Episode 8 - Open the Origin Flood G8's

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This week on Origin eve:

• Origin Talk - Is the QLD spirit really Darren Lockyer distilled into a bottle? We put on our Hawaiian shirts and cue up to discover. In other news, we are not happy with the person running the Bronco’s twitter feed and their lack of respect for Mick “Staple Head” Devere. Eligibility rules are also at the forefront as we put forward a few novel ideas to end the age old arguments.

• Jumping on the Bandwagon - Multiple NRL bandwagons have bitten the dust like Wile E. Coyote at the bottom of a canyon. We’ve decided to jump aboard the Titans. Who they play next week...we don’t really know.

• UNIMMORTAL - Wayne Bennett’s lovechild Scott Minto..nuff said. True NRL (kinda) great.

• Raiders vs the Storm - Pedro talks about the Raiders non-existent defence and Lobby has to delve into the recent history books to come up with a flimsy argument.

• Refs as personalities - We encourage NRL refs to show more love for the game in the hope of getting some quality new recruits. We don’t discriminate...they can own a giant plasma or a 34cm Teac. They better practice up on the art of magic though.

• Fanmail - Nathan got a bit sticky over vaseline tactics that he wanted us to discuss

Whether you drink XXXX Gold or something else that is actually mildly potable, we’d love to hear from you. Also, if you know of a spirit distilled in NSW you can drop us an email at leaguebythefireplace@gmail.com, hit us up on Facebook, Twitter or on iTunes.

Enjoy.

Episode 7 - 7th Heaven

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“7th heaven..when I see their happy faces smilin' back at me!!”"

This week:

• Shout out to Kingy - With no reply from Blake Ferguson on Twitter we decide to go “old school” and email Matt Kings management company. If we get any more old school we might eventually send a telegram.
• Jumping on the bandwagon - The Sharkies have lost so we have quickly disembarked the moving bandwagon. Pedro wants to jump straight aboard a new one but Lobby is a little hesitant...once bitten twice shy.
• Fanmail!!! - Jimi_Hendrix brings up some great points about our great game, including an NRL phenomenon he has dubbed “the Passing Prop”. He also nominates an...
• UNIMMORTAL - Lance Thompson, as red as you can get. This rudolph rednose son of a gun is a deserving nom' as he truly exemplifies averageness; cusp of rep selection, no grandiose finish and not one to back away from a “sword-fight”. 
• Low Percentage Plays - We live for this shit...the coach killing, heart in the mouth stuff that is borderline crazy genuis. Ankle taps and gridiron passes within. We also attempt to educate; “the optional restart”, sit back and learn bitches. (feat Brian Smith via Jim Henson’s Muppets)
• “Salary Cap Cops” - Former players getting cushy jobs. Ian Schubert (supposed NRL salary cap auditor) thinks a few days work two years ago is sufficient. We don’t. Get out there and crack some skulls Mr. Schubert!!! (especially of unqualified junior coaches and baristas)

As usual you can contact us through Facebook, Twitter or at leaguebythefireplace@gmail.com. Rate us on iTunes (bad or good!). Throw 20 cents into the hat of the next long haired hobo siamese twin you see.

Enjoy

Episode 6 - The 5/8 is number 6. Wait...WHAT?

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We’re a bit late on the power band craze, but this week we decided to wear them whilst recording to see if they enhanced our performance. You be the judge:

• Unimmortal - After discovering Luke Patton is ineligible, we cast our first nomination....Simon “The Germ” Woolford. Retired, no grand final wins, no representative football and fired from his job at Fox Sports; a tragically comic figure and not a shy guy either ;-)
• Fashion in Football - We get all Vogue upside your head. Firstly NRL haircuts; Corey “Silver Fox” Parker, corn rows, David “Grown out Horsehoe” Barnhill and head strapping are just a few. We also debate socks up vs socks down and discuss whether players should have the right to be super tuff and remove their sleeves.
• Jumping on the Bandwagon - Lobby is conflicted as his beloved Raiders are trounced by the fast moving Sharkies bandwagon. A newfound respect is made for some of the Sharks lesser lights. Pomeroy for Origin?
• One on One Rivalries - We yearn for the days of the classic rivalry of Harragon vs Spud Carroll. The bar is set high for the few current NRL rivalries (mostly revolving around Ennis). We also suggest some potential new rivalries including Polar Bears and mascots.
• Home Ground Advantage - We pontificate on the various factors that can give a team the edge while playing at home, be they ambient, innate or simulated. We know about the Storms short in goal, the heat in Townsville and the Raiders big milky goal pads but we put forward some suggestion that we think will help. Pack your Aeroguard.
• Shout out to Kingy - *Warning; this segment contains loud and explicit language* Ok, well just one swear, but you can hear the frustration is Pedro’s voice. We decide our next step to contact Kingy will be through enigmatic winger and prolific twitterer Blake Ferguson who become BFF’s with Kingy in Country Origin camp. We might have to send some noodz though. We’re coming for you Blakey!

Get in contact through Facebook, iTunes, Twitter or our email (leaguebythefireplace@gmail.com), & put forward a nomination for an Unimmortal. Or share us round with your friends like you would a video of a dog riding a skateboard.

Episode 5 - Addendum Hour

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It’s episode 5, which is also the name of a great 90’s boy band (they spelt it 5ive). We’d like to think we are the 5ive of the NRL podcasting world.


