Marathon Des Sables

I have created a new category in my blog called “Things to do before I die”. Basically its just a wish list for (mostly) extreme things that I think would be cool to do before I cark it.

This isn’t really a list for other people to view. I’m just using my blog as a place to list these things so I don’t forget them.

The first addition to the list is Marathon Des Sable.

I realise this is a pretty hardcore race. I also have never ran a marathon. I do consider myself a good long distance runner though. I’m not the fastest runner. But I seem to be able to hold a steady pace for basically as long as I want.

So for this to be achievable I will have to first run a half marathon and then a full one.

I heart Rugby League

Well finally the NRL season is upon us. My Broncos have the premiership for another year so as long as we make the finals this year I will be happy. Getting another grand final win will be a very tough assignment this year as the talent in the NRL is really spread evenly. No one else has done it since the Broncos in the 90’s.

After my shithouse effort last year in the tipping comp I thought I’d go one better and start a fantasy team on www.dreamteam.com.au. This isn’t the best structured fantasy league out there. However its easy to use and the way they have structured the points system is good for watching a game and knowing how your players are going as it happens. Here is my team for the first week.

Forwards
Parker, C
Tongue, A
Fitzgibbon, C
Ross, B
Smith, C
Marshall, B

Halves
Johns, A
Thurston, J

Centres
Tahu, T
Tonga, W

Backs
El Masri, H
Minichiello, A
Rogers, M

Bench
Hindmarsh, N
Hodgson, B
Hunt, K
Lyon, J

The points system is heavily tilted towards tacklers and goal kicking. So I tried to cram as many goal kicking forwards into my side as possible. The bench players don’t get you any points. However they can be swapped into your side whenever you like for free. You only get to trade one player per round (from outside your squad) without penalty. I had Hindmarsh on the bench ready for when he comes back from injury.

The first round of NRL had so many good games, that I actually had an erection about how good this season is going to be. So many close games. Plus, Andrew Johns got smashed which any Queenslander worth anything would be smiling about. It pained me to have him in my fantasy side. But he does kick a lot of goals.

Well everything that could go wrong with my side, has. My expensive goal kicking Corey Parker dislocated a wrist at the start of the game. Thurston missed a few more goals then I would have liked. Johns got knocked out 3 minutes in. Tahu did fuck all in his game along with Tonga. For some fucked up reason Matt Rogers (one of my best buys) isn’t even kicking for the Titans. Benji Marshall was surprisingly quiet as well. Now you might say, “Well Tongue, El Masri, Ross and Smith played well”. And you’d be right. What you didn’t know before you said such a stupid thing was the fucktard I’m competing against in this little comp has all those players as well. On top of that, my centre Lyon who I put on the bench had an awesome game getting 2 tries, 3 goals and 15 tackles.

After this round is finished I will have 3 injured players in my side and only 1 trade to fix it. I will have to get rid of Parker and get Lance Thompson. I will have to leave fucken dipshit Johns in the side even though he is injured and try to trade him next week.

Hopefully Fitzgibbon has a great game tonight in the first Monday Night Football match. I have him as my captain so I get double points for him. Easts are playing Souths so hopefully they smash them and get lots of tries so he can convert them.

It was dissapointing that the Titans lost their first match as a club. They have a really good side and they seemed to have come together well. I’ll be supporting them this year behind the Broncos.