As with every season, 2014 has been another year of talking points. We’ve had player misbehaviour, players backing out of big deals, injuries, oh and some footy.
Below are 25 of 50 random NRL thoughts, opinions, suggestions, statements, questions etc. These are purely random things that have crossed my mind in the past week or so.
1. I find it funny that people are calling the currently Penrith Panthers pretenders instead of praising the efforts of the club after a few lean years.
2. Although the gap is closing, I do not believe Robbie Farah to be as good as Cameron Smith.
3. Footy fans are quick to bag those in the media for criticising their club, even if it is completely warranted. I didn’t see many Tigers fans bagging journos for being negative when the spotlight was on the Sharks.
4. Channel Nine needs to stop defending their delayed telecasts on Sunday afternoon and either play the games live, or organise a 4pm kickoff timeslot with the NRL. In this day and age, where anyone can stream games online, and those in New Zealand get every game live, there is no excuse for delayed telecasts.
5. I can’t see a non-Sydney side contesting the grand final. Although there is a fair way to go, Manly, despite their off-field turmoil, look like absolute certainties for October.
6. Although it’s extremely fun to bag referees, I’m yet to see social media agree on a single 50-50 call. When, after repeated looks via the video, those watching at home are unable to agree, perhaps it’s time to cut the men in the middle a little slack?
7. If I were to pick a world 17 to play for the safety of earth I would go with 1. Billy Slater 2. Brett Morris 3. Greg Inglis 4. Josh Morris 5. Jarryd Hayne 6. Johnathan Thurston 7. Cooper Cronk 8. Matt Scott 9. Cameron Smith 10. Sam Burgess 11. Sonny Bill Williams 12. Sam Thaiday 13. Paul Gallen 14. Andrew Fifita 15. Greg Bird 16. Nate Myles 17. Kieran Foran
8. An NRL world sevens, or even nines would be awesome for the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast. Unfortunately the home side would have to be made up of NSW and Queensland Cup players as no NRL side would release stars.
9. Can Ricky Stuart really still be referred to as a ‘super coach’? Since winning the comp in 2002 and guiding a massively over achieving Sharks side to within 80 minutes of a grand final several years ago, he has been particularly lean on the success front.
10. Despite calls from all sections of the public, tickets are too expensive. The Integrity Committee should be asked to investigate how the Sharks continue to justify charging $30 for an impeded view on a patch of grass at Remondis Stadium.
11. At $2 per week, the NRL’s digital pass is fantastic value. Live games on your device all season long is brilliant, especially for those of us unable to connect to Foxtel.
12. The NRL needs to stop broadcasting live scores on games being shown on delay on the aforementioned Digital Pass. At least put the “match now” option on a different page.
13. I love suburban grounds. Brookvale, Remondis, Leichhardt etc may not have the facilities of the larger stadiums, but how many childhood memories start with “I was sitting in row six, seat 17, isle 30”.
14. The Tigers have the most exciting bunch of youngsters I’ve seen. Promising players pop up all the time, however not in these numbers. Luke Brooks, Mitch Moses, Curtis Sironen and James Tedesco may all be playing together for NSW one day.
15. Player contracts need to mean more. It’s too easy for players to shift clubs mid-season, and too easy for players to be shifted off by clubs midseason. What ever happened to knuckling down to earn a first-grade spot?
16. I like everyone else am sick to death of the ASADA saga. Surely it would have been better to have gathered evidence before staging a hyperbolic press conference?
17. I wish more talented played from the English Super League would test their skills in the NRL. The only way England will ever truly challenge the Kangaroos and Kiwis is if their players ply their trade in the most elite competition in the world.
18. An Australian landslide victory over the USA is a bad look in a World Cup finals fixture, but if we were to remove all the less advanced nations from the competition, you might as well just run the Tri-Nations each season.
19. I thoroughly enjoyed the Auckland nines tournament and am looking forward to next year’s event. We will see more stars this time around as it is not a World Cup year.
20. There needs be a 3pm Saturday afternoon game every round.
21. Scrap Monday Night Football during Origin. Crowds are low enough for the created for television timeslot, let alone when clubs are missing their biggest names.
22. Play Origin over three consecutive weeks. The three week gap between fixtures causes way too much disruption to the NRL competition. Each team would have two byes during the four affected rounds, minimising disruptions.
23. What ever happened to the “Two hours of rugby league content each evening on digital Channel Nine plus two hours of content on Saturday and Sunday morning” clause in the NRL rights deal?
24. Pre-game and halftime entertainment is almost a forgotten art. Who decided it was a good idea to book a boy band to play in front a crowd dominated by 20-something year old males?
25. Jarrod Croker is just two points behind Johnathan Thurston – with 156 points for the season – as top point scorer. However, almost 30 tries have been scored down the Raiders left edge. Raiders fans, it’s the second stat that means he will not play Origin any time soon.
AdelaideWill
Guest
With all my complaining about the NRL not being shown in Adelaide, I looked into a digital subscription but it appears that the screen size won't let me stream the telecast to my TV - Another NRL fail, who wants to watch an 80min game on a smart phone?
Zedman
Guest
Good article.Got on Ticketek to buy tickets to the Sharks v Raiders game, 6 tickets behind the posts cost over 200 bucks.
fiver
Guest
Too many points to discuss but number 5. The Storm are looking ominous and the Warriors are a dark horse as well.
rvm99
Guest
Excellent selection of topics neatly summarized. Just a quick note on # 5; Melbourne are looking ominous in search of a top 4 spot. Whilst The Warriors and The Cowboys are perennial underachievers, they could go deep into the Finals series if they secure a home final somewhere along the way. Do agree that Manly are the stand - out side at present. Look forward to the next 25.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
6. Although you got to realise most people on social media at time of call are usually from the respective clubs playing and most are one eyed and won't agree 7. I like that world XVII !! 10. The roosters v tigers game a few weeks back at SFS wanted $38 for GA. No nrl game should be over $20 for adult in GA 17. Agree. Look how competitive in the nba the other nations are and will be at this next fiba basketball WC. Heaps of Spanish, Brazilian, Argentina players are staring in the nba and actually compete with team USA. Even Aus will go well and would've done better if our 2 best weren't injured 21. I could prob scrap Monday night footy for Sunday night footy. Should really affect the foxtel ratings. And prob improve the crowds too. As no work to rush from in the arvo to get to ground 24. Only good pre game I've seen all year was dan sultan at the test match. He played 7 songs and an 8th for the telecast. Strange back up dancers for the televised one though
The eye
Guest
Good stuff Daniel,all agreeable..criteria for coach of the year will be pertinent to separate Tooves and Ivan..as for your save our souls team Nates in only if the aliens can't handle being sledged..otherwise James Graham,and Cherry will be more valuable off the bench than Foran...current crop of poms in the NRL are all really good,would like to see some of their halves have a shot out here to fill our void as well..
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
" I’m yet to see social media agree on a single 50-50 call." that's why their 50/50 calls....... but yes, we should cut the refs some slack. There are many more mistakes in each game made by players than by refs and that means the player's mistakes have more of an influence on the game than refs mistakes.
Samuel
Guest
Although croker can make a mistake defensively, more often than not I think he is trying to cover campeses defensive lapses this year. Still a lot of work to do decision making wise, but the kid is improving