that such an attempt would be littered with ill-conceived or contrived comments. It’s enough to say that the chips go from tasty to edible without generating any love for them.

Onto the fish and for some reason that I have yet to fathom out, it’s half-battered. Now when I say half-battered, I don’t mean that it really is half-battered but as you can see from the photographs half of the fish remains uncovered by batter whilst the other side presents this battle-hardened case that’s hiding denizens of uncooked batter, giving the fish a bit of a sickly taste. Presenting the fish unbattered side up gives the food a gleaming and crispy look that’s betrayed by a bite into what is sadly another inconsistent product. This is not to say that the fish is terrible, appalling or givememymoneybackable, it’s just decidedly average.

Haydock Supper Bar Score

OVERALL VERDICT: Varied non-fish menu, relatively speedy service even with long queues, clean, helpful staff with an inconsistent product that doesn’t really scale any heights.

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