The IRB World Rankings are worth much more to rugby nations than just bragging rights in 2012 as they will be used to determine how the 12 automatic qualifiers for Rugby World Cup 2015 will be seeded for the Pool Allocation Draw in December.
World rankings and World Cup placings on the line in June
May 20th, 2012Posted in Information | No Comments »
NNF12: You’re the stars in 100% Norfolk
May 20th, 2012
100% Norfolk
100% Norfolk is likely to feature one of the most diverse casts to take to the Norwich Theatre Royal stage for many years — mainly because it’s made up of you (or people like you). SIMON PARKIN reports.
It’s not unusual for local people to take to the stage of the Norwich Theatre Royal — it does after all host several amateur productions a year.
However how often does the cast consist of locals with no theatrical ambitions — on stage for a story that is entirely about them?
That is just what will occur during 100% Norfolk, sponsored by Greater Anglia, one of the centre-piece productions of this year’s Norfolk and Norwich Festival.
The show will use the lives and stories of 100 local people to offer a snapshot of life in our county.
To get the numbers correct the producers set about looking for men, women and children from right across the county to star in the production but this was no ordinary casting call.
When the entire line-up is complete, it needs to match the demographic of the Norfolk population.
It is quite literally Norfolk in numbers. There are 100 ordinary Norfolk people in the cast who are there to tell their stories and to put a human face on Norfolk statistics — for example, 51% of the county is female so 51 women and girls make up part of the cast.
Director Emma Bernard explains: “We needed to get 100 people from Norfolk and we needed to get them to represent the demographic. With 51% of the county’s population being female, we need to find 51 women and girls to take part.”
It is not as simple as that though. The casting team also needed to make sure the ages, locations and places of birth of all participants fitted in with the make-up of the county.
Once everyone was found, the next stage of the process began as the cast create a production combining personal stories and the chance to discover what it is like to be part of Norfolk life in 2012.
100% Norfolk is based on an ongoing project by Rimini Protokoll from Berlin, which has so far included 100% Berlin, 100% Vienna and 100% Vancouver.
The company’s work draws on the views of “experts in daily life” to create contemporary and imaginative productions where everyday people are the theatre’s principal characters.
“It is an excuse to be nosy,” laughs Emma Bernard. “It is a formula of a show by Rimini Protokoll and they made it originally as 100% Berlin. We are remaking it here and it is about getting real people on stage. It is not really about acting. It is more about people being themselves on stage.”
Though the company have been through their unique casting process before, the task of reflecting the whole of Norfolk proved their most ambitious to date.
“It is the first time it has ever been done in a county,” says Emma. “When you are doing it in a city, you have a particular kind of diversity. In a county, you have this extraordinary difference between people who live in a tiny village in an isolated part of Norfolk and those who live in a city. For us, it is incredibly important that those who are further out and not in the urban context got involved because without that, it couldn’t be 100% Norfolk. It really has to represent the whole county.”
Emma admits the emphasis on demographics is an excuse to find a cross-section of people with diverse stories to tell. But there has also been the hurdle of getting people to realise their own lives are fascinating — and persuading them to get on stage.
“There are also those people who think ‘I really don’t think I can be on stage.’ Those are the people we really wanted to meet,” said Emma.
“A lot of the work I do as a director is working with people who have never been on stage before and I do that because I am absolutely fascinated by people. When it comes down to it, we all are. We all want to know what ordinary people are doing, what they’re thinking, and what their opinions are.”
Joining 99 other people equally ensure about the process, just also keen to join in helped to break the ice and encourage people to open up and tell their stories.
“I think there is a whole thing about being part of a company which gives the confidence of being part of a community.
“People have been interviewed about themselves, their relationships to each other, Norfolk and the wider world, and the studies have led to questions which they have then asked the whole group.
“The cast features people aged five to 83 and from across the whole county, and each person has an object they have chosen which means something to them. It is a very joyful show and fascinating to watch.”
One thing is for sure, it will be a unique show, combining personal stories and revealing insights into what it’s like to live in Norfolk in 2012.
