The Cumberland Throw

Team List Tuesday – The Grim Dark Depths Edition

NRL Team List

 

The Eels failed to set the tone in the opening exchanges against the North Queensland Cowboys in what was frankly an embarrassing followup response to their hiding in the Magic Round. While they were able to rally to an extent and force a close contest (only to be undone by a litany of stupid mistakes and concentration lapses) the fact that the Eels were catastrophically off the pace in core effort areas like first-contact and line-speed speaks poorly to both players and coaches.

Unfortunately, Team List Tuesday paints a brutal picture this week with even more talent unavailable as the Eels desperately look to snap their losing streak against the wounded Panthers. Michael Jennings remains out of action with a calf injury and he is joined there by Tepai Moeroa who has been sidelined yet again by concussion and will miss one round of action.

George Jennings holds his place in the line-up after a game-losing final quarter of play against the Cowboys by virtue of a big backline shake up. He switches to the right wing with the return of Maika Sivo, a position that is available due to Blake Ferguson moving to right centre and Brad Takairangi dropping back to the bench to presumably feature in the forward pack.

With that mouthful of a reshuffle out of the way, Tim Mannah and Daniel Alvaro has switched places between the starting line-up and bench. While I think Alvaro warrants a demotion given his struggles so far in 2019, Mannah’s move to the starting roster disappoints me. This isn’t an attack on Mannah by any means, rather he has carved out an excellent niche on the bench and regularly leads a counter-punch in the second quarter of play for the Eels.

The last change sees David Gower coming into the team in place of Oregon Kaufusi, a move that bothers me even more than the Mannah/Alvaro swap. I was puzzled when Kaufusi was only logged for a paltry 13min played in a diminished role on Saturday night but his removal from the game-day roster over the likes of Alvaro leaves me baffled.

Even considering Penrith’s woes so far this season, the Eels will need to be at their very best on Thursday night given the weak line-up they are fielding…and on recent form that is a huge ask. A third straight loss would position the Eels precariously in regards to the Top 8 while it probably also evoke nightmares of last year for fans and players alike.

Parramatta Eels side
1. Clint Gutherson (c)
2. Maika Sivo
3. Josh Hoffman
4. Blake Ferguson
5. George Jennings
6. Will Smith
7. Mitch Moses
8. Junior Paulo
9. Reed Mahoney
10. Tim Mannah
11. Shaun Lane
12. Marata Niukore
13. Manu Ma’u
Interchange
14. Peni Terepo
15. Daniel Alvaro
16. Brad Takairangi
17. David Gower
18. Jaeman Salmon
19. Bevan French
20. Kane Evans
21. Oregon Kaufusi

 

Injury Report

 

Tepai Moeroa – Concussion Protocol – Round 12

Michael Jennings – Calf – Round 12

Ray Stone – Hamstring – Round 12

Nathan Brown – Pectoral – Round 14

Dylan Brown – Lower Back – Indefinite

 

Canterbury Cup Team List 

 

Wenty succumbed 34-20 to the Bears on Sunday but are set to be boosted by the inclusions of NRL cast-offs Jamean Salmon and Oregon Kaufusi this week. The loss saw Wenty slip to a 4-5 record but they keep a tenuous hold on a place in the Top 8 overs the Newtown Jets and Newcastle Knights.

Things don’t get any easier this week as they host the 2nd placed Penrith Panthers at Ringrose Park. An unlikely win keeps the Magpies in touch with the Top 4 as much as it keeps the hounds behind them at bay.

