Urgghhhh!!!
Very ugly weekend
the bleeding stemmed only partly by a 2-0 AFL weekend.
NRL: 1-4* (20%)
Int rugby: 0-1
AFL: 2-0
Overall: 3-5 (37.50%)
I tell ya, I absolutely HATE losing!! Detest it, loathe it, abhor it!!
But in this game you have to learn to take it on the chin. And more importantly, learn from the losses.
So rather than a gloating wrap after a good weekend, let's take a hard look at what went wrong this weekend.
NRL: The sole winner came with the Sharks on Friday night; too good for the off-form Roosters. But we only split the hedge as the Over fell notably short thanks to a slow second-half. The weather was definitely a factor here - it drove the line down by a converted try - and I should have been more aware of its influence. The Sharks were also quite conservative in the way they sat on their lead - kicking for goal twice when they may have kicked for another set of six - and that is something that will require further attention also as the playoffs draw closer.
The Over also never looked likely in the Warriors/Bulldogs game despite no weather problems. Bad handling in attacking positions hurt both teams; obviously the Doggies more than the home side. The result was a good indication why the Warriors are the hardest team in the comp to get a sensible line on - I admit I find it impossible and have given up trying!
I learnt my weather lesson on Fri nite and pulled out late of the Over in the Eagles/Tigers game. However, I sincerely regret being unable to post this info - I was at the Warriors game, screaming at the players to hold the friggin' ball!! I considered it a miracle that I was able to talk my wife into cutting and pasting my Sunday preview for the site and didn't think it was worth the rest of my weekend being ruined by asking her to type in the info on the No Play!! Gale force winds and showers meant conditions were awful at Leichardt - I got confirmation around 9pm NZ time from a fellow journo on Sydney. This was a rare weekend when weather has influenced the NRL. However, the Eagles were equal to the weather and got simply dorked by a very average Tigers outfit who wanted the game far more. Obviously the off-field worries have affected the Eagles players. When you try and quantify this factor into your handicapping, it can swing either way - you may think teams will respond to adversity and come up big-time, other times like this they're a no show. Perhaps another No Play would have been the smart option here.
Today's loss by the Broncos was just a killer. Up 12-0 and then 28-14, they go down 32-28 - no explaining this one; just God being a tad nasty!!
International rugby: A useful lesson learnt here - the referee is definitely a handicapping factor. Applies more in some sports than others - baseball is one that springs to mind - but is something to look for when weighing everything up. I saw on Sat am that the bizarre Irishman David McHugh was doing this game and it worried me a bit. It should have worried me a lot. He certainly wasn't the sole cause of the Wallabies defeat but he played a big hand in the match. The worse part of this was that I should have been awake to this happening - he has a reputation for finicky-ness (if that's a word - tis now!) and baffling decisions, along with a pecadillo for penalties and a stop-start match - which plays into the hands of the team getting points. I still wouldn't have been sold on the South Africans, but it should have resulted in a No Play. Remember, the ability to not play games is a huge factor in handicapping and money management and crucial to long term success. I hope I remember that next time. They say "those who fail to learn history are destined to repeat it." Or was that just my 6th form teacher yelling at me when I was staring out the window watching the 4th form girls do PE???
AFL: Almost embarrassed
to report a 2-0 weekend. Considering I spend approximately 75% of my handicapping hours per week - roughly 16-18 hours totalling from collating and analysing statistics, watching games, reading game information and betting theories - on the NRL. Total time on AFL per week - roughly an hour! I don't think I really want to analyse too long what this may tell me!!
Anyhow, enough rambling. Apologies for a poor weekend, must do better. Like I said, I HATE losing and do everything in my powers to avoid it. And I hate it even more when others are backing what I'm on.
Cheers
Anders
oh yeah...
