Ever since the great 1909 grand final cock-up, representative rugby league has been difficult for footy administrators, and still manages to plague the big bosses.
Much more so than club footy, rep games can be hit and miss, and while they have given the code some of its greatest moments, they have also seen some Carige-esque shemozzles over the years. The weekend just gone saw a bit of both, so here are the hots and nots from the rep round.
Australia versus New Zealand
Hot: The Kiwis having a dig
Like many rugby league fans, upon hearing the New Zealand team announced early last week I called for coach Stephen Kearney to hand in his whistle and cardigan. When it was revealed before kick-off that he intended to play Tohu Harris at five-eighth, I stopped being angry at the man and started wondering if the Mad Butcher was actually feeding the Kiwi staff tainted meat.
But, to the credit of Kearney and his 17 rag-tag ring-ins, the New Zealanders came out hard and put on an impressive enough display to keep the attending fans entertained and stop viewers at home from flicking over to Space Jam.
Not: DCE getting the Aaron Raper treatment
Watching Australian coach Tim Sheens let one of the best players going around ride the pine most of the evening was definitely the downer. C’mon Sheensy, I know it’s a Test match, but way to rub Kearney’s face in it!
Under 20s Origin
Hot: NSW winning
Yes, it may sound extremely biased to the Roar’s Queensland readers, but at the moment NSW needs something (as one witty individual pointed out, they couldn’t even beat each other in City versus Country), and if the Blues can feel good about themselves for a little while, surely it only benefits the Origin series proper.
Plus, Mamo = Whammo!
Not: The players acting like, well, teenagers
You tend to expect it in the lower age groups, but a number of players behaving like they were waiting in a taxi rank outside the Caxton St Hotel at 3am on a Sunday morning wasn’t really a great look (or listen!) for the game. Microphones off next time, methinks.
Samoa versus Fiji
Hot: Samoa finally getting it together
Every major tournament gone by, you look at Samoa’s roster and pencil them in for greatness, only to see them put in a clunky performance and disappear faster than Paul Kent at a Deceptikonz concert.
That’s until Saturday night anyway, when despite missing talisman Ben Roberts (or maybe…) they managed to put a classy Fijian team to the sword in stunning style and crack through for a lucrative Four Nations berth.
Not: Fiji’s rep schedule
Ok so technically this didn’t happen on Saturday night, but after all the hard work they’ve done it’s a shame to see the Bati miss out on matches. A couple of games against Papua New Guinea or Tonga at the end of the year would be great, even if they did have to swallow their pride and play it before one of the Four Nations games.
City versus Country
Hot: An entertaining match which actually answered some questions
After a few snoozers, it was great to have a reason to watch the game until then end (and still get to see the best part of the A-League grand final), and great to see Jarrod Mullen battle against Josh Reynolds for the five-eighth position.
Not: Delayed coverage
“Hey you rugby league fan! Take City versus Country seriously, this is a time honoured, fair-dinkum clash that fans everywhere get angry and emotional over!”
Sweet, what time’s it on?
“Well it starts at 3 and is on a one hour TV delay…”
Groan.
Also, Dubbo looked pretty cold.
The rep weekend itself
Hot: Having a standalone weekend
Throws the limelight on the big matches and saves the Supercoach – I mean, player – burnout dramas.
Not: Only four games
Let’s share the love and get a few more countries involved next time around. I’ve got family to avoid, you know!
casper
Guest
won't happen because NRL clubs won't let their contracted players participate. I reckon it would be a fantastic concept to have a rolling schedule of matches: PNG v NZ NPC rep side as curtain raiser to Aust v NZ friday, Intrust Cup Qld country v VB NSW Cup country saturday, Intrust Cup Brisbane origin v VB NSW Cup city origin as curtain raiser to Fiji v Samoa sat night, NRL NSW city v Country sunday. Played at various venues like Cairns, Penrith etc. & gives everyone a footy fix plus allows the lower level competition players an opportunity to crack an NRL contract.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
one of the best blues/rock singer guitarist in the country, ARIA award winner
Meesta Cool
Guest
Agreed. play it in Melbourne Adelaide and Perth!.
Meesta Cool
Guest
Talking about Ch 9.. I see they are thinking of organising a rematch of the Packer v Gingell 'bitch slap bout' as half time entertainment in this years Grand Final.. gotta be better than meat Loaf...