 

Wentworthville Magpies side

1. Bevan French
2. Haze Dunster
3. Josh Minhinnick
4. Ethan Parry
5. Greg Leleisiuao
6. Jaeman Salmon
7. Henry Raiwalui
8. Kane Evans
9. Matt McIlwrick
10. Oregon Kaufusi
11. Andrew Davey
12. Salesi Fainga’a
13. Mitch Butfield

Interchange

14. Brad Keighran
15. Jacob Esau
16. Stefano Utoikamanu
17. Haimona Hiroti

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45 thoughts on “Team List Tuesday – The Grim Dark Depths Edition

  1. Jason

    I assume the changes have been made to address our ruck defence. Alvaro has been struggling starting and Mannah is a solid defender who can slow down the play the ball. Gower has also been added for the same reason when the forwards rotate.

    Taka our utility to cover backs and forwards??

    1. Seth hardie

      Once again BA reverts to the Dads Army back up plan.The young blokes paying the price for all the others ineptitude.This is really regressive team selecting! Injuries or not this is depressing.

        1. TheProfit

          We resigned BA too quickly. Sadly the slide will continue. Not upto it sadly. To think Griffin was available and passed up is unbelievable…..

  2. Colin Hussey

    Don’t know whether I more miffed by this team than mystified, I know that with those out injured there is a hole in the team, the freezing and luke warm way Wenty is going shows not a lot of choices from that direction either, as far as replacements are concerned.

    I do agree with starting Mannah is not the best as he has done much better off the bench, the way Jnr has been playing also does not bode much in as far as confidence. But how bad was Kafusi to only get those short minutes against the cows last week?

    I am not very happy to see Gennings in the team again, but who else is the question as I would have thought Bevan French would be a better option, although I have read somewhere that he has asked to not be picked in the top squad unless its at 6 or 1 spots. I actually would love to see him given a shot at 6 and this could be the perfect opportunity for that to happen.

    As much as I belief Gowie wont let the team down, I would much prefer to see Kafusi on the bench,

    I am not really sure how this team is going to go against the Riff, I guess it will depend on how they turn up, or if they do.

    1. Eelenggy

      Where did you read about Bevan French? That sounds like a poor thing to say by Bev if so. Players should want to play 1st grade each week regardless of where the coach decides to play them.

      1. Colin Hussey

        It was mentioned in a post on another eels site. Seemed strange to me & if there is any truth in it I cannot see it helping his cause, but the way the team has been going, we could do worse by having him at 6.

        I also noticed on the eels team page that Kaysa’s photo has been blacked out, and to me a player who would be a handy addition to our bench as he added enthusiasm to the team, I guess his Kamikaze play style may have knocked him around too much. If some of the others in the team could go at half his rate things could well be different.

  3. Michael Formosa

    I completely agree regarding why Kaufusi gets dropped and Alvaro doesn’t is mind blowing and don’t even start me about George Jennings.

    On the flip side Dallin Watene-Zelezniak has been omitted. What’s doing there? Is he injured? 🤔

    1. The rev aka Snedden

      From what I heard on 2sm with satler n badge they riffs have given DWZ time to think over his contract. If it’s true or not not sure

      1. Michael Formosa

        When you are desperate for a win you don’t just give one of your players time off to think about it.

        But if a deal has been done it totally makes sense not to pick him and not to make it official until after this weekend.

  4. Jonboy

    Wow….there’s some changes here that have me completely puzzled.

    I didn’t think “Fish” was that bad against Melbourne that he isn’t a better option at centre so Fergo can stay on his wing? Happy for Will Smith to stay at 6.

    Gowie won’t let us down but surely Oggy is only going to get better with time running with the big boys.

    I like many, have been really surprised by Polar this year, maybe he is struggling with the extra weight he is carrying? Is Kane Evans injured? I’m not really a fan of his but I think he has been better this year than previous.

    I was feeling anxious about Thursday already. Now I’m dead set scared! I hope the boys prove me wrong!!!

    1. Steve

      I agree with everything you say here. Wasn’t Salmon training at centre all off season? Kane Evans not injured, starting for Wenty. Yes Polar looks so sluggish this year compared to last. I think it’s a reasonable assumption that the extra weight has hindered not helped him.

