As the NRL salary cap rises and more Super League clubs go bust, we are going to see more English players heading down under to play in the worlds best competition. In January I listed the to ten English players in Rugby League. A lot has changed since then. After all, you’re only as good…
The on again, off again side that is the New Zealand Warriors have finally had more on days lately than off, and it looks like it all comes down to Andrew McFadden. The Warriors have won five of their past six games, including their last three straight. Their latest victory was a scintillating 48-0 win…
Sam Tomkins joined the New Zealand Warriors this season after they paid a big transfer fee for the young Englishmen some in England claimed to be one of the very best players in the world. I reviewed Tomkins form earlier in the season and now that we are at the halfway point of the season…
News Limited is reporting that English Rugby League fullback Sam Tomkins was caught urinating in public at 5am on Sunday morning. He was given a $100 on the spot fine by Police and the New Zealand Warriors have also fined him NZ$2,000. It’s not the crime of the century, but it is unfortunate. It is…
The Oxford Dictionary describes delusion as the following: “An idiosyncratic belief or impression maintained despite being contradicted by reality or rational argument, typically as a symptom of mental disorder” Leeds Rhinos forward Jamie Peacock has described Leeds Rhinos fullback Zak Hardaker as the following: “Defensively, there is not a better full-back in the world” “His…
Sam Tomkins dominated the rugby league headlines last year. The Wigan man had made it clear that he wanted to experience the NRL, but speculation was rife to where he would end up. Despite a last minute pitch from one Russell Crowe, Tomkins opted for the New Zealand Warriors, in what was a world record…
One of the more exciting things to watch during the 2014 NRL season is how Sam Tomkins plays in his first season in the NRL. While his performances at the Auckland 9’s were mixed, we now have a full game played in anger on which we can review Tomkins play. So, how did Sam Tomkins…
With the 2014 season about to begin the supporters of 16 National Rugby League clubs have hearts filled with hope and minds filled with dreams. Right now, anyone can win the Grand Final. Basically, everyone is too bloody happy for my liking! I could have written a normal season preview but there are only about…
How It Will Finish 1. Roosters 2. Bulldogs 3. Bunnies 4. Storm 5. Sea Eagles 6. Warriors 7. Sharks 8. Panthers 9. Knights 10. Cowboys 11. Titans 12. Broncos 13. Tigers 14. Dragons 15. Eels 16. Raiders Roosters: Did a magnificent job in keeping their premiership winning side together. Luke O’Donnell is the only player…
Heading in to every season there are many intriguing story lines and talking points. This season is no different. Although we sometimes concentrate on what is happening off the field, we should remember that it’s is what the players are doing on the field that matters most. Here are my top ten most intriguing players…
In his first outing as an NRL player Sam Tomkins performance at the Auckland 9’s would have to be described as mixed. There is a lot of interest in how Sam Tomkins goes in his transition from Super League with Wigan to the National Rugby League with the New Zealand Warriors. Some people want to…
Day one of the Auckland 9’s is now in the books. It was a great day of football and Rugby League 9’s showed us that it can provide a great event for the game to showcase itself in. So what are some of the key points we can take out of today? 1. The Day…
The Fullback position is a very important position in the modern Rugby League game, creating tries, stopping them and creating something out of nothing is just a few of the important things they have to deal with in every game. Many people argue that the Fullback position is the toughest and most important position on…
As much as we may choose not to believe it as fans, often the fate of our clubs can boil down to the fortunes of just one man. These people can be superstars or workhorses, forwards or backs – but their fate is linked inextricably to that of their club. So with the 2014 season…
It has been a very tough time for English Rugby League in recent years. With clubs struggling to survive and question marks around the long term future of the game in England, supporters over there have been worn down over time. One bright spot has been the performance of a number of English players at…
The New Zealand Warriors are the first NRL club to name their Auckland 9’s squad. It is a young team and I think it shows the mix of players from different grades we can expect from most teams that will compete at the Auckland 9’s. New Zealand Warriors Auckland 9’s Squad: Jayson Bukuya Raymond Faitala-Mariner…
The Sydney Roosters host Wigan on the 22nd of February in the first World Club Challenge match held in Australia since the 1997. Wigan are putting everything they have into their preparation for this match. While they did lose fullback Sam Tomkins from their Grand Final winning team they did manage to pick up Matthew…
Former England Rugby Union coach Clive Woodward has caused a bit of a backlash in a long winded article about the English Rugby Union team. In his his Mail Online article Woodward came off like a bloke that has had too many people blowing smoke up his arse. The type of self important bullshit that…
In his continuing series of NRL club season reviews, Daniel Nichols looks at the New Zealand Warriors. Finished: 11th Predicted: 12th Fan Prediction: 5th-8th What Went Wrong: 2013 was a Jekyll and Hyde year for the New Zealand Warriors. The Warriors lost their first three games, including an embarrassing 40-10 loss to eventual wooden spooners…
British rugby league fans are a unique bunch, mostly fickle working class they epitomise everything that has been great about the British game for the last century. Keen to air their views loudly and without recompense they trundle along weekly, watch half a game, proclaim it is shit and then leave citing their reasons as…
Sam Tomkins has finally announced that he is on his way to the New Zealand Warriors next season. The deal which runs for three years, and makes Tomkins one of the highest paid players in the game, cost the New Zealand Warriors $1.2 million. This is a huge commitment by the Warriors. One a club…
The 2013 Super League Dream team has been announced with the minor premiership winning Huddersfield Giants featuring heavily in the lineup. Its hard to argue with the lineup they have announced. They have got it about spot on. The 2013 Super League Dream Team is as follows: Fullback: Sam Tomkins – Wigan Warriors Dream Team…
Wigan Rugby league fullback Sam Tomkins has revealed that he would like to switch codes and play Rugby Union in time to play in the 2015 Rugby Union World Cup. Tomkins told TheTelegraph.co.uk that it would be “amazing” to play in the 2015 Rugby Union World Cup and that he wants to be a part…
Over the last few months I have had a number of people asking who I would select in my England side for the World Cup. Today I have decided to post the side I would take into the opening World Cup match against Australia. I have no doubt that some people will not be happy…
There are no excuses any more… With the NRL raking in around $300 million per season, and putting $40 million in the bank for future projects every year, there are no excuses for Rugby League to lose a single player to any other sporting code. Likewise, there is no reason why the NRL should have…
Sam Tomkins is on his way to the New Zealand Warriors to test himself in the National Rugby League. Now there is only one things we need to work out…. Who the hell is Sam Tomkins? Sam Tomkins a a fullback for Wigan who is loved by Rugby League fans across Great Britain. Tomkins in…
The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting that Sam Tomkins will officially announce he will join the New Zealand Warriors in 2014 in a joint statement that will involve his current clubs the Wigan Warriors. Tomkins has been heavily linked to a number of NRL clubs in recent months, with most bulking at an asking price…
In the lead up to the International Origin match between some English players, Rangi Chase, and a bunch of old Super League imports, England fullback Sam Tomkins has fired a broadside at Super League imports: “They will want to prove they’re the players that make the competition, the overseas players that come over and sign…
As the New Zealand Warriors get closer to signing Sam Tomkins from Super League clubs Wigan current Warriors fullback Kevin Locke has said he would be open to a move to five-eighth to accommodate the Wigan youngster. Locke told The Sunday News “I wouldn’t mind playing a bit of standoff. It’s a key position, like…
This was always going to happen… Last year at an NRL CEO’s meeting concerns were raised that the upcoming dramatic rise that was about to occur in the salary cap would see the player market skewed and teams mismanaging their salary cap. There wasn’t much the NRL could do about this although they did look…