William Galinsky, Norfolk and Norwich Festival director, who is excited at what the show will produce, said: “This will be a must for anyone who loves the place they call home. 100% Norfolk will be an illuminating and uplifting celebration of our county and our people.”
t 100% Norfolk, Norwich Theatre Royal, May 18-19, £15-£5, 01603 630000, www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk
MEET 7 OF THE 100
Andrew Cawdron, 64, worked as an engineer and architect who literally helped to build Norwich (working on projects such as Chapelfield, Riverside and the Anglia TV building) leaving his mark across the city for future generations. His family lived in the Coslany Ward and were involved in Norfolk’s shoe industry “My family has been in Norfolk for over 300 years”
Albert (Bert) Hume, 73, worked as a car park attendant for NCFC for 30 years and is a huge fan – first match in late 1950s. He has organized Jamborees for up to 4000 people from 13 countries and has met Royalty. “I’d love Norwich City to win the Cup! Me and the 26,000 others are there to do just that – we campaign for the team by shouting and screaming to cheer them on”
David Cook, 68, worked for Norwich Union and is obsessed with numbers and statistics. David started collecting Dinky toys after his grandfather gave him four as a young boy and he now has almost 7,000 (1,000 of his collection are at Bressingham Steam Museum). He was given three months to live 10 years ago. “I’m a bit like Nelson, I’m proud to be a Norfolk man”
Emma Dean, 38 and her two sons Caleb, 13, and Solomon, 5. Emma works as a carer and cleaner and in quite unusual places. Emma cleans for someone who lives in a bus and another person who lives in a trailer. The family are bringing special objects as part of the show – Emma is bringing her Nan’s wooden spoon because her Nan let her cook all the time. “I have memories of going into Nan’s kitchen and making hideous cakes with bits of eggshell in them but they were my cakes. The dog was covered in cake mixture and Nan was covered in flour.”
Vikki Fysh, 18, lives in King’s Lynn, where her dad’s family has lived for centuries. She refuses to have a credit card as she never wants to be in debt. She takes her camera everywhere for memories to look back on. She has worked in Wimpy in King’s Lynn since the age of 14 and says her 13 colleagues are like a second family. “We are all really close, we call ourselves the Wimpy Crew. We are all there for each other.”
Posted in Information | No Comments »
World rankings and World Cup placings on the line in June
May 18th, 2012The IRB World Rankings are worth much more to rugby nations than just bragging rights in 2012 as they will be used to determine how the 12 automatic qualifiers for Rugby World Cup 2015 will be seeded for the Pool Allocation Draw in December.
Posted in Information | No Comments »
NNF12: You’re the stars in 100% Norfolk
May 18th, 2012
100% Norfolk
100% Norfolk is likely to feature one of the most diverse casts to take to the Norwich Theatre Royal stage for many years — mainly because it’s made up of you (or people like you). SIMON PARKIN reports.
It’s not unusual for local people to take to the stage of the Norwich Theatre Royal — it does after all host several amateur productions a year.
However how often does the cast consist of locals with no theatrical ambitions — on stage for a story that is entirely about them?
That is just what will occur during 100% Norfolk, sponsored by Greater Anglia, one of the centre-piece productions of this year’s Norfolk and Norwich Festival.
The show will use the lives and stories of 100 local people to offer a snapshot of life in our county.
To get the numbers correct the producers set about looking for men, women and children from right across the county to star in the production but this was no ordinary casting call.
When the entire line-up is complete, it needs to match the demographic of the Norfolk population.
It is quite literally Norfolk in numbers. There are 100 ordinary Norfolk people in the cast who are there to tell their stories and to put a human face on Norfolk statistics — for example, 51% of the county is female so 51 women and girls make up part of the cast.
Director Emma Bernard explains: “We needed to get 100 people from Norfolk and we needed to get them to represent the demographic. With 51% of the county’s population being female, we need to find 51 women and girls to take part.”
It is not as simple as that though. The casting team also needed to make sure the ages, locations and places of birth of all participants fitted in with the make-up of the county.
Once everyone was found, the next stage of the process began as the cast create a production combining personal stories and the chance to discover what it is like to be part of Norfolk life in 2012.
100% Norfolk is based on an ongoing project by Rimini Protokoll from Berlin, which has so far included 100% Berlin, 100% Vienna and 100% Vancouver.
The company’s work draws on the views of “experts in daily life” to create contemporary and imaginative productions where everyday people are the theatre’s principal characters.