  5. Darryl West

    I suffered a couple of concussions over a period of a few weeks. It took months to get over them. You might think your okay but your timing and physicality suffers. You tire much more easily and cannot contribute to the best of your ability. I think that Alvaro is still suffering from the Tigers KO and has suffered other head knocks since. He needs a rest. Dropping him to Wenty won’t help. He needs to be rested.

    1. mitch

      I don’t want to sound disrespectful to Polar, but this would explain his current run of form. You’d suspect however that the Eels coaching staff would be all over this if true.

      1. Darryl

        He is just a bit off. Concussions are bastards and competing at a high level means anything less than 100% means that you compete at that level. I would hope the staff would be all over it but the Tigers hit seems to correspond with loss of form.

      2. Colin Hussey

        If not the coaching staff then the medico’s should be. With Tepai out with concussion this week, I have a suspicion that Alvaro could also be suffering still from the first round knock out.

        We have a big game the following week against Souths, so we want all the players possible available, in fact I think that is what the coach is looking ahead at.

        With the Wenty team now available and looking at the squad chosen, its a VG side and has all the players selected on the Extended bench also picked for Wenty. A question that I would like to have answered is if a player is picked on the extended bench for the NRL game and subsequently plays, can he back up for Wenty on the same round, such as we are seeing now?

        Cases being French, Evens, Kafusi & Salmon.

  6. Michael Formosa

    This is looking very 2018 to me. For the first 8 rounds we had a very settled looking team. You knew who was going to be playing and it was our best possible team. Then BA starts to over think things. Reed to the bench and Terepo to hooker but only in defence, Gutho to hooker in attack ….. and guess what we got smashed! And now Salmon dropped all together Will Smith to 5/8, a backline that has Hoffman and George Jennings in it, Taka to the bench/forwards where he was completely awful last year…… this is looking very reserve grade like. BA is messing up what was a good (not perfect) line up.

    I’m one of BA biggest supporters but I’m hating this right now.

    1. Colin Hussey

      Michael, consider the aspect of how many injuries we have now.
      Tepai Moeroa – Concussion Protocol – Round 12
      Michael Jennings – Calf – Round 12
      Ray Stone – Hamstring – Round 12
      Nathan Brown – Pectoral – Round 14
      Dylan Brown – Lower Back – Indefinite

      1. Michael Formosa

        I understand that but when we have Jennings injured he can just put Salmon in (from what I was reading on here that’s where he trained all off season) but instead he moves Frego to the Centre, Taka to the bench to play in the forwards (which he was awful at last year) when we have others like Kaufusi and Evans that can play in the forwards then brings in 2 reverse graders in to play in the back line.

        See instead of one change that makes sense he reshuffles team, makes several positional changes and brings in too many unnecessary reserve graders. Very 2018 like!

  7. Shelley

    I don’t mind Fergo being shifted to the centre. I would hope that once Jennings is back and Parry can be played he could move back. At the moment Fergo is always getting the ball kicked to him and he is not getting the run metres. He also is not getting good ball outside Taka. At least this way he can still take 2-3rd hit up, he can get the ball and he will much better defensively.

    I agree with Mannah starting, until Brown comes back. The last three weeks, including the Saints game Tim has been coming on with the team behind or game over. At this point who else is the alternative, you could not start Alvaro again. I also think the refs will crack down and blow penalties in the ruck, Alvaro gives these penalties away. If we stop Penrith early they will drop heads, let them into the game they will be hard to beat.
    Kaufusi I can only assume is either due to injury, sickness or player welfare because it can not be form, Alvaro has been terrible. Oregon has had a lot of tough games for such a young man in a physically demanding position and maybe he needs a rest. He might play for Wenty but possibly the 5 day turnaround , even shorter with flight is not enough. If Alvaro comes on and is beaten and run over by that terrible Penrith bench or most pedestrian dummy halve we need to give him a one way ticket to Wenty.

