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Ray Warren and Mal Meninga grabbed the attention before the Kangaroos-Kiwis Anzac Test in Canberra last night.
Veteran broadcaster Warren, who gave every indication he was pulling the pin on his 50-year career calling rugby league, signed on for another five-years yesterday.
That doesn’t translate to calling the 13-man code for the entire five year stretch, but the fact ‘Rabs’ will be on deck with Wide World of Sports gives Channel Nine breathing space to find a replacement.
Having known Rabs for those 50 years, I’m surprised he’s lasted that long with his genuine fear of flying.
There’s no argument he’s the best rugby league caller by the length of the straight, but these days flying is a dominant necessity.
Somehow the voice of rugby league has dealt with the problem, but I won’t be far wrong when I say once he hangs up his microphone, he’ll think more than twice about jumping on a plane again.
While Ray Warren was stitching up another five years – he turns 74 next month – Mal Meninga was being widely acclaimed as the next Immortal.
That’s old news to me, having proposed his induction for the last decade.
He should have been Immortalised long before Andrew Johns, and so should Ken Irvine, Norm Provan, Ron Coote, Peter Sterling, and Brad Fittler.
The ARL Commission now owns the Immortal brand with the closure of Rugby League Week, the original owners selling the concept and rights.
Hopefully the Commission will do damn sight better job with the induction of worthy Immortals than RLW, and include the late great coach Jack Gibson.
There’s no reason why a rugby league coach can’t be Immortalised, and in time Wayne Bennett as well.
The Anzac Test?
For the 100th time in 135 clashes, the Kangaroos gave the Kiwis a first half lesson, leading 24-nil.
But the Kiwis “won” the second half 12-6, as the Kangaroos took the foot off the pedal.
The final scoreline of 30-12, with the Kangaroos scoring five converted trues to two converted tries, but that’s what you’d expect from a side that boasts skipper Cameron Smith in his 50th Test, Johnathan Thurston, and Cooper Cronk.
That terrifically talented trio continually dominate all opposition – that’s just a fact of life, even though the Kiwis had Shaun Johnson, Roger Tuivasa Sheck, and Jesse Bromwich, three of the world’s best.
But the Kangaroos have Mal Meninga as coach, the Kiwis David Kidwell.
That’s the difference.
The Storm and Dragons will be awaiting medicals on Cronk and Josh Dugan out of the game. Cronk limped off late in the second half with a knee injury, while Dugan may well have fractured a cheekbone after a heavy head clash with David Packer.
There are a host of rugby league internationals on this weekend, with one in particular set to shock.
Don’t be surprised if Samoa knock off England tonight.
That will cause a major stink.