“It is an excuse to be nosy,” laughs Emma Bernard. “It is a formula of a show by Rimini Protokoll and they made it originally as 100% Berlin. We are remaking it here and it is about getting real people on stage. It is not really about acting. It is more about people being themselves on stage.”
Though the company have been through their unique casting process before, the task of reflecting the whole of Norfolk proved their most ambitious to date.
“It is the first time it has ever been done in a county,” says Emma. “When you are doing it in a city, you have a particular kind of diversity. In a county, you have this extraordinary difference between people who live in a tiny village in an isolated part of Norfolk and those who live in a city. For us, it is incredibly important that those who are further out and not in the urban context got involved because without that, it couldn’t be 100% Norfolk. It really has to represent the whole county.”
Emma admits the emphasis on demographics is an excuse to find a cross-section of people with diverse stories to tell. But there has also been the hurdle of getting people to realise their own lives are fascinating — and persuading them to get on stage.
“There are also those people who think ‘I really don’t think I can be on stage.’ Those are the people we really wanted to meet,” said Emma.
“A lot of the work I do as a director is working with people who have never been on stage before and I do that because I am absolutely fascinated by people. When it comes down to it, we all are. We all want to know what ordinary people are doing, what they’re thinking, and what their opinions are.”
Joining 99 other people equally ensure about the process, just also keen to join in helped to break the ice and encourage people to open up and tell their stories.
“I think there is a whole thing about being part of a company which gives the confidence of being part of a community.
“People have been interviewed about themselves, their relationships to each other, Norfolk and the wider world, and the studies have led to questions which they have then asked the whole group.
“The cast features people aged five to 83 and from across the whole county, and each person has an object they have chosen which means something to them. It is a very joyful show and fascinating to watch.”
One thing is for sure, it will be a unique show, combining personal stories and revealing insights into what it’s like to live in Norfolk in 2012.
William Galinsky, Norfolk and Norwich Festival director, who is excited at what the show will produce, said: “This will be a must for anyone who loves the place they call home. 100% Norfolk will be an illuminating and uplifting celebration of our county and our people.”
t 100% Norfolk, Norwich Theatre Royal, May 18-19, £15-£5, 01603 630000, www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk
MEET 7 OF THE 100
Andrew Cawdron, 64, worked as an engineer and architect who literally helped to build Norwich (working on projects such as Chapelfield, Riverside and the Anglia TV building) leaving his mark across the city for future generations. His family lived in the Coslany Ward and were involved in Norfolk’s shoe industry “My family has been in Norfolk for over 300 years”
Albert (Bert) Hume, 73, worked as a car park attendant for NCFC for 30 years and is a huge fan – first match in late 1950s. He has organized Jamborees for up to 4000 people from 13 countries and has met Royalty. “I’d love Norwich City to win the Cup! Me and the 26,000 others are there to do just that – we campaign for the team by shouting and screaming to cheer them on”
David Cook, 68, worked for Norwich Union and is obsessed with numbers and statistics. David started collecting Dinky toys after his grandfather gave him four as a young boy and he now has almost 7,000 (1,000 of his collection are at Bressingham Steam Museum). He was given three months to live 10 years ago. “I’m a bit like Nelson, I’m proud to be a Norfolk man”
Emma Dean, 38 and her two sons Caleb, 13, and Solomon, 5. Emma works as a carer and cleaner and in quite unusual places. Emma cleans for someone who lives in a bus and another person who lives in a trailer. The family are bringing special objects as part of the show – Emma is bringing her Nan’s wooden spoon because her Nan let her cook all the time. “I have memories of going into Nan’s kitchen and making hideous cakes with bits of eggshell in them but they were my cakes. The dog was covered in cake mixture and Nan was covered in flour.”
Vikki Fysh, 18, lives in King’s Lynn, where her dad’s family has lived for centuries. She refuses to have a credit card as she never wants to be in debt. She takes her camera everywhere for memories to look back on. She has worked in Wimpy in King’s Lynn since the age of 14 and says her 13 colleagues are like a second family. “We are all really close, we call ourselves the Wimpy Crew. We are all there for each other.”
Posted in Information | No Comments »
Scott the best Selwood?
