You may have noticed some of your friends and colleagues starting to get on one of the following NRL trains, and people who were on a different locomotive in the pre-season are now switching trains.
Platform 1: St George Illawarra Dragons line, departing on time
Relax everyone, sometimes things just work. Haven’t they made it look effortlessPlatform 2: New Zealand Warriors line, could leave anytime
Blake Green and the meditative breathing exercise focussed side are surprising everyone. Can it continue down a pathway of structure and settled football that rolls relentlessly over the top of whatever weak point they sense in their opponent? It feels dangerous. But I hope so.
Buy a ticket, buy some chips, buy a Warriors jumper. Breathe in and out. Breathe in and out. Now run to Platform 2 and get on this train. If it derails, no refunds.
Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images
Platform 3: Penrith Panthers line, get onboard if you can
It was a Nathan Cleary-based platform, but here is James Maloney – a bargain, a great footballer, and hard to bet against. There is also growth and some devastation that can burst out anytime.
They can build a compelling underdog narrative, especially as they start to come up against these big sides who are underperforming currently, who everyone says have to start winning sometime, right? Keep telling yourself that, but it just might not be against the Panthers.
Liking Phil Gould is not a pre-requisite, so please get on the Penrith train in an orderly fashion and try not to swear too much once you’re onboard.
Platform 4: Wests Tigers line, Toot toot! All aboard!
It’s Benji Marshall’s ‘Redemption Express’. It feels like 1969, or 2005 on Platform 4. As long as it’s not feeling like 1988 or 1989, I’m getting on this train.
This is the best ride for battlers, so grab a singlet and start practicing your air boxing. The ‘little three’ who left the ‘big four’ will be very sad if it means missing out on a premiership.
You might notice some of the other trains have residual benefit from Ivan Cleary, but this train has him now. The opposite of a Fat Controller, Cleary has got this side working together and that isn’t happening for the underperformers – they don’t feel cohesive, while the Tigers do.
My recommendation to get the most out of this season is to get on a train now, because no one likes people who jump on bandwagons.
Jay Sullivan
Roar Pro
All 4 sides won again on the weekend. There will be lots more people getting on these trains this week!
Birdy
Guest
Jay, what a great read. Memories of 69 and 89. I grew up a Balmain boy , went nearly every weekend to Leichhardt. Actually sat on Laurie Nichols shoulder on one occasion. I like to brag that I had inside information that the tigers were going to beat the unbackable bunnies in 69. Come 89 , and after a lifetime of mediocrity from my tigers I actually developed a soft spot for the Raiders but threw the biggest tissey after the extra time win. How did my tigers lose that. I can understand why Blocker has never watched the game to this day. If WE the Tigers keep winning I have no doubt a few crowd records will be broken . We are the secret army.
Jay Sullivan
Roar Pro
Me too. It actually reminded me of my first ever Roar article. Think you might like it/relate: https://www.theroar.com.au/2013/02/12/remember-the-1989-grand-final-i-sure-do/
Jay Sullivan
Roar Pro
Waqa Blake and Tyrone Peachey hopefully have lots of points ahead, they are two very good footballers. They’ll be a big factor in deciding if that Penrith line takes you to the Grand Final.
Jay Sullivan
Roar Pro
Part of my reasoning for writing it was exactly your point Paul. It will be very interesting to see if they can keep it going, as all have shown early promise and faded. I like that some of the people switching trains and getting carried away by the train they are on, are starting to make some definitive and bold claims. It is all part of what I love about footy fans. This early, it is all wishful thinking and speculation, but it’s fun to dream, hope and guess. Thanks for getting on board with the train analogy too!
Birdy
Guest
I'm so upset my kids are in their twenties I loved Thomas the tank.Now I have no excuse to watch it. As far as jumping on the band wagon goes even us die hard supporters can lay claim to that. Look at the records of all the clubs. Most of us celebrate winning the toss then sink into severe depression from the final whistle till the following week. I've forgotten how many times I've said that's enough, no more tigers. But but Go the Tigers
Paul
Guest
My 7 year old daughter doesn't think so, the channel get's changed as soon as this show starts.
kk
Guest
Two tickets to Penrith, please.
Tom
Guest
I disagree Paul, I think Thomas the tank engine has been consistently delivering for years. Poor analogy.
Paul
Roar Guru
The only problem with all of these trains is, they're more like Thomas the Tank Engine than real trains, Jay. All have promised a lot for a number of years but none have safely delivered on-time & consistently which is what you want from a train. I hope this year these sides are the real deal because right now, they're playing some pretty good football.