    I believe this game will be won or lost on Moses boot our very own Jekyll and Hyde. Turn the Panthers around and make them work from there twenty it will become all too hard for them. Do mindless mid field bombs we are in trouble.

    1. Colin Hussey

      Shelley, I agree especially with Kafusi, my thinking is that BA is looking forward to the game against Souths the following week, and needs all those players in the main team, including 3 on the injured list. Kafusi is picked at Wenty and keeps him in match fitness. Tepai with another concussion outing is a concern as well.

      My concern is the ambush that the Riff put on us last year in the first round where they left they main players on the bench while we had our top players for the first 20 or so minutes, when their heavy hitters came on rather than starting as the program showed our players were overran, that could happen again, and something to watch out for.

      We need the Moses that played how he did against the riff in the first round this year, he needs to be varying his kicks, if its another night of high balls only, he needs to be taken off.

  8. !0 Year Member

    40/20, thanks for a terrific summation of the team list this week. I am with you 100%. I have come to realise, footy is like a religion, you must believe, otherwise you have nowhere to go. I am believing this week and will make the trek to the stadium to watch. A home game after all is where we win, right! Go the mighty eels.

  9. BDon

    Start slow, fail to build any pressure and blokes like Cleary and Kikau will cause trouble. George J produced a bloopers reel but one thing he did well was his carries( he should have tried one more), fingers crossed he finds redemption. Can the forwards find some 80 minute concentration and energy? I think Manu now has enough game time to be nearing his best, The Mannah call is about trying to prevent getting on the back foot, a disease we’ve caught. Alvaro and Junior on field at same time brings problems. No bumbling in first 15/20 minutes and we’ll win.

    1. !0 Year Member

      Agreed with Jennings, I thought he did well. Love the ‘he should have tried once more’ so true. Otherwise, the lad did well. I thought he was powerful. He has been rewarded with another chance.

  10. The rev aka Snedden

    Team list Tuesday I was excited to see the team but as soon as I heard Ferguson in the centre’s was a surprise but not shocked.

    On the other hand Hoffman being his centre partner is good. I think Hoffman has done well coming into the centre’s.

    I’m happy to see takarangi moved out of the centre spot. I was hoping he would be playing for wenty.

    Alvaro I just don’t know what it is with his form this time last yr he was killing it.

    Maybe Darryl west is correct in that maybe Alvaro is struggling due to his head Knock vs tiger’s.

    There’s definitely some selections that have me stumped.
    Alvaro should be rested n kuafusi brought in to replace him.

    I like many are bemused by what Brad has done. On Timmy mannah starting I think he has earned that be playing good week in week out.

    But I also understand his impact coming off the bench.

    In Rd 14 when Nathan brown comes back who makes way for him does marata make way n mua move onto the left edge of does takarangi move out or back to centre with Hoffman moving out ?

    I also think we signed Brad to early I think they the club rushed so they can sign Gutherson once Brad Arthur signed.
    If it’s true that Griffen turned us down then I’m shocked.

    Do we know who the club spoke with regards to the coach ?

  11. Steve

    Overall I thought George Jennings had a good year in ’18 with the ball in hand but good lord, that rushing in off his wing, sometimes 20m from the sideline used to make me want to cry. How many tries were scored by the opposition around George last year? Four by his brother during the Souths game. I had almost forgotten about this until last week when right on cue George flies in unsuccessfully to cut down a raid on that edge only for his opposite winger Kyle Feldt to stroll over untouched. We can’t go back to this.

  12. Rowdy

    Thanks Forty20, I see this games potential a little different to your good self mate.
    I believe something quite drastic needed to be done to shock these blokes back to the mindset that had us dominating opposition forward packs in the first 8 games. Our forwards with the exception of Reed, Manu, Lane and Mannah have dropped their intensity which has prevented our backs from taking advantage on the back of that. There would be at least 2 bench forwards who know their next mission might well be in Wenty colours if they don’t aim up this week. The coaching staff (I don’t think this decision would have been BA alone) have acted swiftly, something that has not happened previously when things were not going the way we would have hoped. Of course we didn’t have the depth last year either.
    I like the backline BA and his staff have chosen and considering their limited options.