May 16th, 2012For almost five years the question of who the best Selwood is has been a no brainer – but six rounds into 2012 West Coast tyro Scott is giving older brother Joel a run for his money.
Comparing brothers is risky ground but, with all due respect to the elder Selwoods, twins Adam and Troy – two of the most courageous players I’ve seen – it could be argued that Joel, taken at pick seven in the 2006 national draft, had surpassed both by the end of his first year in the AFL.
He averaged 19.2 disposals a game in 2007 and went on to win the Rising Star award in a stunning debut season.
But Joel, who turns 24 later this month, was injected into a fantastic team on the up, with the likes of Gary Ablett and Jimmy Bartel copping most of the midfield attention, and a host of mature bodies willing to look after their team-mates.
Scott, meanwhile, landed at West Coast in late 2007 during one of the lowest ebbs in their history.
With the club reeling from the departure of Chris Judd and the sacking of Ben Cousins, Scott was taken with pick 22 in the 2007 national draft and made his debut in a Round 3 loss to Fremantle the following year.
He played nine games for the season, of which the Eagles won just two, and in those seven defeats their average losing margin was over 50 points.
Daniel Kerr played just 11 matches that year as injury and suspension curtailed his output, and with a midfield left in the hands of an inexperienced Matt Priddis plus a faded Chad Fletcher, Michael Braun and Tyson Stenglein, the Eagles limped to finish second bottom.
Things were to get worse and, despite a brief thaw in the nuclear winter at the tail end of 2009, West Coast finally hit bottom a year later, collecting their first wooden spoon.
Yet through it all Scott continued to show signs of improvement, being cast in run-with roles against some of the competition’s stars.
He played 14 games in 2009, 20 in 2010 and last year played all 25 as the Eagles marched into the preliminary final.
Heading into this season the 22-year-old had never cracked the 30-possession mark in a game. So far in 2012 he has done it three times, most recently with 35 touches, four tackles and a goal against North Melbourne at Patersons Stadium on Sunday.
He is averaging 29.2 disposals per game this season, compared to 26.2 for Joel, and has kicked six goals as opposed to two for the Cats skipper.
Joel has the edge in tackles, 31 to 30, having played one less match, and averages seven clearances a game compared to 5.8 for Scott – all the more impressive considering he doesn’t have the silver service Dean Cox and Nic Naitanui provide.
At this stage, Joel’s inspirational efforts and runs on the board see him taking the contest on points – but a rematch in a year or two could be very interesting.
At the very least, Scott’s numbers spell ‘breakout season’, and show the youngest Selwood is on the fast track to becoming one of the competition’s elite midfielders.
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More Mother's Day letters from our readers
May 16th, 2012Mom’s WWII actions
By the time that my mother, May Sanders, turned 20,she had already had a
memorable life! My mom lived in Liverpool, England, during World War II. She
experienced the bombings that the Nazis did all over England.
Mom worked for the Air Ministry in Liverpool. She inspected barage balloons,
as well as parachutes. So it is possible that your husband, father or
grandfather survived the war because she did her job.
Not that all the war years were dreadful. Mom said one night while her family
was heading toward a neighborhood bomb shelter, my grandmother started
yelling, “my pie,my pie”! Turned out Grandmother had just baked an
apple pie and left it on the window sill to cool. Mom said that she and her
brother-in-law volunteered to rescue the pie. At that time it took nearly a
week’s worth of food ration coupons to bake that pie. They dodged bomb
fragments and falling debris to save that pie. But they saved the pie and
went on to help the Allies win the war.
Thank you, Mom!
John C. Sanders
Austin
Twice widowed, still strong
My mother, Nina Ellen Mills Smith Farrar, was born in Milan, Tenn., on Dec.15,
1888. She died in 1986. She came to Nashville in 1918 on the train with her
little boy (James Smith) after being widowed in 1918. She became matron of
the boys dormitory at the Nashville Bible School, which later became David
Lipscomb College. While there, she met my father-to-be, Henry C. Farrar who
lived on a 78-acre farm (now known as Green Hills) near the college, taking
care of his widowed mother, Lucretia Farrar.
Before his mother died, she asked the teachers to find a wife for Henry. This,
through God’s providence, was my mother. They married on Sep. 15, 1922. I
had three older brothers (now deceased).
