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I’m quite looking forward to the Auckland Nines. As a Broncos fan I want to see how Ben Barba goes in maroon and gold, but also how the weekend makes some of the lesser-known names into players kids seek out for autographs on match day.
What a shame that won’t come from last year’s minor and major premiers the Sydney Roosters.
Yes, I am calling out one of the modern day greats for not only making a selfish decision but possibly hindering the development of the game’s future stars.
If Brad Fittler gathered a few of his mates, like Andrew Johns, Laurie Daley, Wendell Sailor and Gorden Tallis, got them to head over to NRL HQ and into Dave Smith’s office and say, “Dave, we wanna play at the Nines, can their be a couple of ‘legends’ games over there,” I would be in full support and so would the rest of the NRL community.
A chance to watch former greats run around in an OzTag style match for charity and a bit of fun would fit in well with what the NRL want the weekend to be about.
Even better, a legends versus celebrities match where former players take on Australian actors/actresses and media personalities and such.
I’m sure a few of the current crop of players would get in the ear of Ruben Wiki and ask him to ‘accidentally’ flaw a couple of NRL journos for them.
Instead, Fittler now takes up a place on the Roosters Nines squad that could have potentially been filled by one of their NYC players looking to make it big in the NRL.
This young player could have used the weekend to show what he can do in the game, make a case to other teams to want to give him a spot on their roster, make a case to Trent Robinson to maybe give some more thought into including him in his plans for 2014.
It also compromises the Roosters chances of winning the tournament.
Fittler, now 41 and out of the game since losing the 2004 grand final to Canterbury, becomes the weak link teams can expose at the tournament.
Don’t tell me the Bulldogs, Broncos and Eels won’t be telling their players “Whenever Fittler is on, run straight at him.”
I’ve also seen a few people on social media and some respected journalists claim it ruins the credibility of the tournament.
While one player doesn’t ruin the credibility of a tournament the players will look to have a bit of fun at anyway, it does bring in to question which team will look to a former star next, and once we get a few more former players in team’s rosters for the tournament, then we start to look at credibility issues.
Call me a party pooper if you want, but this tournament will be about fast-paced NRL action, fun and there will be rookies who announce themselves on the NRL stage.
It should not be about a former NRL player looking for one more moment of glory.
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