Ra
Guest
Nothing wrong with giving your 100 against greater odds Cedric. On paper it looks like a loss but if you take into account critical mass/capacity etc, the Kiwis are ding pretty good to maintain 2nd place in the world. And Aussies know from experience that anything less than 100 from them and the Kiwis will pounce. I'm glad Sheen and his boys showed us the respect deserved. On the other hand it looks like some of the Aussie tight forwards should be looking over their shoulders or smarten up their acts if they want to hold their places this time next year. Damn, Woods up against his Tigers team mate Ka Pow Taupau would have been a juicey side order on Friday night. Agreed Jessie Bromwich my man of the match, or at least he and Moa sharing Man of Steel award
Ra
Guest
NOT HOT - A brick bat to mainstream media for not giving the Aussies-Kiwis international the coverage it deserves on a weekend of top MALE international, interstate and NSW local derby repreentative rugby league. Well done Mary Kaye for your brief here in theroar - the Kiwi Black Ferns are waiting to thump both your All Star teams. Add an Invitation Pasifika women's team ti the mix and we've got ourselves a genuine south Pacific tournament to rival the men's 4Nations tourney.
up in the north
Guest
Hot : Roos / Kiwi game, all round good game of footy. JT, I usually don't give him wraps but he goes to another level when he has good players around him. (appologies Cowbies) As much as it pains me to admit it, the City / Country game wasn't tooooo bad. Would have been brilliant for the locals to see. Not too many not hots. : Channel nine of course. All the talk from a tale of two cities has been about the 5/8, but the elephant in the room is young Mitchell. The other two sevens didn't go too badly. Oh and channel nine, they're rubbish.
eagleJack
Guest
Mitchell Moses has been given a 2 game ban for the slur
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Tin....foil.....hat
eagleJack
Guest
Not: DCE getting injured in his 7min cameo
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
How can I neglect something when I can't make a comparison giving the RL is not televised live on Foxsports/FTA? I compare live Foxsports with live Foxfooty. As an AFL apologist, we all know where you are coming from. What's your beef on a league thread now?
Storm Boy
Guest
People talking about the NRL giving the A League free air are wrong. The City Country game went up against the A League grand final on tv. No free air at all.
casper
Guest
Not Hot - sydney crowds, ever!! they don't go Hot - Brisbane fans with 52k at suncorp & the maroons weren't even going for 9 in a row Not hot - NSW U 20 homophobic slurs Hot - Petro Civoniciva coming out of retirement to play for Fiji even when not playing club footy Not hot - Tim Sheens for giving Boyd Cordner 60 minutes despite poor handling & missed tackles versus 10 minutes for Matt Gillett who missed nothing. what's the odds nothing happens to the homophobic NSW U20 player, they'll decide they can't pin it on an individual so will brush it under the carpet
Xman
Guest
CT The RL had no competition from RL and the AFL numbers don't count the FTA numbers of course which you somehow always neglect to mention which shows where you are coming from....
Xman
Guest
Be interesting to see if the NRL rep weekend is on the same weekend as the A league GF next year because is there a hint of a deal between the two to give the A League some freer air on a Sunday GF...If so interesting to see what soccer has given up...The NRL draw is done last and would have known the GF was on then but maybe Easter and Anzac Day being so close meant the NRL had no alternative.....
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
We can only hope :)
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Spot on Cathar. I usually quite like PK but on this occasion didn't agree with his remark as I for one have a strong interest in test footy involving P.I teams. And am glad ratings confirmed we are a big and significant minority. I think what he failed to understand is that what fans want first in a sport like league or union is passion. who cares if Oz or NZ would have flogged Samoa or Fiji on this night. It was an evenly matched test with plenty of hits and passion (and more than reasonable skills too). Many NRL games played by better teams don't offer that on a regular basis. Cant wait to hear what PK says on nrl 360 this week. I reckon he'll acknowledge he was wrong and that this game was a good league game and its all that matters after all.
mushi
Guest
you might be able to help - who is/are Dan Sultan
spruce moose
Guest
you wouldn't have said it if Jamal a) didn't play yesterday and b) didn't score two tries. His form has really only stepped up in the last month. He was pretty listless to start the year.
Cedric
Guest
Hot was; Bromich/Mannering/Blair. I'm sure the tigers would want Blair to play like that every weekend. To say Johnson was hot is a bit over the top, he just did what a half is supposed to do, and he did it for most of the game; Samoa/Fiji were hot. NOT HOT; Roos' first half. I thought Bromich should get MOM, he did it for 80 minutes! Kiwis' losing again and again and again........sob sob!