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.
Unconcerned fan
Guest
Great article, and great weekend of footy, well done LL, hope to see more magic next year.
IGOR11
Roar Rookie
I reckon there has been more injuries with chicken wings and all other chicken pieces then there has been for shoulder charges yet all these wrestling moves persist…I’ve said it for years…the fabric of our game has been slowly destroyed by administrators who have NFI since Arko…i am all for safety…but let’s not forget this is a contact sport not a game of rough touch which unfortunately it generally is or is being transferred that way very quickly…
Craigo
Guest
I went on Saturday with a few mates and we watched all 3 game. We all had a great time. We're all going to be back next year with bells on. Loved it!
Ethan
Roar Rookie
The event that was magic round was great. Festival of rugby league. The game quality wasn't so great though
Paul
Roar Guru
I've seen more than a few guys taken out of games because they were hit with a blind side shoulder charge. Remember this from Greg Inglis? There's a reason why the NRL and us golfers have the views we do about these types of tackles. I want to see guys playing football, not lying on the ground unconscious or in a hospital bed having no idea how they got there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVC_wJNtZWQ
Arcturus
Roar Rookie
OK, had my coffee, feeling more positive. Impressed by Tyson Gamble's efforts in preventing Manly's first try. Enjoyed watching Sharks, Dragons and Doggies having a dig. Astounded to see Madge's positional changes at the Tigers work out. Tipped 8 from 8, that must be magic because it's never happened before.
Ad-O
Guest
Over react much? Shoulder charges had no worse outcome than any other tackle and the tackler bore just as much risk from physical injury as the ball carrier. The high risk was the fact they weren" t a high percentage technique to shut down a play. The reward was they looked awesome and got both crowd and teammates buzzing I'm starting to think a lot of League fans on this site would be more comfortable with Golf.
Nat
Roar Guru
Baa humbug...
Nat
Roar Guru
It's worth it. If it's just mates though, you'll feel it on Monday...
Paul
Roar Guru
It’s great to see such a positive first piece in a week where just about every story seems to be a negative. It was also a very good read, so many thanks for taking the time to write this article, LL. It’s probably difficult to convey to people watching on television the feeling that comes from sharing an event like this. Back in 2000, I had to watch the Olympics on TV while many family members headed off to various events. All made contact to say just how “magic” the atmosphere was, both at the events they saw but in Sydney as a whole. If even a fraction of that same feeling was generated at Suncorp, or in Brisbane CBD, given all the hardships the last 12 months have provided, that alone is reason to host this event every year. Hope you share more thoughts with us Lady.
The Barry
Roar Guru
It was a shock to the system to see so many sin bins and I think there’s still a bit of work to do to get the balance right but on sober reflection most of the bins were justified and I think that held true across the weekend... Of course getting rid of high tackles can only be good for the game - and it’s what we’ve all been vocal about, but it’s as much the language of excuses around them that needs to be broken down “he was falling, it was accidental not careless, it was a lazy arm, he can’t just disappear” etc
Paul
Roar Guru
"The shoulder charge was a high risk high reward play". Really? For whom? The only person to "win" out of this was the defending player. The defender, if they got it right, would still knock the attacker senseless and of they got it wrong, could see the attacker sidelined for weeks with a broken jaw or concussion. Can't see too many rewards there for the attacker.
Arcturus
Roar Rookie
Yeah well magic maybe for those sides that got up. Not magic for those fans who watched their team drop out of the contest very early in the game. I still have no idea why they need a magic round, what it represents (if anything) and why it is only held in Brisbane.
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Good to hear you are on board TB. Perhaps your angst re: Friday night was more to do with Manly's "goof" win :silly: Nice first article LL, welcome to the Roar. Although you did have me scratching my head when you said "come-from-behind wins"..... but I guess the Raiders, paying $1.14 before kick-off, getting home falls into that basket.
farkurnell
Roar Rookie
Don’t keep reminding me.First sentence you learn as a Sharks Baby “we waz robbbed” 2nd sentence you learn “well , there’s always next year” (except for babies born in 2016)
Nat
Roar Guru
Hear hear LL, nice piece of work. Good analogy of the cranky parents coming through. I'm with you, it was a great event, a great festival atmosphere and every game had something about it to like. The refs never ruined that at all (full disclosure, I wasn't happy with the Gamble sin bin. Upon review I'm ok with it.) I made a comment yesterday that the fans were getting behind the sin bins, mostly in a satirical way but there was little, if any, bile being spewed as much as I've read in the press. But then, mine was a live experience, my mood wasn't solely outcome based, what does it matter where it's played and from the living room? If it was one game at ANZ, one group of fans affected and one thing to talk about. The fact every team wore some type of penalty brought out a bit of bias and the natural instinct to compare to recent history. So there seems like a lot more punters questioning either the timing or veracity of the calls - by comparison. While I believe they may not go to the lengths as they did last weekend, I sincerely hope the bin is full of blokes who choose to go high. If anything, I'm disappointed that a few high shots have only received fines, well small fines, as it gives the press another angle to question the objective. Up the fines or sit them out as $1500 is hard to defend from a Duty of Care perspective but $6000 would have even Hetherington using caution.
Tony
Roar Guru
And we know why that is, don't we Fark :happy:
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
The season is building up nicely. We can look forward to a stellar finals series and a hell of a SOO series. The top 8 was pretty predictable apparently and now the top 5 is apparently set in stone. Lets see if it works out that way. Some teams were very drab to watch early in the season and it was suggested that the only wins the last 3 or 4 teams could get were when they played each other and even then it was likely to be a nil all draw. It hasn't quite worked out like that. Teams are now getting richly rewarded for playing well and the plodders are getting punished. It's up to the plodders to get going. The talk from magic round has been what a great event it is and that can only be good publicity.
Lance Boil
Roar Rookie
Well that would be an interesting discussion to have with a budding young player's parents. "Get them a dose of brain damage never did me any harm"
farkurnell
Roar Rookie
Nice to hear from someone whose’s glass is more than half full.Mine is often more than half empty.