    Finally. I believe the loss of the Brown brothers has really hurt us too. I don’t think we could have won on Thursday against the Panfers with the same team we’ve been fielding. But I hope and believe we can win this game with the changes that have been made.

    1. Colin Hussey

      Rowdy, if we do not win against the Riff its going to be very much hard to lift again, in saying that it’s not impossible though. This is the real crunch game for the eels season and where we will be at, I started to believe in big things early on for the season, but my believe has now reverted to original thoughts of just missing the 8.

      Early on I thought that around 8-10 of the off contract players would be let go, but I am now thinking more to be shown the door, the hope is that some of the replacements will come from the development players especially those who can play after June 30, to me some astute rotations of them from bench to run on and time on the paddock will help, thing is with the team that’s on show for Wenty this weekend, the players in question need to co-ordinate and show what they are capable of and for all to see.

      I agree with regarding the 4 forwards, for me Marata is still adapting to NRL owing to age but has generally been doing well. Tepai is a worry with his concussion problems continuing, but what is going on with Jnr?

      Having Fergo in the centres should (hopefully) take some pressure off him and hopefully he can recapture his hard and fast running from there, he’s on the side also to ensure George stays where he’s meant to be.

      More drama’s at the Riff with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak being dropped from all grades at the riff, some talk of the eels wanting to sign him? could be a help?

  13. Longfin Eel

    This team selection goes to show that the club needs to rebuild the player ranks from the ground up. Every off contract player needs to be assessed vs options available so that we get the best team for 2020. No disrespect to current players but it would seem the team as a whole is too one-dimensional, which explains why Parra can’t win at times when things are down. We need key players who are proven leaders to lift the spirits of the team for every game. Fergo started this but even he is struggling to do this on his own, and in fact has his own injury worries to contend with.

    Let’s hope playing at Bankwest will reinvigorate this team, if not it’s going to be yet another dismal season. This game is not just important, it is crucial to this season and next.

    1. Seth hardie

      Is there enough nous in the people that select and recruit players for our club. They have certainly missed the boat on some forwards we needed. Forwards with a never say die attitude is what we lack. Doe’s ray price have any sons?

  14. Billy

    There’s a spot free in the Blues line-up at centre isn’t there? Has Fergo asked to play there to push for it? Has Fittler suggested it even? Might explain the decision.

    I’m not convinced about the changes… but, a lot of people whined when there weren’t any last week, and they particularly wanted Taka and Polar dropped. Well, you got part of what you wished for.

    I suspect the changes would’ve been different if M Jennings was available. As is, I think it’s either Hoff or Salmon in the centres, not both. I’d be surprised if Gennings and Fergo aren’t regularly swapping positions through the game, with Gutho at centre even at times while Fergo’s at the back.

    1. BDon

      Billy, Penrith seem to go Kikau crazy out wide and with MJennings out, BA could be banking on Fergo’s size and experience as a counter. The SOO theory might coincidentally fit with that.

      1. Poppa

        I am sorry but against all my usual confidence, I can see this Penrith side turning it on against us. This Penrith who I backed last week were woeful, just as parra could very easily have been down 20 blot against the cows, who were also woeful. If last Saturday nights game was against Melb they would have scored 60 again!
        So where to, my only hope is the return of the injured players, which is not really imminent. Col makes mention of saving for Souths game, I would take a win against Penrith and forfeit Souths if it meant us getting 2 points.
        Nothing in our side tonight tells me with the changes made our problems behind the ruck will change. The line speed won’t change and the kick chase won’t change…….there are some serious questions for both the playing and coaching staff for this club/team to answer.
        I have read again today 60’s summation of the preseason between 18 and this year…..you wince when you read it!…….what has happened to this team …..there needs to be some questions and answers.
        I hope I can look back on this post and say “well I was sure wrong there”.
        I suspect that good thought is not going to happen.

