Monday 30 September 2013

#NRLGF 2013: How we got an Easts v Manly Grand Final Podcast - NOT The Footy Show Episode 142 | 30/09/2013

So it's Easts v Manly in the GF but how did they get there?

Dave and Waz reunite for a quick recap of Manly's win over Souths and Easts' dispatching Newcastle in the Preliminary Finals. Plus we've got chats with Matt Hilder, Alex McKinnon and Robbie Rochow from the vanquished Knights.

We also say goodbye to a champion in Danny Buderus and replay the Joey-Bedsey interview that was on Channel 9 before the game that is worth hearing if you missed it.

We will have a One on One interview with James Maloney from the Roosters plus heaps of unique chats with Manly players from their GF Media Day on the next episode or two of NOT The Footy Show - Grand Final Week Editions.

Grab the Latest Show off iTunes right here
Download the mp3 version
Or play it below

NOT The Footy Show Episode 142
'How we got an Easts v Manly Grand Final Podcast' - Released Monday September 30, 2013
Right Click Save Target As This Link if you don't have iTunes for the MP3 File
Subscribe to the Podcast here

Thanks for listening - now please rate us on iTunes and tell people about the show!

Send us a Tweet via @NRLTweet or post on the Facebook page - www.facebook.com/nrlpodcast if it's good to have us back?
    We hope you like the new approach and please give us some feedback or maybe even a plug if we earn it.

    LIKE the show on Facebook to discuss the upcoming month of NOT The Footy Show or catch us on Twitter: @NRLTweet or our individual accounts @wdnicolson @Mr_DC11 @mtsialis @mrpeninsula @horry37 and Nic McInerney is now our Facebook Mozart.

    Friday 27 September 2013

    #NRLFinals 2013: Prelim Finals Picks Podcast - NOT The Footy Show Episode 141 | 27/09/2013

    Our Picks for the Preliminary Finals - Souths v Manly and Easts v Newcastle.

    Mitch and Waz catch up at Newcastle's open training session on Friday to give you our predictions and for the rest of the show - listen to the audio from Classic Footy Films' new release: Highlights and Analysis of the 1998 Preliminary Final between Canterbury and Parramatta. 

    Or watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uP2wvFTxu2M

    We'll speak to you again after the games this weekend - so Sunday night.

    Grab the Latest Show off iTunes right here
    Download the mp3 version
    Or play it below

    NOT The Footy Show Episode 141
    'Prelim Finals Picks Podcast' - Released Friday September 27, 2013
    Right Click Save Target As This Link if you don't have iTunes for the MP3 File
    Subscribe to the Podcast here

    Thanks for listening - now please rate us on iTunes and tell people about the show!

    Send us a Tweet via @NRLTweet or post on the Facebook page - www.facebook.com/nrlpodcast if it's good to have us back?
      We hope you like the new approach and please give us some feedback or maybe even a plug if we earn it.

      LIKE the show on Facebook to discuss the upcoming month of NOT The Footy Show or catch us on Twitter: @NRLTweet or our individual accounts @wdnicolson @Mr_DC11 @mtsialis @mrpeninsula @horry37 and Nic McInerney is now our Facebook Mozart.

      #NRLFinals Classic Footy Films: Canterbury v Parramatta 1998 Preliminary Final

      NRL Finals YouTube: 1998 Canterbury v Parramatta EPIC Prelim

      2013 NRL Premiership Finals Series

      By W D Nicolson - September 27, 2013


      Relive the 1998 Preliminary Final... and that comeback via Classic Footy Films.

      [Q] FINALS QUESTION: Who is the last player to appear in a semi final game as his only appearance in the top grade for the season. And although his team won that game, he just wasn't picked again for the next semi final.

      Answer below.

      Who is your tip for this weekend's Preliminary Finals - Our Picks are here or comment below or grab us on @NRLTweet to give us your prediction.

      Thursday 26 September 2013

      #NRLFinals 2013: Preliminary Finals Tips Late Mail Predictions Preview

      FINALS WEEK 3 TIPS and LATE MAIL

      2013 NRL Premiership

      By W D Nicolson - September 26, 2013

      Over to you Cinderella...
      FINALS WEEK 3 TEAM ANALYSIS | PRELIM FINALS PREVIEW PODCAST |

      There's nothing like a good Cinderella team at this time of year, but are Newcastle the real deal or about to get turned into a pumpkin by the Minor Premiers on Saturday night?

