Farr-Jones ?traitor

[Ash]

Braveheart's version is correct (and a pretty impressive memory) - at the time I was into swimming pretty seriously (training 10 times a week, 3 weekly weight sessions, etc etc) and followed it closely. As BH said, in the end Scott Volkers took the blame for providing a tablet to help Riley's headache which contained a banned substance, and Volkers got some sort of ban from attending competition as a coach for a period of time, and Riley got off. Incidentally (or ironically), Riley performed pretty crap during the whole affair, and had a crap Olympics.

 

[Worldcupnut]

Thanks Braveheart. You are correct. She did escape a ban. It doesn't change the fact that the biggest hypocrisy was being pegged as a cheat on the same scale as a systematic steroid abuse for the entire team.

 

[Dan54]

Hells teeth NFJ has only stated an opinion. The trouble is if someone disagrees with it it is all outrage. Anyone that thinks QC (Quade Cooper) is having a go at McCaw is dreaming, watch him in a lot of games, he comes in with little shots at players caught in rucks etc not just RM, no big deal he will get sorted if it upsets anyone badly enough. For anyone to say you can't have any opinion on top players is just rubbish, thats what they are opinions, like alll the RM is a cheat, just opinions. It is the same as QC (Quade Cooper) is public enemy No 1 in NZ, what amonst a poll of a hundred people, and the press here go crazy on it, seems hardly anyone heard that one in NZ. Lol like this so called Minister of Bad Manners or whatever, apparently written by a gossip columnist that wasn't there, and noone else seems to have heard him. Don't take it all so serious fellas!!

 

[pete88]

Two points I'd like to make - why is it that when a guy is hit a tenth as hard as he could be punched by a knee, elbow or head, it's a horrific piece of foul play compared to said punch? I've seen (and experienced) way more damage from punches than I've ever seen from headbutts, knees or elbows (with the exception of the 20 year old elbow to Paul Carozza's nose). For instance, I don't think Bakkies deserved the massive ban he received last year for his headbutt on Cowan, he could have hurt him more pushing his face in to the ground for which he would have been unlucky to receive more than a penalty.

The other point which has been touched on is that McCaw offered provocation both times, if not immediately before the incidents. He is just as happy niggling Cooper as Cooper is niggling McCaw. McCaw hit Cooper harder in the face in Brissie than Cooper kneed him and studded him in the shins in HK in a way that we'd never have heard the end of if Cooper did that now. If I was either player's coach I'd tell them to not get distracted by it and not do anything serious, but I wouldn't stop them in the hope the other bloke does get carded or banned. Given the way judiciaries view knees etc Cooper was a boofhead getting himself cited and nearly banned, but shoving him in the face or some other piece of non-bannable niggle would have been fine, and probably would have hurt more such was the caress to Sir Richie's face.

 

[Scarfman]

fatprop - there's a difference between QC (Quade Cooper) niggle and Bakkies niggle. With Bakkies' niggle, you wake up in hospital. QC (Quade Cooper) is just pissing Richie off. It's like a tailender giving it to the fast bowlers. I'm loving it.

 

[tblackadder]

worldcupnut......so quade is a drug cheat too...good point !

 

[mudskipper]

I think Nick Farr-Jones is a bit of a knob for saying crap like that to the press... It really says more about him than Quade Cooper... I find a few of his generation like publicly slighting the professional era players of today… A bit of jealousy there I feel… NFJ didn’t even make the Newington XV and got to be Australian captain, jeez it wouldn’t happen today… Its a very different game today Mr NFJ...

 

[Ruggo]

The timing of the comments shit me. I respect your right to an opinion NFJ but shut the frig up and save it till our boys get home. We should be rallying around them while the cup is on.

Try rooting for the Wallabies NFJ.

 

[Braveheart81]

For a soundbite from a radio interview, I think this whole thing is being blown way out of proportion.