        Final point if Kritchard is in the top 30, why hasn’t he been retired for this season and replaced with Parry or Utoikamanu…….when we have David Gower who is in his final season replacing a 20 year old goer like Origon Kaufusi……what message does this send about the Development Club!

        1. Colin Hussey

          Pops when I referred to saving them for the Souths game, I intended that it was better if they were not rushed back against the Riff, I personally would much prefer to see the likes of MJ and even Stone ready for the game against Souths, then bring them back to early against the Riff.

          I agree with you that we need the 2 points against the Riff and that’s something that concerns me. I keep reading also about French being on the outer and he could end up in SL, what a waste for a player like him, one report says he is killing it at Wenty, if that’s the case why is he not considered for the top side, do we have any players in the NRL side that have scored 9 tries like Bev has?

          1. Poppa

            All noted Col, I never thought it was even an option for MJ and Stoney to come back against the Panthers.
            After watching last night, my greatest fears have been realised.
            There was a very obvious move last night that the coach was either oblivious to the thinking or quiet simply incapable of the strategic implications of what was happening. i.e. Ferguson was having a shocker……bring Taka from bench to the centres, get Fergs back to the wing and get bloody Gennings off the field.
            Singlehandedly this cost us a win. the initial moves cost us the game, shit happens, so be it…..but the remedy was there looking you in the face…..he could have done it with 25 minutes to go and the score 10 all……BA needs a kick in the arse…..I am just not sure who should deliver it other than the fans.
            Final point was that 16000 attended this Thursday night game, Saturday night, last game Sunday afternoon they would have had a 30000 sell out for the local derby……are the NRL so complacent they can afford to lose 14000 people to a weekends round?

          2. Colin Hussey

            Pops, I was disgusted with that mob last night, after watching just 35minutes of the 2nd half I picked the remote up turned the box off and tossed the remote. Until I read they start winning I am away from the game, I was abjectly disgusted, and I wait in anticipation for how Wenty will fare on Sunday.

            If they win against the Riff, then all eligible players in that side should be picked for the next NRL side and those in the side last night dumped. To me that childish performance last night ranks as one of the worst I can remember over all my years of support, I wont be watching that crap again, and I feel for the thousands who wasted money on tickets, especially season tickets to watch an inept side playing tiddly winks.

            Here is my emotions from last night posted on the other site and I don’t feel any better this morning, I am about to go down to the doctors this morning to have stiches removed from a big skin cancer, and my chest is bruised from the size of the cut out, then we go shopping, I think its time the club put on hold any signings, from the off contract group until they start earning what they are on now, to me there is a cancer that goes below the skin with some or all the players last night, maybe they should be medically checked like I had with getting the cancer removed, the stitches leave scars, but I have deeper ones now.

            As a young kid growing up in neighbouring Northmead, I loved to go to Cumberland and watch the eels, used to lose more than we won, at least thats how it seemed, but we did have good ones intersperced amongst the crook ones.
            What I used to look forward to though, was empire night, or the old cracker night, a couple of months beforehand I used to put all the pocket money I could get away to buy crackers, a lot of the money came from the old bottle returns at the cumberland games. Come a couple of weeks prior to cracker night, into Coles or Woolies at Parramatta and survey the glassed in sections with rows of many different types, jumping jacks, some sort of spinning wheels, roman candles and of course bunger. the spiining wheels were lit and they would spin as the powder burnt them out, turn them around and they would go different directions.
            Used to be able to buy bungers of different sizes, there were penny bungers, twopenny bungers and one year the had these huge fivepenny bungers, they were great, but the penny bungers you could buy in bulk packs and gave a lot more bang for the buck, well bucks were not in as it was pre decimal days.
            What I used to dislike and found to be a wast of money was the amount of bungers and often other crackers that had the wick go out too soon, or they did not blow up and just shot sparks out one end, they were false bunger,s and were called Fizzers. Looking at the game tonight, and only 35minutes of the 2nd half, my mind went back to those halycon days where Fizzers were common, seemed the wicks were short tonight as well, and we had a few Fizzers to see.