      In some ways I don't mind who makes the Grand Final. I was on Queensland radio on Thursday morning and although I'm leaning towards Souths and Easts facing off in the decider - I'd equally be happy with a Manly-Newcastle matchup.

      The other element that makes this Final 4 interesting is although Melbourne got beaten in straight sets - without them there's a certain unknown element amongst the teams left.

      Now available on www.wdnicolson.com is our Special 30 minute Video Presentation of arguably the greatest Preliminary Final of them all - Canterbury v Parramatta from 1998.

      We have the key moments and our analysis of an utter classic. Enjoy.

      In the meantime sit back and enjoy the second and third last games of the season.

      Take on The Postman in NRL Dream Team Finals - League Code: 692749

      Subscribe to the NOT The Footy Show Podcast on iTunes

      Latest Episode 141 has our Prelim Picks 'on tape'!

      So our Tips for the Preliminary Finals are below and after crowning Johnathan Thurston as the @NRLTweet Player of the Year for 2013 - we brought back the @NRLTweet Player of the Finals Award - won by Cooper Cronk last year.

      You can track Finals Week 3 Votes via #NRLTweetPlayerofFinals and Voting Allocation is below (3 Voters per game in first three weeks, then 5 Voters for the Grand Final - all using 4-2-1 Votes) as is the rest of what you need for your weekend of Finals Footy.

      Latest of Late Mail and Preliminary Finals Tips below!

      For our analysis of Tuesday team selections for Finals Week 3 - click here.

      #NFL 2013: Week 4 Picks - Head to Head and with Spread | #nflpicks #nflpickem

      2013 NFL PICKS - WEEK 4
      - AFC and NFC Picks - Head to Head and with the Spread -
      By The Postman, September 27, 2013

      WEEKLY RECAP: Week 3 was poor in Head to Head as we went 8-8, while with the Spread we dramatically improved to go 8-7 with a push in the TEN-SDG game. So we're barely above 60% now in H2H... the glorious days of season 2012 are well and truly behind us. But we persist!

      H2H UPSETS PICKED: Went with 8 Upsets in Week 3 - ridiculous for a start but 6 teams won as the underdog... pity we only had 3 of them. Getting Cincy over Green Bay, Detroit over Washington and Baltimore over Houston is nice and all but 3 from 8 is not good. So 3 from 8 Correct (per Pick'Em favourite/underdog listing)

      H2H LESSONS LEARNED: Kansas City are actually pretty good and I've thrown away 3 picks this year going against them every week... Philadelphia stink, teams without genuine QBs will find it hard to win when the other team plays well - ie. Tampa, Minnesota, while Pittsburgh just blew their last chance of me having any confidence in them by getting picked apart by Chicago (who are better than I thought). Bad losses for San Francisco, NY Giants and Buffalo but Seattle, New Orleans and Denver are in cruise control right now... New England still not sold on, despite them being my Super Bowl pick pre-season.

      My 2013 NFL Season Preview and SuperBowl picks are here - and every week throughout the NFL in 2013 I will be posting my picks here on www.wdnicolson.com and via @wdnicolson.

      Last year in the Yahoo! Sports Pro Football Pick'em competition I managed to finish in the 98th percentile (so Top 2%) of tipsters across the world... completely surprising myself by using the rule of thumb I (for some reason) refuse to back entirely in my NRL Tipping (that is pick favourites and then pick favourites and then, and only then... pick favourites and maybe one or two gut picks - which doesn't hurt you as much with up to 16 NFL games a week v 8 NRL games).

      Week 4 began with St Louis hosting San Francisco on Friday Morning Australian time - we didn't get these picks up on site til Friday arvo but our picks were in on the sites Thursday night - we had San Francisco giving 3.0 points and head to head.
      =====WEEK 4 PICKS===== 

      Tuesday 24 September 2013

      #NRLFinals 2013: Week 3 Teams and Analysis - The Preliminary Finals

      NRL Finals Teams: Week 3

      2013 NRL Premiership Finals Series

      By W D Nicolson - September 24, 2013

      Preliminary Finals Team Analysis
      PRELIMINARY FINALS PREVIEWS
      NRL FINALS WEEK 3 MATCHUPS |

      Here are the Week 3 Teams as named on Tuesday afternoon - with www.wdnicolson.com's selection and injury analysis.