Year to Date:
AFL: 28-22 (56.00%)
NRL: 45-37 (54.88%)
SUPER 12: 27-13 (67.50%)
INTERNATIONAL RUGBY: 5-4 (55.56%)
Overall: 105-76 (58.01%)
------------------
Together we
laid down the gauntlet
and there are takers
even at this late date
still to be
found
as the fire sings
through the
trees
Very ugly weekend
NRL: 1-4* (20%)
Int rugby: 0-1
AFL: 2-0
Overall: 3-5 (37.50%)
I tell ya, I absolutely HATE losing!! Detest it, loathe it, abhor it!!
But in this game you have to learn to take it on the chin. And more importantly, learn from the losses.
So rather than a gloating wrap after a good weekend, let's take a hard look at what went wrong this weekend.
NRL: The sole winner came with the Sharks on Friday night; too good for the off-form Roosters. But we only split the hedge as the Over fell notably short thanks to a slow second-half. The weather was definitely a factor here - it drove the line down by a converted try - and I should have been more aware of its influence. The Sharks were also quite conservative in the way they sat on their lead - kicking for goal twice when they may have kicked for another set of six - and that is something that will require further attention also as the playoffs draw closer.
The Over also never looked likely in the Warriors/Bulldogs game despite no weather problems. Bad handling in attacking positions hurt both teams; obviously the Doggies more than the home side. The result was a good indication why the Warriors are the hardest team in the comp to get a sensible line on - I admit I find it impossible and have given up trying!
I learnt my weather lesson on Fri nite and pulled out late of the Over in the Eagles/Tigers game. However, I sincerely regret being unable to post this info - I was at the Warriors game, screaming at the players to hold the friggin' ball!! I considered it a miracle that I was able to talk my wife into cutting and pasting my Sunday preview for the site and didn't think it was worth the rest of my weekend being ruined by asking her to type in the info on the No Play!! Gale force winds and showers meant conditions were awful at Leichardt - I got confirmation around 9pm NZ time from a fellow journo on Sydney. This was a rare weekend when weather has influenced the NRL. However, the Eagles were equal to the weather and got simply dorked by a very average Tigers outfit who wanted the game far more. Obviously the off-field worries have affected the Eagles players. When you try and quantify this factor into your handicapping, it can swing either way - you may think teams will respond to adversity and come up big-time, other times like this they're a no show. Perhaps another No Play would have been the smart option here.
Today's loss by the Broncos was just a killer. Up 12-0 and then 28-14, they go down 32-28 - no explaining this one; just God being a tad nasty!!
International rugby: A useful lesson learnt here - the referee is definitely a handicapping factor. Applies more in some sports than others - baseball is one that springs to mind - but is something to look for when weighing everything up. I saw on Sat am that the bizarre Irishman David McHugh was doing this game and it worried me a bit. It should have worried me a lot. He certainly wasn't the sole cause of the Wallabies defeat but he played a big hand in the match. The worse part of this was that I should have been awake to this happening - he has a reputation for finicky-ness (if that's a word - tis now!) and baffling decisions, along with a pecadillo for penalties and a stop-start match - which plays into the hands of the team getting points. I still wouldn't have been sold on the South Africans, but it should have resulted in a No Play. Remember, the ability to not play games is a huge factor in handicapping and money management and crucial to long term success. I hope I remember that next time. They say "those who fail to learn history are destined to repeat it." Or was that just my 6th form teacher yelling at me when I was staring out the window watching the 4th form girls do PE???
AFL: Almost embarrassed
Anyhow, enough rambling. Apologies for a poor weekend, must do better. Like I said, I HATE losing and do everything in my powers to avoid it. And I hate it even more when others are backing what I'm on.
Cheers
Anders
oh yeah...
Year to Date:
AFL: 28-22 (56.00%)
NRL: 45-37 (54.88%)
SUPER 12: 27-13 (67.50%)
INTERNATIONAL RUGBY: 5-4 (55.56%)
Overall: 105-76 (58.01%)
------------------
Together we
laid down the gauntlet
and there are takers
even at this late date
still to be
found
as the fire sings
through the
trees
