Opinion
The NRL may be emerging from a self-imposed bubble, but there is a condition not even the strictest safety measures can protect against. I call it heavyweight-itis.
This is a propensity to prematurely label NRL teams as heavyweights without sufficient evidence to support their claim.
This disease is spreading fast through the NRL community and it worries me that our new international audience are being misled by incorrect labelling of certain teams as heavyweights.
This brings me to my most important question, which I hope is a step towards eradicating this issue.
Who are the current heavyweights of the NRL?
There is no question the Roosters and Storm automatically qualify. They have dominated the competition for the best part of a decade.
Over the past ten seasons, the Roosters have won three premierships, lost one grand final, claimed four minor premierships, and made the top four six times.
The Storm have won two grand finals and lost two more, and also claimed four minor premierships and eight top-four finishes.
It is obvious their notoriety as heavyweights is not only justified but it has been built on consistent success.
(Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)
This has been either through consistent top-four finishes or, more importantly, winning premierships. Grand final appearances are also significant achievements.
A combination of these four measures – premierships, grand final losses, minor premierships and top-four finishes – is essential in assessing a team’s heavyweight credentials.
Let’s compare these statistics to three teams who have been referred to as heavyweights already this season: Broncos, Eels and Raiders. Interestingly, when comparing the results of these three clubs against the Roosters and Storm over the last decade, the Broncos are the only team that comes close to heavyweight status. However, that seems a stretch considering their current form and off-field dramas, not to mention their results over the past ten seasons.
The Broncos have lost one grand final, and made the top four three times. The Raiders have also been runners-up once, and claimed two top-four finishes. The Eels haven’t come up with a single grand final appearance, and made the top four just once.
At this point, honourable mentions should go to the Rabbitohs and Sea Eagles, as their statistics are far more favourable compared to the above three contenders.
Both clubs have won a grand final in that time period, with Souths finishing in the top four five times, and Manly four times. The Eagles have also lost a decider.
(Photo by Jono Searle/Getty Images)
Admittedly, the Rabbitohs have lost a wealth of experience from last season, which may have diminished their heavyweight status slightly. Also, the bulk of the current Sea Eagles squad were not a part of either their 2011 premiership or the majority of their top-four finishes.
But is this enough to deny them both the heavyweight label? Current form suggests the Sea Eagles are having a strong start to the season, but the Rabbitohs are only average, with two of their three wins coming from bottom-four sides. Is this further evidence that the latter team should be denied a seat at the heavyweight table?
I will admit both the Eels and Raiders are tracking well to becoming recognised as NRL heavyweights. Despite past seasons, both clubs have strong squads capable of winning the competition. In fact, both are entering premiership windows.
But the heavyweight label should be reserved for the best of the best. This honour is something that needs to be earned by consistent success rather than based on a solid year of good form.
If form was an adequate barometer, then we may as well throw the Knights and Panthers into the heavyweight mix, but we would only be cheapening the title.
Instead, let’s accept the Roosters and Storm as undisputed heavyweights of the NRL, with the Rabbitohs and Sea Eagles closely following.
As for the other teams mentioned in this article (apart from the Broncos basket case), let’s recognise them as up-and-comers – teams that are slowly lifting themselves from the canvas, which they have laid on for far too long, and staying on their feet and at the top of the NRL for consecutive seasons.
Winning the odd premiership won’t hurt either. Only then will I be considering their qualification into the heavyweight division.
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
Having a week off to recharge their batteries during the bye did nothing to stop South Sydney’s season from hell descending further into the…
Taane Milne was binned for a horrible cannonball-style tackle in the waning moments of the Storm-Rabbitohs Anzac Day clash. The Channel Nine pundits didn't…
With just seconds left on the clock, Taane Milne tackled the legs of Cameron Munster with the Storm star already wrapped up. He was…
Souths scored three unanswered tries in the second half, threatening to make a comeback. However, Melbourne quickly snuffed it out.
Cam Munster had the ball on a string in the first half, setting up a hat-trick for Xavier Coates. Andrew Johns was left in…
Not what you want to see as a Rabbitohs fan straight after points...