 

[jay-c]

yeh i agree that this isnt the time to raise doubt with the lads> they dont need anybody questioning them especilly someone held in high regard as nfj>
if anyone actually cared about the opinion of campo id be saing the same thing to him>> but everyone knows all he has ever done since he left the wallaby team is question and criticize any and all involved > his credibility disappeared as quickly as peter andre
chatting to a kiwi mate the other day we agreed that quade seems to be the only one that has gotten under richies skin that we could remember> and thats in 99 tests of people trying
if quade can put richie off his game than im all for it>>
ps. im all for a good sledge too>

 

[fatprop]

fatprop - there's a difference between QC (Quade Cooper) niggle and Bakkies niggle. With Bakkies' niggle, you wake up in hospital. QC (Quade Cooper) is just pissing Richie off. It's like a tailender giving it to the fast bowlers. I'm loving it.

I agree they are different positions on the same plane of cheat shots, but I still am not a fan.

 

[DPK]

Traitor is a pretty strong word, too strong in this context and instance IMO.

What's wrong with saying Quade Cooper is amazing, he's the bee's knees, but in this instance he's done the wrong thing? It is possible to support something while simultaneously criticising one aspect of it.

That said, I think in the lead up to Genia's try in Brisbane McCaw was the agitator.

 

[St Peter]

I have no problem with NFJ's comments. I think you need to earn the right to niggle. QC (Quade Cooper) hasn't been around long enough or played consistently well enough to have earned the tight to niggle RM.

Since when does someone need to earn the right to niggle, WTF? To me that is like the coach telling a newbie halfback that he can't dummie and go if he sees a gap, as he has to earn the right to make the opposition look stupid. If it works, use it!

 

[Wato]

Since when does someone need to earn the right to niggle, WTF? To me that is like the coach telling a newbie halfback that he can't dummie and go if he sees a gap, as he has to earn the right to make the opposition look stupid. If it works, use it!

The difference is that one is allowing a newbie halfback to back his skill and instincts and have a go. The other is baiting a very good player and hoping he does something stupid. My attitude is that you should shut up and play the game, not the player. You never worry about the players that tell you how good or how tough they are. The ones to watch are those that show you .

 

[Dan54]

I would ask the question, if NFJ is not allowed to criticise QC (Quade Cooper) (and it is mild) because that makes him a traitor because he must only say positive thing about Wallabies going into WC, does that make ex All Blacks or Wesh etc traitors that praise Genia as being a brilliant 9? Or Kronfield for his comment about him thinking Pocock better than McCaw, grow up you lot, like I said earlier they are opinions, if explayers have them and are asked for them (even if they right in papers, which is same thing) should they lie and not say what they think?? Is that the kind of opinions you waqnt to read, just write yor own.

 

[da_grubster]

Dear G&G,

I would like your opinion regarding Nick Farr-Jones's comments regarding Quade Cooper's on-field battle with Sir Richy. As you clearly showed in your posting "spatwatch" following the HK bledisloe, the fued began after Richy cheaply kicked Quade after he was cleaned out.

Since then Quade has gone on to better Richy for both the Reds and the Wallabies. 4 wins to 2 losses, and 1 of those losses was in Sydney last year which the Wallabies should have won.

Farr-Jones speaks of respecting your opponents, in this case the AB's.
What good has that done the Wallabies in recent times?

The AB's don't respect us or the laws of the game. Colin Meads on Ken Catchpole, Lowe on Carozza, and more recently and less dramatic McCaw holding down Pocock for 17 seconds to create a hole for Nonu to run through in the Brisbane Test.

Farr-Jones should be supporting Cooper and the Wallabies and encouraging them to stand up to the All Blacks and be ruthless. Cooper is not breaking the rules, he's just refusing to lie down to All Blacks intimidation tactics.

What do you think?

Cheers,
Jason.

It's spelled Loe.

 

[rotary hoe]

Come on, can't anyone else see the irony of a flyhalf accused of (successfully) niggling an openside?

It can't be only me, right? Right?!

(Anyone here ever played openside? If so, what has the coach told you to do to the opposition's flyhalf?)


This. Ash must be the only poster on here who has ever played the game.