In many ways my mother had a difficult life, being widowed two times, but she
believed strongly in God’s providential care and she read the Bible
constantly. I remember sitting around the fireplace reading and memorizing
scriptures with my brother, Henry Jr. He later became an outstanding
missionary doctor who started a hospital in Nigeria in the early 1960s. As
my niece, Carol, wrote recently, my mother was a “woman of strong
character and very intelligent.” My mother and father are buried at
Woodlawn Cemetery in Nashville.
Gene Patterson
Austin
Always time to paint
Joann painted from an early age. Mother was the only one in her family to
graduate college. At 21, she graduated with a fine arts degree from Texas
Christian University and married my father.
They moved many places. Daddy was gone for long periods; she learned to do
everything on her own and found time to paint.
Our family of four moved to Brazil. Providing for the family was hard.
Painting was a sanity break and flowed out of her like a river.
In Brazil, Mother delivered my sister while suffering from hepatitis. Visiting
her in the rat-infested hospital was scary; the concern on Daddy’s face
impressed even a 9-year-old. Two more years in Brazil; back to Fort Worth
and still she painted. More moves; Daddy died of cancer. The paintings kept
coming.
The paintings chronicle her life and experiences. They are treasures to us
all. My mother is one of kindest, smartest, and most gentle humans to whom
one could hope to be related.
Her wonder at the beauty, variety and energy are contagious. She is like her
mother, and if I ever aspired to anything, it was to reflect some of their
shining spirit. At 84, Mother can no longer use a brush to her standards,
but still she paints on the canvases of her children’s hearts and their
families’ with her spirit, her love, her humor and always with the wisdom
learned in her life.
Michelle Maloney
mmaloney73@att.net
Austin
Artistic legacy
Learning to decorate a multi-layered cake with pastry tubes configured from
cut paper always seemed natural to me as a child. I am a professional artist
represented by Wally Workman Gallery in Austin.
Posted in Information | No Comments »
Ducking and diving on free-kicks
May 14th, 2012WEST Coast has perfected two things in 2012 – winning games and winning free-kicks.
The Eagles may be perched atop the ladder after six rounds as the only undefeated side, but it’s being the clear leader on the ‘frees for’ table which is drawing more attention.
The umpires have blown their whistles 157 times in West Coast’s favour this season – 15 (almost an entire game’s worth to most clubs) more than the next best, Port Adelaide.
The Eagles are averaging 26 a game, which, to put it into further perspective, is about four or five more per match than the teams ranked No.1 in that department in recent seasons, and eight more a game than they were awarded in their 2006 premiership year.
Umpires are getting more and more trigger happy by the season as they crack down on this and that, but, still, West Coast is averaging just 16 ‘frees against’, and clearly getting the rub of the green from the men in white.
And a lot of it has to do with the Eagles’ ability to implement the ‘duck-and-shrug’ when being tackled, which involves them dropping to their knees and raising their elbows so as to force the tackler’s arms to make high contact, and voila, draw a free – more than a third of their overall frees are for high contact
Geelong star Joel Selwood actually perfected the technique, but must have given his brothers at West Coast, Scott and Adam, a few pointers in the backyard at the family home over the summer holidays.
It’s caught on over in the West to the point Eagles Luke Shuey and Ashton Hams, in particular, have gotten it down to a fine art.
Shuey leads the competition for both overall frees (19) – ahead of Joel Selwood (18) and Hams (15) – and high-contact frees (16) – followed by Hams (11) and Joel Selwood (9).
First Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson, then North Melbourne’s Brad Scott (after his side returned from Perth with a 15-29 free-kick count) questioned West Coast’s tactics.
For a lot of general footy fans it is proving as unpopular as the infamous dive and has led to the Eagles being christened the ‘West Coast Duckers’.
Of course, coach John Worsfold doesn’t know what all the fuss is about: “Our players have an extraordinary appetite to go and win the hard ball.”
They do and they do it well even if they are stretching the boundaries of fair play.
While Scott was off discussing the issue with AFL umpires boss Jeff Gieshen during the week, his assistant coach Darren Crocker summed up the situation best: “As much as it was frustrating on our part, our guys need to learn to tackle with the right technique.”
