Welcome to NRL shorts, a short look at NRL stories making the news before the season kicks off on Thursday evening.
Technology on trial in NRL
The NRL apparently trialled the use of Hawk-Eye technology in the World Club Challenge between the Roosters and Wigan as an aid to helping video referees.
Hawk-Eye is one of the leading vision processing companies in sports. First used as a broadcast tool to analyse decisions in cricket, Hawk-Eye has since revolutionised sports broadcasting, officiating and coaching across a variety of sports including tennis, snooker and Gaelic hurling.
The technology uses multiple camera angles to track the ball.
Hawk-Eye was just trialled and not used in officiating the World Club Challenge – in which Sydney Roosters beat Wigan – to check the system’s suitability in game circumstances.
One possible use of the technology would be in adjudicating forward passes but it is not clear what applications were tested.
The NRL is also believed to be reviewing a couple of other systems; in 2011 the NRL looked at GPS technology, with chips embedded in the ball, for tracking forward passes.
Bulldogs star of the future?
After his performance in the Bulldogs trial against the Storm a 20-year-old Queenslander of African descent is a player to look out for this season.
Moses Mbye set up three of the Bulldogs’ four tries in their 20-10 win over the Storm side without Cooper Cronk and the injured Billy Slater.
Dragons selection and coaching dilemma
The Dragons have yet to finalise their halves or centre pairings, with these positions likely to be contentious all season and another pressure-point for coach Steve Price.
In the halves, Gareth Widdop seems secure at five-eighth for the beginning of the season but his half partner remains uncertain.
Steve Price is believed to favour ex-Canberra half Sam Williams but 30-year-old Micheal Witt has been impressive in his limited time on-field to date.
In the centres, Price has favoured ex-Brisbane fullback Gerard Beale and ex-Souths centre Dylan Farrell, however, among others, St George junior Charly Runciman and Peter Mata’utai, with two tries against Souths in the Charity Shield, will also press for centre positions all season.
There has also been much speculation about Steve Price’s position as coach and rumours abound to the effect the World Cup-winning Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens has been approached by the Dragons.
But the Dragons also have an internal option which may have been preprepared.
Starting as Illawarra Cutters coach this season is former English Super League coach Ian Millward. Millward previously played and coached at the Steelers prior to leaving for England in 1999.
Millward became one of the most successful coaches in the English Super League, winning two premiership grand finals, (2000, 2002), two Challenge Cups (2001, 2004) and a World Club Challenge victory over the Wayne Bennett-coached Brisbane Broncos in 2001.
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
Who are the hardest working big men in the NRL?
Over the last two weeks while I’ve been watching the footy I’ve been reminded of the career of Nick Kyrgios. He is an incredibly…
For someone who insists he’s a centre, Zac Lomax is a top-quality winger. He is set to cost himself hundreds of thousands of dollars…
The Panthers might have the bye this weekend, but that has not stopped them from suffering injury issues, with reports in the Sydney Morning…
Josh Schuster's days at Manly could be numbered after the big-money second-rower was granted permission to open negotiations with NRL rivals. Just 10 months…
South Sydney have suffered another huge blow with Lachlan Ilias carried off in NSW Cup after a late shot from Warriors hooker Freddy Lussick.…