          3. Jonno

            Great analogy Col, yes it was a dire effort, game, result last night. Stay strong mate.

          4. Colin Hussey

            Mate, my emotions towards the eels are totally shot at this point of time. How much it hurts is something that I can reconcile with in that my late dad, mother, Godfather and Godmother were all eels supporters, my dad was very much involved in helping the eels get into the comp in 1947, my year of birth, he came back from the RAAF being discharged soon after Pacific was ended, he then became involved with the working party to get the eels into the comp, something he was proud of.

            Sadly he passed away around 4 1/2 years before the eels first premiership, for me I have to say I am pretty much glad he is not around to see the pathetic performing eels of this day and age. Full time so called professional footballers are basically sooks, looking forward to every match, read or watch their wonderful media interviews and talk of pride in the jersey and how they want to play for the eels, the coach and each other, could one imagine them saying that while on a polygraph, lie detector machine???

            My dad & I would take trains, ferries and buses to go and follow the eels, along with others in the family, to fully describe my feelings is impossible, I support the coach and eels, but that group who turned up last night needs to take a very long and hard look at themselves, likewise the back office has to as well.

            I have no idea about how to contact our CEO Bernie Gurr, but I would love to be able to email him regarding my hurt. Not only is me but imagine the family of Big D Anderson how they must be also feeling, here is a person who did so much for the club & players, with his passing I wrote elsewhere that the players would have extra motivation to play for Big D and his family how wrong could I have been? If that was not extra emotion and reason to win last night, I’m blowed if I know what is.

          5. Jonno

            Col.
            I think this heart felt reply of yours should be read to the team. To show what they, the club and history of the joint means to some fans. Your right they didn’t turn up at all last night, and we as fans and the club, deserve better

          6. Poppa

            Yes, Yes …..Sixties take this to the team and let them feel some more pain! They deserve it!

          7. Poppa

            Is this coincidence that you are writing this on the 24th of May Col as this is the old empire day and “cracker night” like you one of my most memorable days of the year.
            The build up was sensational as you would accumulate your bundle for the big night and let a few off every now and then to convince mum that everything was working.
            I also loved the day after the night and got up at the crack of dawn collecting rocket sticks, which made the best kites…….Dad got really upset when he found out I was using his fishing line to guide the kites.
            Sticks, Brown Paper, string, a bit of glue or sticky tape, a stolen stocking for the tail and some rags to wait the stocking! ah memories!…..was there a football game on last night?

          8. Colin Hussey

            Pops wouldst appear a coincidence indeed. I forgot the date of Empire day, but I can remember coming home working a train from Goulburn to Enfield around Yerrinbool we could smell the cordite/gun powder like smell of crackers going off in the small towns along the line. When we got down a bit further to Bargo and Tahmoor, the smell was incredible and in a couple of spots we were able to see the lights of Sydney and more towards Sutherland across the countryside, on this night though and with a full moon, you could not see those lights but you could see the huge smoke haze very distinctly, loved the smell and atmosphere of cracker nights, and glad I am not a dog as they went beserk, but the pollution was incredible though

            Did you make your own glue from flour and water? my mum hid her stockings so I could not grab them for my kites.

            I loved the penny sky rockets with the little thin green sticks, I would sit around 6 or so in a bottle and have the wicks all joined, lit them and ran, they would take off in goodness knows what direction, some in the air some across the ground, I used to get away with it once each nite.
            With all this good stuff banter I starting to feel better but there’s nothing of the RL so that may be the healing potion

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