Pretty simple. With the AFL not about to intervene, the tactic is most likely here to stay.
Hill on the rise
DESPITE some iffy frees in its favour, West Coast should be applauded for being undefeated – two years after collecting the wooden spoon. A lot of it has to do with their recruiting.
Josh Hill is one example. His talent had never been in question just his commitment.
After debuting for the Western Bulldogs in 2007, he showcased his potential in 2009 when he booted 33 goals in 23 games. But after falling out with then coach Rodney Eade, he tried to get to Hawthorn in the 2010, but the Hawks and Dogs couldn’t agree on a trade.
Unhappy, he was forced to go through the motions in 2011, resulting in 5 goals in 12 games.
It probably couldn’t have worked out any better for him, with the Dogs happy to see the back of him at the end of the 2011 season, and Hill heading back home to WA.
He has been fortunate the Eagles have been hit by injuries to half-forwards Mark LeCras and Mark Nicoski to be given an opportunity, and in turn, the Eagles fortunate they have Hill to cover for them.
With 15, he is the club’s leading goalkicker and sixth overall in the competition.
Posted in Information | No Comments »
More Mother's Day letters from our readers
May 14th, 2012Updated: 10:16 a.m. Monday, May 14, 2012
Published: 10:25 p.m. Saturday, May 12, 2012
Mom’s WWII actions
By the time that my mother, May Sanders, turned 20,she had already had a
memorable life! My mom lived in Liverpool, England, during World War II. She
experienced the bombings that the Nazis did all over England.
Mom worked for the Air Ministry in Liverpool. She inspected barage balloons,
as well as parachutes. So it is possible that your husband, father or
grandfather survived the war because she did her job.
Not that all the war years were dreadful. Mom said one night while her family
was heading toward a neighborhood bomb shelter, my grandmother started
yelling, “my pie,my pie”! Turned out Grandmother had just baked an
apple pie and left it on the window sill to cool. Mom said that she and her
brother-in-law volunteered to rescue the pie. At that time it took nearly a
week’s worth of food ration coupons to bake that pie. They dodged bomb
fragments and falling debris to save that pie. But they saved the pie and
went on to help the Allies win the war.
Thank you, Mom!
John C. Sanders
Austin
Twice widowed, still strong
My mother, Nina Ellen Mills Smith Farrar, was born in Milan, Tenn., on Dec.15,
1888. She died in 1986. She came to Nashville in 1918 on the train with her
little boy (James Smith) after being widowed in 1918. She became matron of
the boys dormitory at the Nashville Bible School, which later became David
Lipscomb College. While there, she met my father-to-be, Henry C. Farrar who
lived on a 78-acre farm (now known as Green Hills) near the college, taking
care of his widowed mother, Lucretia Farrar.
Before his mother died, she asked the teachers to find a wife for Henry. This,
through God’s providence, was my mother. They married on Sep. 15, 1922. I
had three older brothers (now deceased).
In many ways my mother had a difficult life, being widowed two times, but she
believed strongly in God’s providential care and she read the Bible
constantly. I remember sitting around the fireplace reading and memorizing
scriptures with my brother, Henry Jr. He later became an outstanding
missionary doctor who started a hospital in Nigeria in the early 1960s. As
my niece, Carol, wrote recently, my mother was a “woman of strong
character and very intelligent.” My mother and father are buried at
Woodlawn Cemetery in Nashville.
Gene Patterson
Austin
Always time to paint
Joann painted from an early age. Mother was the only one in her family to
graduate college. At 21, she graduated with a fine arts degree from Texas
Christian University and married my father.
They moved many places. Daddy was gone for long periods; she learned to do
everything on her own and found time to paint.
Our family of four moved to Brazil. Providing for the family was hard.
Painting was a sanity break and flowed out of her like a river.
In Brazil, Mother delivered my sister while suffering from hepatitis. Visiting
her in the rat-infested hospital was scary; the concern on Daddy’s face
impressed even a 9-year-old. Two more years in Brazil; back to Fort Worth
and still she painted. More moves; Daddy died of cancer. The paintings kept
coming.
The paintings chronicle her life and experiences. They are treasures to us
all. My mother is one of kindest, smartest, and most gentle humans to whom
one could hope to be related.
