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Opinion

The NRL pulled a rabbit out of a hat

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Roar Pro
15th July, 2020
16

2020 started as all new seasons start: slowly.

The good teams had hardly woken up when the Armageddon arrived. Suddenly all sport professional, amateur and communal stopped as the whole world was swamped by the nastiest virus since 1918.

Professional sport was hit financially, and all football codes screamed to a stop as we were all locked down. Spectators without live games had to suffer endless replays on TV. We gasped “when would it end?”

At first, the tunnel was dark: no light anywhere.

Then haltingly, the first signs of life. The NRL under the newly appointed NRL Commission head Peter V’Landys started to make plans and noises.

“The season will restart on 27 May.”

Rubbish, no way, was the predictable response. The federal and state governments with their respective health departments would never agree.

But with a refreshing burst of enthusiasm and stubbornness, the NRL started planning for a May 27 start. With large doses of goodwill every obstacle was cleared or bypassed, and the competition started as planned.

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There were changes of venue and teams such as the Warriors had to overcome greater adversity as most of the players had their families in New Zealand and arrangements had to be made to move them to Australia until the virus was under control.

When the competition started, there was a rule change that snuck up on the average league fan. Instead of nonstop penalties when the defending team tried to stall the attacking team in their 20-metre defensive zone, it was mandated that the tackle count would be reset when there were ruck infringements.

This new wrinkle turbocharged the game and made it look twice as fast as it had been. Wrestling in the play shrunk and the ball seemed to move around with renewed speed.

Since the restart with no spectators except the cardboard ones and the canned crowd noise, we are now seeing some people who seem to be making a lot of noise. The competition is positively fizzing. What is good?

There are four teams at the top of the competition who seem to have adapted to the reset rule change well and are playing with verve and excitement.

1. The Eels with their huge fanbase are back with a first-class spine and Mitchell Moses, now unfortunately injured, has been a revelation. Clinton Gutherson, Dylan Brown and Reed Mahoney have been setting the world on fire. Their forwards, with a revitalised Reagan Campbell-Gillard, have been a match for any other pack.

Reed Mahoney passes

(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

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2. The Panthers with Nathan Cleary calling the shots and back to his Origin form and a devastating forward pack are sitting nicely in second place.

3. The Sydney Roosters, back-to-back premiers, sensitively coached and filled with Origin and international players at times look unbeatable. Only injuries look like slowing their three-peat.

4. The Storm, in spite of the critics saying the reset rule change will be curtains to their chances, have proved that once again no side coached by Craig Bellamy and captained by Cameron Smith with such brilliant players such as Cameron Munster and Ryan Papenhuyzen can be taken lightly.

The closeness of the competition and the playing standard of the top four means that provided we can finish the season, the finals will be legendary.

5. Last year we saw some extraordinary wingers’ tries. This year, spectacular athletic feats by the wingers are happening two or three times a game. Wingers seem to defy the laws of gravity to place the ball over the try line while they are suspended upside down with their bodies contorted around the corner post.

So, as we finish Round 10 the newly polished NRL is shining. Let’s hope the lustre is still there at the end of the finals. I think it will be.

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