Hairy little man

"He is a true champion, a wonderful friend. I have not been privileged to play with him in the same team, but it's been a real treat to play against him."
Sachin Tendulkar pays tribute to Shane Warne after sharing the field with the champion Aussie spinner in his final competitive match.

"The way Warnie is bowling now, he would continue to dominate world cricket."
Four years after the champ's Test retirement, Shane Watson reckons Warney still has what it takes.

"(The Blues) are going to make these floods back in Queensland ... look like an absolute mimic when it comes to us coming up there because we’re going to create a massive storm."
Ben Elias adopts an ill-advised metaphor to describe NSW's impending trip to Suncorp Stadium for Origin I.

"Cam (Smith) has shown for a long time that he's a pretty composed character. That's not my role on Wednesday night to try and upset the little hairy man."
Bulldogs and NSW hooker Michael Ennis in polite mode prior to Origin I. No doubt his Maroons counterpart Cameron Smith is looking forward to renewing acquaintances in Brisbane.

"It is really difficult if you don't have a good squad of 23-24 good players. If you don't have that, you could end up like Tottenham."
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini likens Spurs' Champions League exit and subsequent Premier League travails to a fate worse than footballing death.

"I will put u asleep within 10 seconds hope u turn up if u don't gonna tell everyone ur scared u little nit."
Wayne Rooney plays hard man on Twitter after a follower threatened to "smash his head in with a pitchin' wedge". Predictably, an FA fine followed.

"It's not really inviting when you are sleeping in on a Sunday morning and one minute you are lying in your own bed next to your wife and 10 minutes later a stranger is putting a needle in your arm in your own lounge room."
The omnipresent drug testers ensure that Cadel Evans sleeps with one eye open at all times.

"We played four New Zealand teams in a row, that's a big ask because they are very physical. You watch the Waratahs play the Reds and it's different rugby ... it's like school stuff while we are at war."
Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph makes clear his opinion of the standard of Australian rugby.

"It doesn't worry me what people think of Ricky Stuart. There are times when I do get the shits. It just happens to be I get the shits in public."
Ricky Stuart, speaking in the third person, says he's not arrogant.

"There are so many amazing players in the halves there, it would be hard to break into that squad. But to be a part of that would be a dream for any player in Queensland."
After signing a one-year extension of his ARU contract, Quade Cooper ensures Maroons coach Mal Meninga won't have to look far for a Darren Lockyer replacement.

"We didn't look [switched] on for any of the game, I didn't think."
Geelong coach Chris Scott after the Cats maintained their unbeaten start to 2011 with a two-point win over Carlton. Heaven help the rest of the competition when the Cats get it together.

"I'm here, and really getting to love the game. Over the next four years I'm fully committed."
GWS recruit Israel Folau rubbishes rumours he is eyeing a return to rugby league after a tougher-than-expected start to his AFL career.

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of BigPond Sport.

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