Her wonder at the beauty, variety and energy are contagious. She is like her
mother, and if I ever aspired to anything, it was to reflect some of their
shining spirit. At 84, Mother can no longer use a brush to her standards,
but still she paints on the canvases of her children’s hearts and their
families’ with her spirit, her love, her humor and always with the wisdom
learned in her life.
Michelle Maloney
mmaloney73@att.net
Austin
Artistic legacy
Learning to decorate a multi-layered cake with pastry tubes configured from
cut paper always seemed natural to me as a child. I am a professional artist
represented by Wally Workman Gallery in Austin.
Posted in Information | No Comments »
World rankings and World Cup placings on the line in June
May 12th, 2012The IRB World Rankings are worth much more to rugby nations than just bragging rights in 2012 as they will be used to determine how the 12 automatic qualifiers for Rugby World Cup 2015 will be seeded for the Pool Allocation Draw in December.
Posted in Information | No Comments »
Ducking and diving on free-kicks
May 12th, 2012WEST Coast has perfected two things in 2012 – winning games and winning free-kicks.
The Eagles may be perched atop the ladder after six rounds as the only undefeated side, but it’s being the clear leader on the ‘frees for’ table which is drawing more attention.
The umpires have blown their whistles 157 times in West Coast’s favour this season – 15 (almost an entire game’s worth to most clubs) more than the next best, Port Adelaide.
The Eagles are averaging 26 a game, which, to put it into further perspective, is about four or five more per match than the teams ranked No.1 in that department in recent seasons, and eight more a game than they were awarded in their 2006 premiership year.
Umpires are getting more and more trigger happy by the season as they crack down on this and that, but, still, West Coast is averaging just 16 ‘frees against’, and clearly getting the rub of the green from the men in white.
And a lot of it has to do with the Eagles’ ability to implement the ‘duck-and-shrug’ when being tackled, which involves them dropping to their knees and raising their elbows so as to force the tackler’s arms to make high contact, and voila, draw a free – more than a third of their overall frees are for high contact
Geelong star Joel Selwood actually perfected the technique, but must have given his brothers at West Coast, Scott and Adam, a few pointers in the backyard at the family home over the summer holidays.
It’s caught on over in the West to the point Eagles Luke Shuey and Ashton Hams, in particular, have gotten it down to a fine art.
Shuey leads the competition for both overall frees (19) – ahead of Joel Selwood (18) and Hams (15) – and high-contact frees (16) – followed by Hams (11) and Joel Selwood (9).
First Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson, then North Melbourne’s Brad Scott (after his side returned from Perth with a 15-29 free-kick count) questioned West Coast’s tactics.
For a lot of general footy fans it is proving as unpopular as the infamous dive and has led to the Eagles being christened the ‘West Coast Duckers’.
Of course, coach John Worsfold doesn’t know what all the fuss is about: “Our players have an extraordinary appetite to go and win the hard ball.”
They do and they do it well even if they are stretching the boundaries of fair play.
While Scott was off discussing the issue with AFL umpires boss Jeff Gieshen during the week, his assistant coach Darren Crocker summed up the situation best: “As much as it was frustrating on our part, our guys need to learn to tackle with the right technique.”
Pretty simple. With the AFL not about to intervene, the tactic is most likely here to stay.
Hill on the rise
DESPITE some iffy frees in its favour, West Coast should be applauded for being undefeated – two years after collecting the wooden spoon. A lot of it has to do with their recruiting.
Josh Hill is one example. His talent had never been in question just his commitment.
After debuting for the Western Bulldogs in 2007, he showcased his potential in 2009 when he booted 33 goals in 23 games. But after falling out with then coach Rodney Eade, he tried to get to Hawthorn in the 2010, but the Hawks and Dogs couldn’t agree on a trade.
Unhappy, he was forced to go through the motions in 2011, resulting in 5 goals in 12 games.
It probably couldn’t have worked out any better for him, with the Dogs happy to see the back of him at the end of the 2011 season, and Hill heading back home to WA.
He has been fortunate the Eagles have been hit by injuries to half-forwards Mark LeCras and Mark Nicoski to be given an opportunity, and in turn, the Eagles fortunate they have Hill to cover for them.
With 15, he is the club’s leading goalkicker and sixth overall in the competition.
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