RLIF team of the year - 4 Melbourne players, 0 Manly players

[Rex]

lol.  RLIF Team selected by former players & media. Which team is owned by the media then? 

So far under the radar, Manly's sub-terrainian.

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http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/nrl/story/0,27074,24667093-14823,00.html

Billy Slater is world player of year

By Wayne Heming | November 17, 2008 12:00am

World player of the year...Billy Slater. / Agence France-Presse
EXHILARATING fullback Billy Slater is the Rugby League International Federation's inaugural player of the year with his Melbourne Storm club dominating the Team of the Year named tonight.

Manly's premiership-winning Des Hasler was named Coach of the Year at the RLIF's inaugural awards night at Suncorp Stadium, the venue for the World Cup final between Australia and New Zealand on Saturday.

Slater burst from representative exile in a stunning NRL season with Melbourne.

His scintillating early season form won the battle for the Australian No.1 jumper in the Centenary Test against New Zealand in May and he played all three State of Origin games in Queensland's series win over NSW.

Melbourne provided four of the 10 players in the award team with Israel Folau chosen as centre, Greg Inglis five-eighth and Cameron Smith hooker.

The Gold Coast Titans were celebrating with two players selected; Scott Prince at halfback and secondrower Anthony Laffranchi, who lost his father just before he was picked in Australia's World Cup squad.

Prince's early season NRL form, before breaking his arm playing Origin for Queensland, was good enough to just deny current Australian halfback Johnathan Thurston the No.7 jumper.

The Team of the Year, chosen by former players and media representatives from Australia, New Zealand and the UK, comprised seven members of Ricky Stuart's Kangaroos, one Kiwi, and two English players.

It was determined on performances in the NRL and English Super League, including their grand finals between October 2007 and October 2008.

Only one person was to be given the honour of representing each team position but two secondrowers tied in the voting, Laffranchi joined by Leeds backrower Gareth Ellis.

St Helens prop James Graham was the other man to earn selection playing in the English Super League while blockbusting Warriors winger Manu Vatuvei was the New Zealand player to make the list.

It was a big night for Brisbane-bound Folau, also named Rookie of the Year for his sensational debut season in the 2007 NRL premiership.

Folau became the youngest ever Australian Test player when, at 18 years and 194 days, he scored two tries on debut against New Zealand in Wellington.

Team of the Year:

Fullback: Billy Slater (Melbourne Storm).

Winger: Manu Vatuvei (Warriors, NZ).

Centre: Israel Folau (Melbourne Storm).

Five-eighth: Greg Inglis (Melbourne Storm).

Halfback: Scott Prince (Gold Coast Titans).

Lock: Paul Gallen (Cronulla Sharks)

Second Row: Gareth Ellis (Leeds, England) and Anthony Laffranchi (Gold Coast Titans).

Front Row: James Graham (St Helens, England).

Hooker: Cam Smith (Melbourne Storm)

Coach of the Year: Des Hasler (Manly).

Rookie of the Year: Israel Folau (Melbourne Storm).

 

[Rex]

Turner and White must be filthy about not getting selected.

 

[Volley]

Folau as Rookie of the year shows the credibility of the Awards.

"It was a big night for Brisbane-bound Folau, also named Rookie of the Year for his sensational debut season in the 2007 NRL premiership."

Makes a heap of sense that sentence.

 

[Jethro]

Folau as Rookie of the year shows the credibility of the Awards.

\"It was a big night for Brisbane-bound Folau, also named Rookie of the Year for his sensational debut season in the 2007 NRL premiership.\"

Makes a heap of sense that sentence.

2007 ? ? ?

Why was the 2008 Rookie of the Year not picked ?

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

from the smh down at the bottom
The RLIF awards were decided by an international panel, made up of past players, and Australian and British media, including the Herald's Roy Masters and Brad Walter.

 

[Rex]

Now let's see.  Who would the large News Ltd block of journalists have voted for?  News Ltd players or Manly players?

Until the panel excludes people paid by owners of individual teams, how can this joke award hope to have any credibility?

 

[The Wheel]

What a bunch of ****wits -  didnt they watch the Grand Final.

 

[Corso_Pete]

Inglis 5/8 of the year please, his form in that position with Melbourne was barely of first grade standard, as a centre possibly but certainly not 5/8.

Folau as rookie of the year, they have to be kidding. Could someone explain to me how you are Rookie of the Year after having completed 2 full seasons in NRL? For David Williams to not win that award is just an emarassement. How many players have gone reserve grade and what was to be park football to test selection in just 1 season!

 

[DSM5]

Just another example of the stupidity of the NRL.

 

[mcatt]

At the end of the day who cares. 2008 won't be remembered for some bullsh*t awards that get next to no media attention, it will be remembered for the 40-0 thumping Manly gave to the purple scum and no biased awards can take that away from us!!

 

[PJ]

from the smh down at the bottom
The RLIF awards were decided by an international panel, made up of past players, and Australian and British media, including the Herald's Roy Masters and Brad Walter.

Roy Masters hey....that would be the same Roy Masters who was hanging out with Craig Bellamy and the rest of the Melbourne Storm faithful while Clon and myself were watching the Manly v Warriors final at the Storm's home pub in Melbourne....the same Roy Masters that when quizzed by myself on whether he would back Manly in the Grand Final replied "I hate Manly why would I back them" 
...we were no chance- I'm surprised Des got a look in...it was probably due to finishing his career with the Magpies- Masters is a joke!

 

[deadlyeagle]

what makes these awards even funnier is the fact the we won the priemership, so therefore that means although storm have a "team of champions" we have a " champion team". This champion team is a result of the bond the manly boys have for each other make them play for each other rather themselves.

 

[eggson]

Whilst we're talking about players, i was just thinking how much Des deserves this.  He's gotten to this point over a carefully planned out 5 years, he's made the team what it is and consequently, the players are what they are individually because of him. 

The fact the he's been named the person to coach the team selected says even more.  Especially when it's over Bellamy and Stuart.  People can say 'Bellamy did better in 2007' but if he did, then why isn't he coach of the 'year' when Folau got it for 2007?

So the positive i take away from this is that Des has been named for taking pretty much any player and making them part of a winning and dominating team.  I think if any Manly player got singled out then it would take away from the team effort because that's what Manly is - a team.  (Sure it'd be nice to get indivdual recognition but hey, like we all know, it's biased marketing and promotion with a medal thrown in.)

 

[Duff]

No one likes us, we don't care.

Not entirely true for me, we should be recogonised.

But, backs against the wall, let's fight for what is desereved. I like the fact that I have to argue with most fans. The main reason is because I love going in to an argument knowing I'm right. They can't beat us. That's what makes life worth putting up with.

Soak it up lads (and the girls, if they're still with us), this is good stuff.