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Opinion
Magic Round promised to be the round of the year – and it delivered that promise in spades.
All the teams played at the same ground on the same weekend, where one ticket enabled you to see the all the best players, the best rivalries and the best entertainment the NRL has to offer.
The event surely lived up to its name and the hype that surrounded it.
It had everything you could possibly want in weekend of footy: length-of-the-field tries, come-from-behind wins, the battle of the fullbacks, a little bit of argy bargy, milestones and debuts, a new father-and-son dynamic duo, sin bins and send-offs.
You cannot say that having players marched from the field in almost every game did not add to the excitement of the weekend.
Unfortunately, one of the biggest talking points of the weekend has been the punishments that were served for all the high shots.
The sad part is that not being allowed to make contact with the head is nothing new. The fact that it is finally being reinforced to the degree that it should have been all along is not a bad thing.
It’s the same as when your parents finally follow through on their threats when you are in trouble – you knew it was coming, but you are in absolute shock and so frustrated when it does.
(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Stopping the head-high tackles is not making the game soft. It’s not taking anything away from it. And it is most certainly going to help keep our game being the greatest game of all.
When the spear tackle and the shoulder charge were scrubbed out of the game, there was an uproar. But we all adapted, and we all survived. And there has never been a shortage of big hits for us to still enjoy.
The fact that fans are whinging that the enforcement of the ‘new’ rule change during Magic Round ruined the entire weekend is just ridiculous.
No real fan can say that seeing Ryan Papenhuyzen being taken off the field on a stretcher is what we want to see more of. Or that it’s what makes our game tough.
As Paul Kent explained on NRL 360 on Monday night, hits above the shoulders have been illegal in rugby league since 1908. This is not new.
But Peter V’landys and Andrew Abdo are on a mission to stamp it out once and for all and I am completely on board.
Now, back to the magic.
The Tigers finally getting up.
Tommy Turbo in overdrive.
(Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
The Raiders fighting tooth and nail to get the win.
Adam Reynolds proving again and again why he is worth three more years.
The Roosters showing that whatever gets thrown at them, they can take it.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck showcasing why we are going to miss him so much.
Brad Arthur ecstatic that he was right – even his surname wasn’t a reason to not give his son a start.
Melbourne confirming why they are the premiers.
And Penrith making sure we all know they are the team deserving of another shot at the title.
All in one place. All on one weekend.
Sounds perfect. Magical even.
If you genuinely weren’t happy with Magic Round and found more to complain about then to cheer about, then you must be very hard to please. And I would hate to draw your name out for Secret Santa.
Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go log onto Webjet and see if they have any early bird specials to Brisbane for next year.