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.
Hanrahan
Guest
"...sour as a lemon with a shot of vinegar." Great turn of phrase. My lips are actually crimping up at the thought of it!
Dutski
Roar Guru
All right. I've read the post and the responses. Let's get some positivity here! 1. The majority of fans will believe the refereeing has improved (when their team is winning, anyway) 2. Peter Beattie will bring a calm head and Todd Greenberg will use his experience of the game to calmly negotiate with the clubs (especially the bulldogs) 3. The well run clubs will continue to maximise their commercial contacts to remain well run clubs (especially the Broncos) Ok, I think you can tell all those had a ;-) at the end. But my positives I'm looking forward to are : - the Knights to come out with a razzle dazzle style and aim to blow teams away - the Titans to set a new benchmark for grit. Look forward to a hard edged team with a focus on uncompromising defence - Souths to unearth another outstanding talent from who knows where - Croft and Munster to put their hands up to replace Thurston and Morgan as the premier halves combo - Wighton to have a breakout year to establish himself in the top echelon of fullbacks - DCE to play a blinder in SOO, almost singlehandedly winning the series for Queensland (but not quite)
Griffo
Guest
Well said, agent 86!
Womblat
Guest
Have a scan back across this bloke's articles over the past 12 months or so. Well informed, great knowledge and finger on pulse... but all sour as a lemon with a shot of vinegar. Every one reeks of insinuation, or nagging conspiracy, or a hangover, or something. I don't know or care what it is. I just hope in future he uses his great journalistic skills for niceness instead of evil.
Paul
Roar Guru
I got more out of your comment Bear, than I did out of the article. You managed to get the word "positive" in there once, which is where we should all be, before the season starts. Negative c**p like this can't take away from the anticipation of the first round.
peeko
Guest
you forgot two things - the daily telegraph to write - how a club has turned things around after 3 early season wins (the club will then come 13th) - crisis articles by Phil Rothfield about the bunker, the commission, referees etc
i miss the force
Guest
yes, every team has been training the house down and looking the fittest ever. the off season has been the toughest ever and the new recruits to the club will really change things.
KingCowboy
Guest
This is just one clowns opinion. I have no issue with the way the game is reffed. I know it is easy to sit back and say the reffing is terrible. Guess what, it happens in every sport. If you watch the NBA or NFL, the same kind of complaining comes from their fans. We live in a imperfect world, a lot of calls are subjective. It's game, go with the call and move on!
Greg Ambrose
Guest
Predictions for the season can get much more certain and a lot more ridiculous after a few games as I found out with my team in 2017. The certain predictions of the off season and the countless letters to the club go unanswered and when they are proven right with a few losses then all hell breaks loose. Some issues raised here are old topics and many feel they have been explained and if you don't understand then you are just a bit of a dim black sheep. I don't believe the standard of reffing is bad at all but I would like a captains call to be introduced and I would like the bunker to rule on forward passes. The frustrating thing is to watch a crucial decision go against your team which everyone watching on TV can see is wrong but the captain, team and coach are told just to accept without complaint and then are belittled for suggesting it was a key moment in a game. There is a belief that clubs and fans complain about the refs whenever they lose. Some might but teams lose close games all the time and have no complaints but there will be games this year when the ref will determine inadvertently the result of some close games . How can that not be a valid issue?
The Barry
Roar Guru
Well said. This is the time for hope and optimism for the season ahead - cynicism comes later. With all the changes a lot of clubs have gone through there’s a plethora of stories that could be written of the season ahead. This is negative, drab, boring and provides nothing new. Not saying it’s inaccurate.
bear54
What a miserable post. Instead of finding something positive to focus on to expand the knowledge of the common reader you have to rehash old subjects for what purpose exactly? Make yourself feel better does it? Anyone who spends this time putting together an article solely based on negatives without offering an opinion on how to improve those factors must be a sad little man? You have my pity.