Do you remember when the Gold Coast Titans first entered the NRL? They were a new team with a new name, new jerseys, a new stadium, a new centre of excellence…the future looked bright! They gave their new coach a long term deal because he was going to lead this new team of players to…
There is a phenomenon that occurs among sports fans who follow a team for many years, especially a team that struggles to win games for a long time and then turns things around and becomes successful. You see, these people will follow their team through thick and thin. Through the good times and the bad….
Although the Manly/Dogs, Sharks/Dragons, Broncos/Titans rivalries, and there are plenty of others, have plenty of history and venom behind them, make absolutely no mistake about it, league’s biggest rivalry is between the Rabbitohs and the Roosters. This Friday night the latest chapter in this heated rivalry will be written as two of the NRL’s foundation…
It’s true. I was there. I saw it all. Call me a witness. Call me a fly on the wall. Call me maybe. It doesn’t matter because I was there. So we all walked into a large room with a round white table in the middle of it. Around it sat all the bad guys,…
I know it’s been about 20 hours since it last happened in Rugby League but….it’s happening again. THE SKY IS FALLING!!! When the Canterbury Bulldogs kicked the ball through the defensive line and it’s hit the referee it enacted what is possibly my favourite rule in the entire game. When the ball hits the referee…
As a Penrith Panthers supporters it is rare that I get to see my team play I. A semi final at all. When it does happen, my reaction is a little bit strange compared to other people whose football teams make it this far in the season. I don’t get nervous at all. Not one…
News recently broke that Cowboys enforced Tariq Sims has been slapped with a five week ban following his shoulder charge, off the ball, on Broncos star Justin Hodges from Saturday Night. Although there have been some calls from the far North that the ban was far too harsh, I for one am glad the NRL…
The boss of Channel 9 has told the Daily Telegraph that he is open to broadcasting Sunday afternoon football games live on the proviso that it works out in terms of the advertising he can sell during those broadcasts. Channel 9’s delayed coverage is a relic of a bygone era. Supporters of the match have…
The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting that St George/Illawarra Dragons winger Brett Morris has asked the club for a release so that he can join his brother at the Canterbury Bulldogs. Incredibly the Herald suggests that the Dragons told Morris to look around for a new contract at other clubs, feeling that his current contract…
When a referee makes a mistake I expect a good commentary team to discuss the decision. I want them to break down why the decision was wrong, show evidence that it was wrong, and then talk briefly about the possible ramifications that will follow from that wrong decision before going back to calling the football…
The Canterbury Bulldogs did it again. They came into the NRL Finals Series looking busted. No one gave them a chance. No one was mentioning them at all when they spoke of the Premiership favourites. They were supposed to be one and done. What followed was an old fashioned ambush!!! The Melbourne Storm didn’t know…
With five minutes remaining in last nights NRL finals match between the Sydney Roosters and the Penrith Panthers, Mitchell Pearce had his moment in the bag. Criticism that Pearce has carried over the years of not turning up and leading from the front when it really mattered was shattered when he took on the Panthers…
With reports surfacing that both the NRL and the club itself are set to investigate the goings on during Mad Monday celebrations by the Cronulla Sharks, surely the question has to be asked, “if Mad Monday worth the trouble?” For those who aren’t aware, Mad Monday is the end of year ‘celebrations’ which usually includes…
It’s a big call, but I’m making it now: this year’s NRL decider will be an all Sydney affair. The balance of probabilities are on my side, being that five of the eight teams contesting the finals series are Sydney based, however I simply don’t see either the Broncos or Storm being a factor come…
Round 26 of the 2014 NRL season was incredible. With so many games that actually meant something, and with so much on the line, the competition had a real buzz about it in the final round of the regular season. How many games did we watch this season that didn’t really mean much? When we…
I remember seeing pictures on TV of a packed Balmain Leagues Club on Grand Final day. I remember the spirit the Tigers had. The Tigers had a special group of players at the time, players that their supporter base really connected with. The Balmain Tigers went close, as close as you can get, but ultimately…
So the World Club Challenge has now been expanded and the World Club Series will become the latest cash grab by clubs on both sides of the world. Great, looks like League Freak needs to make another bloody banner for his site! The NRL Grand Finalists will join a third team and play one off…
Last night’s all important clash between heated rivals the Sydney Roosters and the South Sydney Rabbitohs had it all. Brilliant tries, try saving tackles, sin binning, some huge hits … It’s shame that thousands of people missed out on up to the entire first half of football due to horrible organisation and scheduling. Anyone who…
You know, apart from the rules, the time keeping, the referees, the salary cap, the schedule and the venues…..nothing in Rugby League needs changed according to the NRL. No other sport on the planet decides to change it’s rules as often as Rugby League does. In some ways it can be a blessing, after all…
I don’t you know about you but I tend to watch Rugby League because I enjoy it. Last night I watched my Penrith Panthers put up a decent effort in the first half only to get blown away by the Melbourne Storm in the end. To be honest, from very early on in the match…
Canberra coach Ricky Stuart has this week warned fans of the club to expect similar results until the club is able to attract Origin quality players to the squad. Isn’t it his job as coach of the side to attract players of said quality? Isn’t it also his job to turn talented youngsters into Origin…
With last night’s one-point win over a very capable and in-form North Queensland side, the Panthers may have finally silenced at least some of their doubters. I wrote earlier in my 50 random NRL thoughts, the first thought in fact, that I still can’t believe fans of other teams have taken to social media to…
News Limited is reporting that Newcastle Knights back Dane Gagai wants to follow Wayne Bennett to the Brisbane Broncos, even though they sacked him two years ago for disciplinary reasons. Gagai’s move follows a trend of players that want to “head home”, and its is something I have no problem with. If that is what…
I remember once I scratched my knee up pretty bad when I got tackled on the cricket pitch area of a footy field when I was younger. I think Jordan Rapana has me beat though! Rapana is out for the rest of the season after suffering a skull fracture in the Canberra Raiders loss to…
I always find it strange when a coach bans a player from talking to the media. I guess it all comes down to perspective… From a clubs point of view a media ban is a sign of strength. They call the shots. They will say who can and can not talk to the media. Media…
Roy Masters is reporting that Cronulla Sharks players could be offered one month bans by ASADA as soon as this week. Masters writes that bans could be taken during the off season, would would basically only see a couple of players miss the Four Nations and everyone get off with a get out of jail…
Alright, I’ll bite. On Thursday, Daily Telegraph sports editor and NRL provocateur Buzz Rothfield set out his “50 ways to fix the NRL”. As expected they included the usual mix of whinging about refereeing, carping about the costs of attending games and futile plans to retain or lure back star players. However in a piece…
Across multiple press conferences this weekend, coaches of multiple teams took officials to task to continue a worrying trend, that of blaming referees rather than taking responsibility. Let me first say I believe the Storm were very hard done by on Saturday night, particularly with the penalty awarded very late in the game after the…
The Newcastle Knights have announced that assistant coach Rick Stone will take the reigns once again after signing him to a two year deal to coach the club starting next season. Stone was previously the Knights head coach but reverted back to an assistant coaching role when the club signed Wayne Bennett. I think this…
The Daily Telegraph is reporting that a photograph by Gregg Porteous shows Manly Sea Eagles forward Josh Starling allegedly eye gouging South Sydney forward Dave Tyrrell. Take a look at the photo and see what you think: The picture looks pretty damning but I think you have to be very careful when it comes to…