- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
The World Club Challenge has matured to point where it may be time to tweak the format in order to allow it to continue to grow. Sunday’s nights game was great and the atmosphere at Elland Rd was sensational, as people have come to expect
The Sea Eagles lived up to their billing as the new bench mark of the NRL. Hell, there was even a bit of biffo.
The Sea Eagles showed that the game has grown in stature within the code and therefore were keen to take it pretty seriously.
And the Rhinos, despite the being beaten, also showed the improving standard of the English Super League, particularly at the upper levels.
I get fed up with plenty of people within rugby league circles moaning about the English Super League.
For the most part, few have probably even watched more than a handful of games and the arguments seem to swing between the idea that it is full of Australia’s best talent but still is second rate competition.
Surely it can’t be both?
First, anyone who argues that rugby league doesn’t have a strong presence in the north either has never been there, doesn’t want to believe it, or is in need of some strong medication.
Secondly, experiencing the atmosphere of a big derby up there is something I’d recommend for any fan of rugby league, and probably any open minded fan of sport.
The English don’t really need an Origin game because the derbies provide a ready-made alternative. I can certainly see the appeal of playing some footy along the M62 corridor.
What is more, with helpful media managers and approachable, honest and down to earth players, it is a world away from the Premier league’s prima donnas in London.
But that’s another story, and I’ve probably already wandered enough off the topic.
With the prospect of the concept expanding, I think it’s important not to bite off more than the game can chew and over-extend the clubs and players.
Of all the options I’ve heard, and there have been ones made from serious administrators to fans three sheets to the wind in bars (I won’t say which ones probably made more sense), one model stands out for me.
The top three from each competition play each other over one weekend.
With the NRL already struggling with an over congested calendar and international representative football looking to increase, there probably isn’t the space to involve anything more that an extension of the “one off” match.
But I’d like to see a “Super Weekend” played over the same weekend the match is played now.
So this weekend we would have witnessed Catalans Vs Cronulla on Friday, St Helens Vs Melbourne on Saturday and then Leeds Vs Manly on the Sunday.
I’d probably keep it in the UK at present. Amove to Australia could work down the line, but it would probably then have to be run at a different time of year, which could cause extra problems.
Everyone seemed pretty happy on Sunday night, although the big question was never asked of the Manly players: VB or John Smiths?
The Roar’s rugby league guru, Steve Kaless, has given us his third Rugby League Dream Team for season 2009: 1. B Slater (Melbourne) 2. A. Uate (Newcastle) 3. I. Folau (Brisbane) 4. M. Jennings (Penrith) 5. J.Hayne (Parramatta) 6. G. Inglis (Melbourne) 7. M. Orford (Sea Eagles) 13. F. Pritchard (Penrith) 12. R, Hoffman (Melbourne) 11. A. Watmough (Manly) 10. S. Thaiday (Brisbane) 9. C. Smith (Melbourne) 8. L. Bailey (Gold Coast) 14. D. Taylor (Brisbane) 15. D. Lawrie (Wests Tigers) 16. J. Kite (Canterbury) 17. S. Manu (Melbourne) 18. K. Filiga (Cronulla) 19. D. Harrison (Canterbury) 20. B. Hunt (Brisbane) 21. C. Bailey (Manly) 22. E. Grothe (Parramatta) 23. J. Idris (Canterbury) 24. S. Walker (Gold Coast) 25. D. Milne (Canberra)
You can pick your NRL Dream Team, too. Have a go now and give Steve a hiding!
View Steve’s first three dream team selections.
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.