      Our Teams now feature the  + Injured List for each team from the list of players potentially available for the Finals (so players with season ending injuries are not listed) - with a  Likely  or  Unlikely  designation for every player carrying an ailment.

       TEAMS NAMED:  Knights at 2:45pm ... Sea Eagles at 4:00pm ... Rabbitohs at 4:00pm ... and at the stock standard late late time... Roosters at 5:45pm

      FRIDAY September 27 at ANZ Stadium | Kick-off 8:00pm

      FINALS WEEK 3 TEAM: TO BE NAMED - WEEK 1 TEAM BELOW
      SOU: G Inglis, N Merritt, B Goodwin, D Walker, D Farrell, J Sutton (c), A Reynolds, D Tyrrell, I Luke, L Burgess, S Burgess, B Te'o, J Lima.
      Bench: J Clark, R Asotasi, C McQueen, G Burgess, B Lowe, L Keary, M King.
       # Team Changes: Souths stick with Tyrrell and Luke Burgess starting with McQueen and Asotasi benched. Lowe, Keary and King have been added to the squad but unless Tyrrell or Luke Burgess are late scratchings (coaching decision) it is hard to see Lowe or Keary getting a run.
      Skinny: Don't really get what Tyrrell and Burgess do other than take the sting out of the opening 15 minutes... because while they may do that you really can't bring them back into a game you are trailing in... I'd keep Keary on the bench as a hail mary option, but that would leave Clark in the cross-hairs and he's been good in patches since breaking back into the team. Over to you Reynolds and Sutton - stand up in a huge game.
       + Injured List: G Inglis (Knee - Likely), B Goodwin (Ankle - Likely), J Sutton (Knee - Likely), C McQueen (Shoulder - Likely), J Clark (Head - Likely), M Crocker (Knee - Unlikely), B Champion (Ankle - Unlikely).

      FINALS WEEK 3 TEAM: CONFIRMED
      MAN: B Stewart, J Taufua, J Lyon (c), S Matai, D Williams, K Foran, D Cherry-Evans, B Lawrence, M Ballin, B Kite, A Watmough, J Horo, G Stewart.
      Bench: R Fa'aoso, J Buhrer, T Symonds, G Rose, P Hiku, J Hasson, D Gower.
       # Team Changes: Brett Stewart is named as is some chance after missing the first two semis with a bad hamstring strain... even if he plays, expect Peta Hiku to get a spot on the bench ahead of Richie Fa'aoso or Tom Symonds as insurance. Gower and Hasson are added to the squad but won't play unless Watmough or Kite succumb to their knee and arm injuries.
      Skinny: Hiku has to be in the 17 even if B Stewart plays... he's been their best player in both semis. Would like to see Lawrence and Kite play slightly bigger minutes while resting Horo a bit earlier (he's looked gassed for the last month) and give Symonds or Buhrer a role on an edge. Fa'aoso misses out for mine - obviously not 100% health wise (head) and not effective of late because of it.
       + Injured List: A Watmough (Knee - Likely), D Williams (Back - Likely), B Kite (Arm - Likely), S Matai (Hand - Likely), T Symonds (Thumb - Likely), B Lawrence (Back - Likely), J Buhrer (Ribs - Likely), R Fa'aoso (Head - Likely), B Stewart (Hamstring - Possibly).

