I had gone to the Logan Metro feeling somewhat pessimistic about the Townsville fire versus Logan Thunder in game 8 for the WNBL 2009 2010 season.

The game started with a flurry and the locals seemed to rise to the occassion. The had scored well in the first quarter and it seemed as though that they were about to go on a roll and would overwhelm the visitors. Then for some bizzare reason the wheels started to falter then the Townsville Fire clawed back in the second quarter and then seemed to add insult to injury whenever Logan would score to the raptuous applause of the local crowds then the Townsville Fire would counter very swiftly which seemed to be like an instant mute button on the local volume. As much as people would want to cheer out loadly the Townsville fire seemed to put a fire retardant on the Logan Thunders firepower.

The second half seemed to be like a re-scripted Shakespearean tragedy, the Logan Thunder girls played their roles to perfection, they wanted to die very ingloriously proud in front of the local crowd in a visualised sepuku. They missed from the high post perimeter and could not regather any offensive rebounds. On defense they were lethargic when the Townsville Fire counter attacked very swift and ruthless and their systematic demoralisation pyschological game was wordperfect. They could not falter from the high post Lewis nailed the three pointers where Purcell and Graham snipers range finders were amiss it was a tragic sight to behold.

The ABC broadcast on Queensland TV was a local derby much to the pleasure of the north central Queenslanders. The South East Queenslanders were licking their wounds after a thoroughly deserved thrashing.

There was almost nothing I could faulter from the visitors suffice it to suggest that the local girls defensive patterns was asking which was blamed moreso on their lack of agility and speed around the court. The visitors seemed a fraction faster around the court which reflects the level of fitness which is lacking amongst the centres and some forwards. The physical dimension was very much in parity in fact the Townsville girls looked slightly built compared to the Logan girls particularly in the centres. This slightly built size of the visitors made them much more agile and ducked and weaved their way through the zone defenses of the Logan defenders.

Conversely, on attack, the girls seemed too hesitant awaiting for some pre-set plays and passing assists to chime in which did not eventuate on game day. In fact, the game reflected a lack of teamwork and a reliance on individual talent in trying to score. There seems to be a lack of team composure which must reflect on team morale which seems to wane when they are fighting with their backs are on the wall. They lack true grit when they are under pressure and faulter when they also lack inspirational leadership.

Too much individualism leads to team disunity and team cohesion busting at the seams. This was most evident on this game.

Their next much up is against Canberra and unfortunately the Townsville game was meant to be the easier match up for the Logan girls. Unfortunately, it is all up hill from here on in.

If Logan win any game in the next two months it will be considered an absolute bonus.

On this pessimistic note, I pay a tribute to the local fans and to the cheerleaders who work tirelessly to make the Logan Thunder tick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_4i0...

Last week the Kiwi PRT troops were in direct contact with small arms fire and RPG by Taliban insurgents. During the same period five British soldiers were KIA at a check point in Helmund province, Afghanistan.

http://www.army.mil.nz/at-a-glance/n...

This is the first time since 2003 deployments of Kiwi military elements in Afghanistan have the Kiwis been in direct contact with the Taliban. Up until this time the number of attacks have been by a roadside IED, in 2008, which would be considered as an inadvertant attack against any foreign element using the roadways. This time the Kiwis have been directly identified as an acquired target by the Taliban.

The avoidance of casualties was only achieved with the aerial support fire from an US Army Apache gunship which was called in to offer covering fire for the retreating Kiwi vehicles.

On this remembrance day 11th November 2009 we remember the ANZACs who have fallen in the Sommes, Flanders and Fromelles, France. It was a European war fought amongst Europeans even their colonialists from the antipodes were deployed into action and engagements. However, for the Maori and their Pacific Islander bretherens who were deployed along with the New Zealand expeditionary forces they were engaging a very strange and unknown enemy in an unknown and foreign land.

Amongst the unknown were a contingent of a motley crew of pacific Islanders from the South Pacific amongst them were Samoans, Cook Islanders, Fiji and other Pacific Islands who were enlisted into the Maori Battalion numbers.

The Maori Battalion saw their first international engagement in Gallipoli. Perhaps, the most significant factor of the Maori Battalion was the number of casualties who perished before they were able to engage the enemy. The Pacific Islanders were amongst the many casualities who perished in training in Egypt from diseases such as the common influenza. Most of the Maori and Pacific Islanders were ignored and forgotten in the annals of military history save only the 'Uati' the clock tower in Apia an epitaph memorial listing honour role of the Samoan military servicemen who fought in the great war. As mentioned above most did not engage the enemy simply because they were culled by the wetern diseases which were just as alien as the cultures and peoples the Pacific Islander was about to engage in Gallipoli.

The Maori battalion was made of various Maori tribes divided into platoons of Maori tribesmen and platoons of Pacific Islanders.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o8YS...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-7pp... ( Ps, my great granddad, Le Afioga Tuiletufuga Liu, was amongst the first Samoan police officers in Apia, then he was also the High Chief of Apia, during the 1920-30s).

You can visit Samoa and go to the clock tower in Apia and read the role of honour for the Samoan soldiers.