Here we go again. An outcry, a media frenzy. Immediate calls for the All Stars clash to be moved to another point in the season, possibly in grand final week. Why? Because Greg Inglis hurt his ankle.
If you made your living as a coach, I can understand it. It’s all downside.
Then, when you see hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of your talent lying on the sideline in pain, it’s natural to decry the game, it’s timing, it’s intensity.
But now that suggestions of a three month stint on the sidelines – fueled by a fake twitter account – have proven false, and everyone has calmed down. But let’s look at the facts.
It’s been three months since football. That’s a long time, and footy fans have been missing it. Holding the game in February ensures maximum exposure – it’s a black hole in the Aussie sporting calendar.
Check the back pages of Sydney’s Daily Telegraph today – a bit of cricket surrounded by NRL. The purpose of the All Stars game is the community work and exposure to race related issues that comes both in the week leading up to the game, and with the game itself. Holding it in grand final week would see that benefit lost under the sizable shadow of the decider.
Then there’s the question of holding a game of such intensity first up in the season. That a match including the stars of the game is too fast, too hard first up. Well, in this All Stars game there were more stoppages than peak hour – 11 tries, 32 errors and 24 scrums. And while there hasn’t been much contact work done, the players are fit, in the midst of a tough pre-season training schedule, and they are, after all, well paid athletes playing a contact sport. Injures will happen.
When a high profile (and injury prone) player like Inglis gets hurt, it’s a headine, but what you don’t hear about so much is the injuries that occur in other pre-season matches. For example, after the weekend’s games, Warriors prop Jacob Lillyman will be out for three months with a torn bicep, and highly rated Brisbane youngster Jordan Kahu will undergo a second knee reconstruction.
These things happen after a break, and first up games are always intense, All Stars or not.
The game is of huge benefit for the rugby league community, and is held a month before the season opener. That’s enough time for the more common of injuries (including, probably, this one) to be overcome.
Losing all the positives of the fixture to mollify coaches who fear injuries in a contact sport is selfish and narrow minded. Now that the contract with Skilled Stadium has run out, the real question is not when should the game be held, but where?
The All-Star game is a joke
Guest
Agreed the 'All-Star' game is a joke...get it out of the middle of cricket season.
League_Coach101
Guest
Having attended all three of these games at the ground I think I'm qualified to tell you about whether or not they're important. Watching the indigenous players throw themselves into the game like it was Origin - tells me this game is important. Feeling the positive atmosphere of the whole venue - like nothing else I've experienced at a game (and i've attended club games, origin games and Test matches) - tells me it's important. Taking a bus load of mostly indigenous kids from Western NSW to the game every year and seeing the look on their faces tells me IT IS IMPORTANT.... So let's stop crapping on about precious highly paid players and their injuries and whinging souths fans and keep in mind WHO this game is played for. If you don't think it's important - it's clearly not you.
Gaz
Guest
Sean Trials serve a purpose to give the new kids on the block a chance to show their wares a chance to become NRL players. Sometimes up to 30 plus players are given that chance per trial. Big difference really. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Martyn
Guest
I love the concept as well. Pity they don't televise the Queensland U16 Murrays v's NSW U16 Kooris...the curtain raiser, it was a cracker of a game...lots of ball movement, strong tackles & constant enthusiasm...the boys were on cloud 9 after the match in front of a big crowd. The women's match was also surprisingly good. Big girls really into each other and the skill level was pretty impressive. Ask the players what they think of the match. Think you'll find that they really value it as the start of the season proper. Judging by the physicality of the defence there was no suggestion of a trial match.
Happy Hooker
Guest
So anyone that holds a contrary view to you Brendan must not like NRL? Wow, that's a fair leap. The game is a gimmick - nothing hinges on the outcome - and smacks of tokenism. Maybe the NRL boffins' intentions are pure, but gee we can do better than this surely. Contrast this with the NZ Maori in both league and union across the ditch. In fact a match against the NZ Maori for our indigenous players is a better idea, and has been done before.