      SATURDAY September 28 at Allianz Stadium | Kick-off 7:45pm

      FINALS WEEK 3 TEAM: CONFIRMED
      SYD: A Minichiello, D Tupou, M Jennings, S Kenny-Dowall, R Tuivasa-Sheck, J Maloney, M Pearce (c), J Waerea-Hargreaves, J Friend, S Moa, A Guerra, SB Williams, FP Nuuausala.
      Bench: D Mortimer, M Aubusson, I Liu, L O'Donnell, D Napa, M Kennedy.
       # Team Changes: The Roosters don't name Boyd Cordner (meaning he's no better than 20/80 I reckon), with Waerea-Hargreaves back at prop after a one match suspension. O'Donnell shifts to the bench with Guerra holding his starting spot in the second row. Liu rejoins the squad in jersey #16, while at this stage it appears Napa and Kennedy are 18th and 19th men.
      Skinny: Can't say I don't expect the Boyd Cordner talk to intensify as the week drags on... but he'd have to play ahead of Liu (who was harshly dropped for the 1st week of the Finals), Napa and Kennedy. Not 100% - I wouldn't play him this week and if he blew you away at training of Grand Final week - then yes pick him. Ankle injuries like that are prone to relapses as well. Guerra ahead of Aubusson I don't get because Aubusson has been sensational when starting and locking down the side he plays on. O'Donnell's impact off the bench will be significant - as with JWH back they finally get their prop rotation back in business.
       + Injured List: A Minichiello (Knee - Likely), R Tuivasa-Sheck (Ankle - Likely), M Kennedy (Leg - Likely), M Aubusson (Head - Likely), B Cordner (Ankle - Possibly).

      FINALS WEEK 3 TEAM: CONFIRMED LINEUP
      NEW: D Boyd, J McManus, D Gagai, J Leilua, A Uate, J Mullen (c), T Roberts, D Fa'alogo, D Buderus, W Mason, R Rochow, B Scott, J Smith.
      Bench: M Hilder, C Houston, N Costigan, A McKinnon.
       # Team Changes: Newcastle bring in James McManus which is surprising given he was supposedly ruled out of the World Cup last week after missing the Storm match. Kevin Naiqama is on standby again after doing a great job replacing McManus last week. Craig Gower travelled to Melbourne but didn't play and coach Wayne Bennett will have him on standby - at HALFBACK - for Tyrone Roberts who has a knee injury.
      Skinny: James McManus has been awesome this year but an ankle in a moon boot says to me - play Naiqama. The other thing to consider is McManus will be marking RTS... so play Naiqama. If Roberts isn't 100% - Bennett has to put Gower on the bench for Costigan.
       + Injured List: J McManus (Ankle - Possibly), T Roberts (Knee - Likely), J Smith (Sternum - Likely), B Scott (Foot - Likely), D Buderus (Back - Likely), J Mullen (Ankle/Knee - Likely), D Fa'alogo (Knee - Likely), A Cuthbertson (Neck - Unlikely), C Gower (Neck - Possibly).

      Sunday 22 September 2013

      #NRLFinals 2013: Fairy Wayne Father Podcast - NOT The Footy Show Episode 140 | 22/09/2013

      Can Bennett's Knights ride the pumpkin all the way to the Grand Final? 

      Matt and Waz recall past Cinderella Finals teams and try to make sense of how Newcastle dictated there would be no more bad weather in the title race. And look at how Manly's halves kept their season alive one more week to eliminate the gallant Sharks.

      Plus a quick recap of the @NRLTweet Player of the Finals Votes through two weeks, why was Craig Bellamy allowed to be proven correct by the NRL on Saturday night and ask why is Steve Mascord scaling back his involvement in the wired world of Rugby League?

      So join Matthew Duncan and Warrick Nicolson for the first NOT The Footy Show Podcast for what must have seemed like an eternity right? ...okay, only a week between shows but now Waz has his voice back - you might get 2 Podcasts this week! TWO I tellsya!

      Grab the Latest Show off iTunes right here
      Download the mp3 version
      Or play it below

      NOT The Footy Show Episode 140
      'Fairy Wayne Father Podcast' - Released Sunday September 22, 2013

      Right Click Save Target As This Link if you don't have iTunes for the MP3 File
      Subscribe to the Podcast here

      Thanks for listening - now please rate us on iTunes and tell people about the show!

      Send us a Tweet via @NRLTweet or post on the Facebook page - www.facebook.com/nrlpodcast if it's good to have us back?
        We hope you like the new approach and please give us some feedback or maybe even a plug if we earn it.

        LIKE the show on Facebook to discuss the upcoming month of NOT The Footy Show or catch us on Twitter: @NRLTweet or our individual accounts @wdnicolson @Mr_DC11 @mtsialis @mrpeninsula @horry37 and Nic McInerney is now our Facebook Mozart.

