The number of personnel changes, both on and off the field, makes this NRL season one of the most intriguing in recent memory.
Yet I am reading prediction after prediction om how the season is going to pan out – usually with the word ‘fearless’ somewhere in the headline.
Funnily enough, these articles are then followed by comment after comment telling us how things are really going to end up.
What does it all add up to? A hell of a lot of guesses. Now that in itself is par for the course, but the absoluteness of some of the opinions going around astounds me.
I would love to have the same conviction on who will be where on the ladder come September, but with every club having at least one question mark on them – some have several – how can anyone be confident in plotting any team’s course in 2018?
We can all probably pick four or five teams that should be finals bound, but that is about it, and even that would be a guess.
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The things we can be solid in predicting are, unfortunately, off the field – and none are good.
Firstly, you can guarantee the refereeing will be as bad as it has been.
Tony Archer is still in charge, so get ready for plenty of spin regarding terrible decisions, the interpretation of rules changing week to week (and sometimes game to game), the ‘sting’ on play-the-balls to last for about three rounds, the absence of any ‘sting’ on anything that will actually help the game, and Storm skipper Cameron Smith taking home the ‘best referee’ trophy yet again.
Secondly, you can guarantee a lack of direction and sound management.
We’ve already seen thousands of dollars wasted on a farewell for the outgoing Commish, while many grassroots clubs struggle to find the funds required to actually exist in the first place.
New Commish, ex-Queensland Premier Peter Beattie, has already had his first taste of rugby league politics and is probably wondering what he’s got himself into. The biggest factor in the status quo continuing at HQ though is the fact that Todd Greenberg is still in the CEO role. Once again, it will be a case of ‘nothing to see here, we’re going great, thanks for asking’.
Thirdly, you can guarantee clubs and player managers are still laughing at the salary cap rules. Laughing loudest are those who know how to work the current system and cover their tracks.
Fourthly, you can guarantee there will be at least one coach sacked during the season. Stephen Kearney and Anthony Griffin are the early favourites, but they aren’t certainties. Its a tough gig being a coach.
Stephen Kearney (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
The fifth and final thing you can guarantee is that ‘player burnout’ will be a popular phrase once again, especially with overseas Tests being added to the calendar.
Thankfully, the play on the field will help us keep our sanity. After all, that’s why we endure all of this year in, year out. It never seems to end.
Good luck to your team, and hopefully next season a few of my guarantees won’t be so certain.
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