This week:

• The Penny Panthers - After being held to nil 2 weeks in a row, we implore the OAK Choccy Milk Moustache Pantheros to show some pride. Do it for Girds for godsake. Or is it just a symptom of the AFL sinkhole?
• Unimmortal - With so much talk about who should be the next Immortal, we have decided to give some coverage to the ‘kinda’ greats of the game. We’d like you to put forward your views and we'll tally up the suggestions over the year. To qualify to be an Unimmortal you must never have played represtative football (Origin or International) or have never won a grand final.
• Raiders vs the Storm - The Raiders are on a head on collision with our fast moving bandwagon...The Sharkies! Will Lobby abandon the bandwagon by jumping off and rolling in the dust like a sticky hand from a showbag?
• Family ties in the NRL - The Sims brothers have reminded us of the brotherly love in the NRL. There’s plenty of other examples (the Macdougalls, the Hoppas, Mathers Marshall) so we think we might have to call in Schubert and his Salary Cap Cops to make sure everything is legit with brothers at the same club.
• Park Footy - We made the best of the NRL free weekend and made our way to Henson Park, home of the Newtown Jets. There were NRL players on and off the field, constant flyovers by team mascots and we were even rewarded for our community service with VB tins.
• Shout out to Kingy - The silence is defeaning. We’ve been nothing but nice to you Matthew. We would not like to have to reach you through your manager, that’s a little too impersonal. Reach out to us, we’ve given the WhackitCrackit a lot of publicity.

Hit us up on Facebook, iTunes, leaguebythefireplace@gmail.com or on Twitter. Another option is to come over to us at the pub and shout us a turn on the NRL claw game.


Enjoy

Episode 4 - GET OVER HERE!

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It's rep round and we're here to rep (razent).

We discuss:

• Representative weekend - heavy on Geography, we re-plot borders as we please and suggest some extra games for the NRL. On the international side we discuss potential new powerhouse nations. It's got Obama's seal of approval!
• Marketing 101 - either the AFL are marketing geniuses or the Carnival folk are conspiring against the NRL. We give Gallop and co a few ideas on how to market efficiently. There'll be free stuff in it for you...if you can catch from a shirt cannon.
• Coffs Harbour's 'Lustrious' NRL Links - we talk Doggies sex scandal, Russell Crowe's one winning team, Kevin Gordon and the turf war between Souffs and the Titans. Go the Jetty Gettysbourgs!
• Shout out to Kingy - Matthew King is a country gentlemen, mentor/inventor and general legend. Don't make us twitter Andrew Everingham. Once again we politely ask for your acquaintance Monsieur King.
• Sorry in Advance as we tear shreds into one of the legends of the game, Brett Kenny. From his choice in clothes to his insistence on concrete as a beauty product, we suggest this gentlemen get some new management. Pay heed or the Channel 9 bigwigs may have to cancel NRL all together!

As always, your feedback is appreciated (especially if you are the NRL offering us a paltry $10 a week to invest in a cough button). Hit us up on Facebook, Twitter, and rate us on iTunes or come up to us at the pub and shout us a Canadian Club and Vom-Vom. Pass it round like its about to burn your fingers. 3,2,1.

Enjoy.

Episode 3 - The Big Three

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They say "Third times a charm", but we say "Shlird flimes alarm" due to our inability to string together coherent sentences.

This Week we discuss the following:

• Pros & Cons of 5 Captains - In a Souths scrum, the majority of the players are captains. So does this cause them to bind in more tightly? Also, is there value in a Captain/Coach?
• Shout out to Kingy - Where for art thou Kingy? Please don't make us come to a Souths game & harass you.
• Long player contracts - Titans have a bunch of long contracts & look where it got them. Though how could you turn down 5 years of being a 'Toolie' at schoolies week.
• Flying under the radar - Should the Airforce enlist some of the teams in the NRL due to their inability to be detected?
• The players formerly known as 'The Big 3' - Lobby lobs a hypothetical bomb regarding Cameron, Billy & Cooper. Also, the official renaming of 'The Big 3'.
• Where are they now? - We did 46 hours of research to find out what the '97 Newcastle Knights team is up to these days. Did we say 46 hours? I meant 46 nanoseconds.

So, you can either mail our email (leaguebythefire@gmail.com), face our Facebook or twit our Twitter to get your opinions across. Did i Say opinions? I meant "Shlirflinions".

Enjoy.

Episode 2 - Log Cabin Broadcast System

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Welcome to our second episode. It goes equally as well with marshmallows and cognac or Tooheys OLD and biltong.

This week we discuss:

• Jumping on the bandwagon - We pick a team to temporarily adopt every couple of weeks. We might even sponsor them. This week its the....SHARKIES!!!
• Television commentators (especially ex-players) are easy to pick apart. It’s not so easy pronouncing words correctly in our own vague attempt at an audition. Has Darren Lockyer had throat surgery? Would you buy a shirt off Wally Lewis?
• Salary Cap Cops - The restaurant rorts continue and Ian Schubert continues to sit by idly. He could not be reached for comment on his hammock in the Cayman Islands
• The Next Step - In the quest for a competitive edge, whats the next evolution in the game to give teams that extra inch. Jerseys? Hobo gloves? Hairstyles?
• Specialist coaches - We think we’ve found an new job for former Bronco, Michael Hancock. We also discuss acting techniques on video ref calls.
• Raiders vs the Storm - Lobby rants about Cameron Smith, Pedro gets all Da Vinci code on the Raiders win-loss ratio.

As always, you can hit us up on our email (leaguebythefire@gmail.com) or Facebook or Twitter. Share it if you like it....Like the movie with that creepy Sixth Sense kid...”Pay it Forward”.

Enjoy