        Thursday 19 September 2013

        #NRLFinals 2013: Elimination Finals Tips Late Mail Predictions Preview


        FINALS WEEK 2 TIPS and LATE MAIL

        2013 NRL Premiership

        By W D Nicolson - September 19, 2013

        Advantage Top 4... the way it should be.
        FINALS WEEK 2 TEAM ANALYSIS |

        If anyone you know is complaining about the Top 4 getting all the advantages in the Finals?

        Tell them to shut up now, because if you finish that high you should get every advantage you've EARNED.

        The Cowboys can moan all they want about this year's playoff departure (last year's was far worse in terms of a decision that cost them) but if they hadn't decided to wait til the last month a bit to play decent footy - they might have got a Top 4 berth and had a second chance after the refs stuffed up.

        The Dogs had a bad start and were mediocre for the rest of the season, so it makes sense they get bounced in the first week of the Finals.

        The Sharks and Knights earned their second chance this week, while Melbourne and Manly won 31 games between them out of 48 starts - so they certainly deserve a second bite at the cherry.

        So we get Elimination Finals this weekend - ENJOY and GET TO A GAME PLEASE!

        Take on The Postman in NRL Dream Team Finals - League Code: 692749

        This Finals Week 2 Preview replaces the #NRLFinals Notebook for Thursday September 19 with a new #NRLFinals Notebook coming tomorrow.

        Get up to speed with Daily Updates from around the NRL
        #NRLFinals Notebook: Monday/Tuesday September 17
        #NRLFinals Notebook: Wednesday September 18
        #NRLFinals Notebook: Thursday September 19 (this article)
        #NRLFinals Notebook: Friday September 20

        Subscribe to the NOT The Footy Show Podcast on iTunes

        So our Tips for the Elimination Finals are below and after crowning Johnathan Thurston as the @NRLTweet Player of the Year for 2013 - we brought back the @NRLTweet Player of the Finals Award - won by Cooper Cronk last year.

        You can track Finals Week 2 Votes via #NRLTweetPlayerofFinals and Voting Allocation is below (3 Voters per game in first three weeks, then 5 Voters for the Grand Final - all using 4-2-1 Votes) as is the rest of what you need for your weekend of Finals Footy.

        Latest of Late Mail and Qualifying Finals Tips below!

        For our analysis of Tuesday team selections for Finals Week 2 - click here.

        #NFL 2013: Week 3 Picks - Head to Head and with Spread | #nflpicks #nflpickem

        2013 NFL PICKS - WEEK 3
        - AFC and NFC Picks - Head to Head and with the Spread -
        By The Postman, September 19, 2013

        WEEKLY RECAP: Week 2 was okay as Head to Head went 10-6, while with the Spread we improved from 4-11-1 to a 'standout' 6-10-0! So that puts us at about 66% success rate in Head to Head... you'd take that in the NRL these days.

        H2H UPSETS PICKED: Started well with Buffalo over Carolina at home but swung and missed (just) on Dallas at Kansas City and got embarrassed (like the two teams) by Seattle crushing San Francisco and Denver doing it just as easy over the NY Giants. 1 from 4 Correct (per Pick'Em favourite/underdog listing)

        H2H LESSONS LEARNED: Indianapolis aren't as good as maybe we thought they might be after last year's playoff appearance, Kansas City have made a mockery of me picking against them both weeks, Washington stink, Arizona might not, Cleveland and Jacksonville should only be picked when playing each other... and then you pick Cleveland. San Diego get a road win... can they do it regularly? Pittsburgh are 0-2!!!

        My 2013 NFL Season Preview and SuperBowl picks are here - and every week throughout the NFL in 2013 I will be posting my picks here on www.wdnicolson.com and via @wdnicolson.

        Last year in the Yahoo! Sports Pro Football Pick'em competition I managed to finish in the 98th percentile (so Top 2%) of tipsters across the world... completely surprising myself by using the rule of thumb I (for some reason) refuse to back entirely in my NRL Tipping (that is pick favourites and then pick favourites and then, and only then... pick favourites and maybe one or two gut picks - which doesn't hurt you as much with up to 16 NFL games a week v 8 NRL games).

        Week 3 starts with Philadelphia hosting Kansas City (and former Eagles coach Andy Reid) on Friday Morning Australian time.
        =====WEEK 3 PICKS=====