Ticker
Guest
Whingers will whinge. Personally I love the concept, timing, quality of football and the fans interaction with All-Star voting. Now that the interesting cricket has finished (test matches), it was brilliant to get a taste of the footy.
Andy
Guest
The match should stay at the beginning of the season. It is like a televised trial match for your teams star players, I think it is a great idea and enjoyable to watch given that i have been stuck watching cricket.
Jaceman
Guest
I think the point was Tate got injured as well Players have been injured in this game in other years. You are asking the players to play April standard footy and its early February. Players can eased thru trials eg Souths ran a low strength team against Warrington. Star players now have a season lasting till November and then you expect them to get up to top speed in early february so they cant have much of a break. Lockyer who doesnt complain much was complaining about this issue last year. Was the Murdoch press screaming about this game - perhaps theyd like it in September when it can be on Fox.. How many star players pulled out of this game..
Samuel Candido
Roar Rookie
If Inglis didn't get injured in the All-Star game, how long does he last in the season anyway, 3,4 weeks, the guy is too injury prone.
Brendan
Roar Rookie
Wow, what a small minded world you must live in Happy Hooker. If you don't like the NRL fair enough but no need to spew out your negative messages against these worthy causes. If you think its a nothing match you should ask the aboriginal communities what they think about it...
Samuel Candido
Roar Rookie
I don't know where else you could have this game. End of season there's even more talent on crutches and in moon boots, and mid season is already packed with rep games.
Blazza
Guest
To have this match which only means something to one team as the first game of the season is a joke. To call this game an all-star game is a joke. To have an all-star game before the season starts is a joke. Half the players who played should not be called "stars" and their were probably a dozen other players who are stars who couldnt play because of this stupid rule where only 1 layer per club can be picked for the NRL all-stars team. Melbounre have 3 superstars, Cam Smith is the aussie captain so he is a auto pick, but then you have to vote between Cronk and Slater who are both the best players in their postions. Broncos have Corey Parker who has been a freak for them for years but cant be an all-star cause a rookie is more popular than him. What a joke. But then you look at the indigenous all-star team and they have players there only because they are indigenous. Take the NBA all-star game the Western Conference starters are 2 Clippers players,2 Lakers players and 1 Thunders player, and the East has 2 Miami players in the starting lineup. Can you imagine the NBA saying oh sorry fans you can only vote for one of your teams players. I love the fact that the NRL can show recognition to our star players but the concept is completely wrong when we have no names playing. An all-star game should be based on a players performance throughout the whole season and be picked because they were a top 34 player of the season, and this would mean playing this game at the end of the season. Make the game meaningful for everyone not just 1 team and 1 group of society.
sean
Guest
So does that mean no trial games at all Gaz? wrap them in cotton wool till the season opener??
Happy Hooker
Guest
Remind me again why we have this nothing match? Is it so we can feel better about past injustices meted out to indigenous people? Hold an indigenous all-stars match - that's the race issue dealt with then - tick! Have a women's round - that will offset the appalling treatment of women by (albeit a tiny minority of) players - tick! Surely there must be some other marginalised the NRL needs to acknowledge - the differently abled, gay and lesbian, VB drinkers. The possibilities are endless
Brendan
Roar Rookie
Its a great game and Im glad its been added to the calender. They should do a toyota cup/ under 20's version of the game as well.
The Truth Hurts
Guest
And yet Justin Hodges had a season ending injury during the trial matchs and couple of years ago. Had to sit out the whole season. Should we get rid of trial matches? Players have been injured during pre-season training. Should we ban that too? They have also been injured while on hoilday or working around the house in the off season. Should we stop them from doing these activities too? If we really want players not to get injured befor the season starts you would have to lock up players in Glass cages with the instructions to break glass when the season begins. Then I guess you would have people crying about the risk of them getting cut by the glass on release. Greg Inglis will be fine in a few weeks. If Souths really need him that much then they're really not that much chop in the first place. So just suck it up and accept injuries happen.
Soul Ranch
Guest
What do you mean denied? Souths have got their first excuse of the season
Gaz
Guest
The fans have an expectation and a right to expect their clubs to begin the season at full strength. Souths fans have been denied. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.