 

[MajorlyRagerly]

The other point which has been touched on is that McCaw offered provocation both times, if not immediately before the incidents. He is just as happy niggling Cooper as Cooper is niggling McCaw. McCaw hit Cooper harder in the face in Brissie than Cooper kneed him and studded him in the shins in HK in a way that we'd never have heard the end of if Cooper did that now.

You must be joking. If an AB' had kneed Cooper in the face & then gotten off, the frothing her about kiwi bias, thugs, cheats etc would have gone up another level... to 11 from 10.

This is such a non issue, the airtime it's getting is a bit silly. Especially given that

1) there are a fair amoutn of bloody good rugby matches on to watch
2) from a stat p.o.v the chances of NZ actually playing Oz in thsi world cup is actually quite slim.

 

[RedsHappy]

As we've come to expect from someone of his calibre (as person and professional), Link entering the debate now with thoughtful comments, and to defend Quade. RD, later in the piece, a somewhat more subtle dismissal of NFJ's self-centred, piss-on-your-own-tribe, silver plattered hand out to the NZ media (a hand out serving no other purpose):

Give Campo-like Quade a break: McKenzie
Jim Morton and Darren Walton
September 15, 2011 - 6:09PM
AAP

Queensland coach Ewen McKenzie has taken issue with his former Wallabies captain, Nick Farr-Jones, by praising Quade Cooper as a Campese-like figure generating massive interest in rugby.

While Farr-Jones labelled the controversial Cooper a "boofhead", who was endangering the Wallabies' World Cup hopes, McKenzie defended his Reds five-eighth as the tournament's polarising enigma.

The successful Super Rugby coach said it was only natural fans and the media gravitated towards the 23-year-old playmaker, and disagreed New Zealand's "public enemy No.1" should change his stripes.

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"I don't see it as a concerning thing," McKenzie told AAP.

"He intrigues people, which is the best way to put it.

"People are trying to find faults because he's an enigma.

"I came through the Campese era and people liked to tear him down but he too had the X-factor and, in the amateur days, he brought a lot of people through the gates to watch him play."

The Waikato-raised Cooper on Thursday shrugged off Farr-Jones' criticism and his public enemy tag, due to his running battle with All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw, saying there was "a lot of love" for him in New Zealand.

McKenzie, who played tight-head prop for most of Farr-Jones' successful rein as Australian captain, was not surprised by the support, especially considering his rarely-seen work in the community.

"I remember a little old lady sitting in the rain when (the Reds) played in Hamilton this year," he said. "She lived 90 miles away and said she'd had never been to a game of rugby in her life but she wanted to see Quade Cooper play in the flesh.

"She was the first to arrive with two teenage girls and all three were there for the same reason - and this was in New Zealand, not Australia.

"You don't get 52,000 people coming to Suncorp Stadium three times this season if there's not something to watch.

"There's a lot of focus on one or two isolated incidents (with McCaw) ... and they have been adjudicated on already."

Cooper was cleared by a SANZAR judicial hearing for kneeing McCaw in the August 27 Tri Nations decider, 10 months after he shoved the All Blacks flanker in the head after a match-deciding try in Hong Kong.

"I'm pretty sure, if by chance we end up playing together on October 23, it might just come back and bite him on the arse," Farr-Jones said on New Zealand radio.

Cooper refused to bite when asked about Farr-Jones' comments at Australia's team announcement for Saturday's clash with Ireland.

"I just looked at it in a positive manner and I just look forward to the game that we have this weekend," he said.

"Nick's already said that we'll be in the final against the All Blacks. So, mate, from his eyes, we're a lot better than what we are.

"We've got a game this weekend which we've got to focus on. (We need to) get through this game and another two pool games against the USA and Russia.

"So there's a lot to go before we can even think about that."

While Farr-Jones said Wallabies coach Robbie Deans or captain James Horwill should tell Cooper to "pull his head in", Deans refused to buy into the furore.

"I don't have any thoughts on the matter, to be fair," he said.

 

[Slim 293]

Storm in a teacup indeed...

I still don't see the fuss in what Farr-Jones said...

He had a fair point...