The Silver Fern

@antipodean Utah has recently approved a sales tax increase to contribute up to $900 million for a new arena or a remodeled arena for the NHL team/Utah Jazz. The Owner of the NHL team is the same guy who owns the Utah Jazz.

On a family holiday to Oz when I was 10 a visitor turned up to our Sydney hotel.

He was quite chatty and knew some really keen card tricks which my Mum wasn't keen on us learning.

It turned out that my mums Dad dies when she was six. The four kids were farmed out for a few years to various rellies - my Mum lived with her grandparents.

Then my grandmother got the family back together again in a new home complete with a boarder. This was quite the sensation back in the 1930's especially as the 'boarder' was a Jew.

Our visitor was my Uncle David, the result of the boarder and my grandmothers 'flatting arrangement'.

David had fled to Oz in the early 60's to escape the NZ Police. Obviously not serious enough to be extradited, but he was a definitely a wide boy. Very flashy. lots of cash. Most interesting for a young lad the model for the nude model at the Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains was his girlfriend.

He was shot dead two years later in a gang related incident in west Sydney, so that was the only time I met the guy.

@Machpants but my coffee machine is purty ....

@old-samurai-jack said in AB left wing:

The comments on here about Bridge are ridiculous. He has scored tries for the ABs that young fellas like Clarke (a fern favourite) could only dream of at this stage.

Against Japan.

@kiwimurph said in What’s out there at Second Five?:

Preferred positions are overrated. I'll always remember Jeff Wilson preferring to play fullback. He was a much better right wing.

He essentially said as much himself on the breakdown discussing Havili’s preference for fullback.

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="604021" data-time="1470635799">
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<p>dunno, the rest of his game struggles a bit due to him going for the turnover so often, and we like our players to be good at multiple roles, not just thier core speciality.</p>
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<p>I mean only up until Aaron Smith came on the scene did we always seem to go for a 9 who was a decent passer but was the 4th loosie, <strong>we have long required our props to be ball runners, hitting rucks, defence, and scrumming has at times suffered.</strong></p>
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<p>Lucky we have Owen Franks to alleviate the problem of running with the ball.....</p>
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<p>I'm told he's pretty good at those other things you mention too which is handy.</p>

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="kiwiinmelb" data-cid="592679" data-time="1467139707">
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<p>I went to school with the Dad( Skelton)  in Auckland , the old man played league through high school years , </p>
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<p>He wasnt tall ,average height,  but built like brick a brick shit house , </p>
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<p>Maybe the height of the boys come from the mothers side , </p>
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<p>Last time i ran into the Dad he was bouncing up at the Cross ( some years ago) </p>
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<p>Pretty sure all of Jonahs family were of normal height, his brother was a solidly built front rower from what I recall and I think played professionally in the UK.</p>
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<p>I'd imagine a shitload of food would get put away at Skelton family get togethers.</p>