In the Spotlight - Round 9

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Howdy, pardner.

Unlike the once-mighty Kangaroos, the inaugural In The Spotlight rep round was a typically stunning success.* How bloody bad were the Roos? The only positive I could take out of it was the fact the core of the side is ageing, and they're all Maroons. Could the Queensland side be in a spot of bother? With Mitchell ‘kicking, running and passing is overrated' Pearce in the running for yet another Blues gig, I don't think they'd be all that worried.

*Yeah, nah.

Someone who should be worried, however, is Greg Bird (how about that segue-way? Smooth as silk mate.). Not only does that serial leakist appear to be past his prime at the international level, he thought it was a good idea to get Jason Nightingale to peer into his own poop-chute. Birdy can now look forward to a lovely eight-week holiday.

On the other side of the coin, big, bad Marty Taupau put a gimp mask on the Australian pack and did as he pleased. 12 hit-ups and 135 metres off the bench and a kind suggestion to Sammy Thaiday as to where he should get a tattoo. Strange spot, though.

To help short-suffering Aussie fans forget about how dominant the Kiwis are looking, NRL returns this weekend and that means a life-changing experience for two lucky footballers.

Billy Slater

The Melbourne custodian has been sleeping with one eye open, gripping his pillow tight as Greg Inglis edges ever closer to his Maroons number one jersey. Billy ‘see you' Slater returns from injury this week as his fellow Storm-troopers host the Parramatta Eels. Make no mistake (ironic given Greg made 14 of them against NZ), GI is very close to grabbing the Qld fullback spot and Slater needs a blinder against an Eels side that must listen to Katy Perry* before every game they play.

*For reference, see below

Willie Mason

Unfortunately for Mase, he hasn't been relevant since about 2006. Once one of the most destructive forwards in the game, he has since appeared to settle for 180 second bursts of mediocrity and has focused more on his sledging than any hard-running. Manly are in a deep, deep hole with injuries galore and a desperate Knights side coming to Brookvale on the back of 45 consecutive defeats. I still remember Willie's game one try in the 2006 Origin series, where he used Matty Bowen as a toothpick. Yet I still can't remember my wedding anniversary.

Anyway, rip in big unit.

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