The off-season is a necessary evil away from rugby league but I guess everyone needs time to re-charge their football batteries.
This weekend, we will be entertained by the Auckland Nines. Not really my cup of tea but the best aspect is that we should see a number of future NRL stars given an early shot in the limelight, and that is always exciting even if the event is Mickey Mouse-ish, pretty much a TV gimmick.
I say good luck to all involved. Have fun but stay safe. Hopefully the alarming number of serious injuries sustained in last year’s event was a one-off. Not worth competing in something so lightweight if it affects your entire season.
Having said all of the above, I will be watching with interest. If nothing else the Nines are a good, fun way to kick off the rugby league season.
There are many things to toss up in my first column of 2015 and the first is the extended World Club Challenge.
Souths will soon be in England to play Super League champions St Helens (February 22) while in the new, expanded format, the Broncos line up against Wigan and the St George Illawarra Dragons tackle Warrington.
All good so far, but I really don’t want to hear complaints – or excuses – about this big event affecting the competing NRL clubs’ 2015 campaigns.
All three Australian clubs are being well compensated for participating. Nobody forced them to go to England. Just bank the big bucks on offer and if they happen to drop an early NRL comp game or two, tough.
These clubs have some serious opposition instead of a bush trial, or a romp against someone’s reserve graders. Their players should reap benefits from the time away together as well as the solid match practice.
Memo Rabbitohs, Broncs and Dragons: do not blame any early failure(s) on your ‘tough travelling schedule’ etc. That won’t wash with me for an instant. (Having said that: go you Rabbitohs! Show them what you’ve got.)
And speaking of the defending premiers, the loss of chief executive Shane Richardson is immense. He has always been a tremendous administrator who won’t be easily replaced.
Richo’s CV is pretty impressive and he looks to be the right man to head up the new position of NRL Head of Game Strategy and Development.
A large part of his brief will embrace possible expansion of the NRL.
In recent times, North Sydney has been a feeder club for Richardson’s old club Souths. Old red and black men like me can only ponder – could this, at last, be a positive thing for the Central Coast Bears?
I read a recent report linking Aidan Sezer with Manly. It suggested that if either Daly Cherry-Evans or Kieran Foran were to leave Brookvale, Sezer might prove to be a pretty handy replacement. I have to agree with that.
And if there’s a chance, young Aidan – seize it! You have the potential to blossom into a State of Origin five-eighth. Go to Manly if it’s at all possible; you will wither on the vine at the struggling Titans.
And we have (finally) seen the re-emergence of cheating Storm CEO Brian Waldron in this week’s media.
He had the temerity to suggest he might one day make a comeback in sports administration as he is now “a lot smarter”.
Good luck Brian. Your local under-6 underwater dominos team would not consider you, not even for a nano-second. Keep well away from rugby league, you’ve done more damage than you will ever realise.
Jeremy
Guest
NRL should be more worried that having the kangaroos never play now means that “the Roos” in the Australia media now means the Socceroos. No one in NRL cares that was a fight lost to soccer without Gallop and co even having to fire a shot. Where is the ARL? There are "Roos" everywhere today in the media reports but its all about the soccer hipsters.
Jack
Guest
sorry about that my bad
Muzz
Guest
It's hard to say.I mean if 2 clubs are desperate for a quality 7 and that's pretty much all thats missing from a potential premiership winning team then you'd have to go hard and pay overs. This is just my opinion/gut feel. There's tension between DCE and some of the other senior players in the squad that's effecting his game.Foz choked in the 2013 GF but he was clearly the dominant half for most of last season. Dragons need to get their mitts off our red head Bondi hipster.I really hope we don't lose him but we can't keep em all.I'd rather see kane Evans move on.I know Gus was very interested in Kane not so long ago.
The eye
Guest
Dont know Muzz..4 clubs could be searching harder than the rest at seasons end,only Sharks at desperation level,Titans and Raiders are on the edge with Elgey and Cornish,and I think the Knights can do better than Roberts.. ...against the grain of popular belief I've always valued Cherry above Foran,but his last 6 months were mystifying..why was he the only one in the side whose form went off ? But these are the 2 that you pay thru the nose for,doubt if theres significant enough widespread demand for the others to put their prices out of kilt,do you ? How about Napa by the way ?Surely,no..
Muzz
Guest
What are your thoughts regarding supply and demand.Does this dramatically effect the market value of quality halves? Now that Keary and A Reynolds are off the market, have shares in Maloney, Foran, Sezar and other halves off contract at the end of this season risen? Will the Sharks have to pay more now for a top-line 7?
Birdy
Guest
Yep , league is back and Campbell Neumann calls an election on the Auckland 9' s weekend , LOST my vote Campbell !
up in the north
Guest
Bit late to add to this one, but there are coaches already making their feelings known that the new interpretation of the roll away rule was thrust upon them without enough notice. And that wascally wabbit from Brisvegas was on the select panel who proposed it. What a bastard. ;-)
Jeremy
Guest
NRL was on the main channels so that it would get wider exposure. No one except AFL types watched the AFL channel. So you may notice Fox have moved the AFL channel now so that is in the middle of all the other sports channels in the hope some eyeballs flicking between channels will stumble onto AFL.
Jeremy
Guest
Bigs up to all the NRL clubs and media who this week gave their time to speak out negatively against the 9s and remind all about player burn out. League must be the only sport where the best idea anyone has is that the sport shouldn't be played.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I understand. I'll be watching the 9s and the all stars. Not sure about the WCC. I'll just be holding my breath that the next 8 months aren't flushed before they've begun by a couple of bad injuries.
The eye
Guest
Pretty sure the photo accompanying the story is Paul Carter..but on Aidan Sezar (seeing Adam Reynolds has been locked back in) he would be a wonderful 7 for the sharks,all we can offer is team harmony,marquee forwards and a coach the players admire..
Sean
Guest
Exactly. The content is there, we just need the governing bodies and broadcasters to have a bit of vision.
Kingcowboy
Guest
Under 20's and State League comps also.
Renegade
Guest
Haha yeah I'm married now so just a post it note on the remote saying "do not touch between the months of March and October" will have to do ;)
Renegade
Guest
I was thinking the exact same thing.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
Surely if they can get enough content for a 24/7 AFL channel from one national competition, they can find enough content for a Rugby League channel from 2 comps plus rep footy.
Muzz
Guest
Eye - A couple of positives for the Cows after that semi moving forward 1) They know they can score plenty of points in a short space of time.They just have to remain patient, believe in their system and the points will follow 2)All their defensive frailties/deficiencies were exposed and punished in the first half so they can focus on repairing those problem areas.
Muzz
Guest
We are ready and waiting.
Kingcowboy
Guest
Oh Sean, hadn't thought of that but wouldn't that be brilliant. The only thing better then that would be Ten to get all the games and turn One into a dedicated Rugby League HD channel!!!!
Sean
Guest
I wonder if this lays the groundwork for a dedicated RL channel in the next TV rights deal.