A plethora of beltings, shellackings, whuppins, floggings, pastings, dustings, smashings, hammerings, spiflocatings and obliteratings. Apologies to the English language – here’s your talking points.
Relax yourselves
Massacres all up and down the joint this weekend but let’s not get carried away like some others calling for root and branch knee-jerk actions across the NRL system and rugby league itself.
This is just what happens when good teams with something to play for come up against busted-arse stragglers who lost any meaningful purpose weeks ago.
Remember from last week’s NRL talking points: “…as more and more teams fall away, tire out, lose interest, send players away for early surgery or put the cue in the rack to save energy for finals, it’s likely we’ll see losing teams get properly worked over in the last three weeks of the regular season.”
Record scores, lamentable defence which a team comprised of The Roar writers and readers would score against, more injuries, late withdrawals and dozens of players who look like they’d rather be anywhere else on the planet. It hasn’t been a great advertisement for the game over the final month of the regular season.
I’ve written for a while the NRL season is too long, taking too heavy a toll and asking too much of the players. After two COVID-19-impacted seasons you can empathise with players out of contention who just want to get to the end.
The door to the top four is ever so slightly ajar for Parramatta
Congratulations to Penrith, who secured the minor premiership and the J.J. Giltinan Shield beating Souths 26-22 on Thursday. Big things were expected of South Sydney but they’ve wobbled at the first tough hurdle and forget about the double chance – they need a win against one of North Queensland or the Roosters to be certain of finals.
Melbourne’s feast on Brisbane, North Queensland’s belting of the Warriors and Cronulla’s walkover against Manly made the double chance tough for anyone else, but a sliver of hope remains for Parramatta.
If the Roosters beat Melbourne and the Eels beat Brisbane this week, Brad Arthur’s men will play Melbourne at CommBank Stadium in the last round for fourth place.
The Raiders thank the lord for missed conversions
Another hugely unconvincing win against a lower table opponent, but Canberra stays alive if only barely. If Anthony Milford is able to convert more than one of Newcastle’s five first-half tries, we might talking about something completely different.
The Green Machine host a decrepit Manly this coming Saturday. The Sea Eagles are in disarray, beaten 40-6 by Cronulla. But Manly have beaten Canberra 21 of the last 30 times they’ve played, stretching back to 2003 and including a 25-6 win earlier before Manly’s injuries bit hard.
Surely Canberra won’t blow it and they keep their unlikely finals dream alive? Surely?
’Fans’ overstep the mark, again
The sudden and heartbreaking death of North Queensland premiership coach Paul Green sparked many necessary but tough discussions about mental health in the NRL and for men in general, centred around having the strength to speak up if you’re not right and having the strength to listen and care for your mates.
So shame on those cowards who sent death threats to South Sydney winger Jaxson Paulo on social media after an error at the worst time against Penrith. And those who irrationally teed off on players, coaches and referees as Round 23’s beltings unfolded.
Not even a week had passed since those tough mental health discussions and we were into it again. We need to be more aware and we need to do better so lessons aren’t forgotten.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Quick hits
– The beltings weren’t confined to the men’s comp – Newcastle’s NRLW side flogged perennial favourites Brisbane 32-14 in a great game, which wasn’t shown on Fox League. Also wins for the Roosters 38-12 over Parramatta and St George-Illawarra 26-12 over the Gold Coast.
– 16,768 turned out to support Newcastle who are 2-10 at home this year. The locals have still been turning out despite the dross on offer.
– Tigers captain James Tamou will cop a good whack after being sent off for comments at referee Ben Cummins, as well he should. Any suspension more than two weeks will likely end his NRL career. He apologised and fronted up, but the game can’t have it.
– Got a quick hit of your own? Whack it in the comments.
To the next
2022’s penultimate regular-season fixtures give us a few games which impact the finals jostling.
Thursday night is critical for the Broncos and Eels, who face off in Brisbane.
Friday’s early game is New Zealand heading to Penrith, but all eyes will be on the late game in Melbourne as the Roosters come to town to face the Storm in a must-win for the Chooks.
Saturday’s offerings are Canberra hosting Manly, Cronulla welcome the Bulldogs, then South Sydney and North Queensland play at Homebush.
Sunday might be for fans only with the Tigers and Dragons, then the Gold Coast and Newcastle wrap things up.
Did we learn anything from Round 23, Roarers?
DavMan
Roar Rookie
Yeah, didn't think so.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
That was a great draw that would’ve been ruined by Golden Point in today’s game. The loss of a point, in round 21, meant that Easts had to beat Souths by 8 points to take the minor premiership from Manly. As it turned out they lost by 22-24 to Souths, not bad considering the referee would’ve been Col Pearce who was a closet Souths fan. In the 1968 grand final Bill Bradstreet played the ball and was knocked out by Ron Coote. It got Billy Wilson sent off in the 62 GF but Pearce only penalised Coote.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
For the Dragons it was a case of not using their brains, well one of them anyway. After beating the Broncos 48-18 they had a tougher time with Souths but lead 12-6 with minutes to go. Needing the ball Souths' kicked short to the right wing 10 metre mark but it didn't go ten and would've been a penalty to St.G-Ill had one of their players not tried to catch the ball before it made 10 metres. So Souths scored a try from the resulting six tackles to tie the scores.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
They need differential scrum penalties and at most two point field goals. When the IRL adopted the 4 tackled rule from the NFL they made other changes. They had a handover at the end of the 4th but the Kiwis :angry: talked them into having a scrum. So in 1967 the game was dominated by scrum penalties and field goals if within kicking range. Souths won in 67&68 on the back of scrum penalties that should've been differential from the start. At the time I was the biggest in the under 6st7lb team so I got to play prop. Souths got away with punching in the scrum and in general play. Dick Huddart, Saints' English import, said he couldn't understand how they got away with it. In the 68 GF Ron Coote knocked out Bill Bradstreet with a punch but he was only penalised by referee Col Pearce who was a Souths fan according to his mate Alan Clarkson. I always knew SMH journalist Clarkson was a Souths fan. It wasn't the first time Pearce showed his bias as he was the architect of Souths 1955 fairytale run.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
It does make a difference. What if we made them 33, the Dragons would be in the top 8 if they got an early bye. That's silly but 2 point byes are table distortion and are not necessary. Some fans complained that their team dropped out of the top 8 when they had a bye. The NRL, lacking the wit to explain that the team has a game in hand, pandered to the mentally challenged and handed out a meaningless 2 points. Does anyone else do it?
criag
Roar Rookie
Years ago, Newtown were running last with two games to go but with no possibility of avoiding the wooden spoon. They were playing Easts at Henson Park, who were grimly hanging on to a semi-final spot. The Bluebags played with great desperation, celebrating every little victory, eventually earning a 12-12 Draw. At the full-time whistle, Brian Moore leapt into the air in celebration, seemingly hanging there for ages. The players and the fans were all delirious. Question: Did that Newtown team have nothing to play for?
criag
Roar Rookie
In contrast, rugby union increased the try from 3 to 4 and did nothing else, so nothing changed. Then they increased it to 5 thinking that would make a difference, but the fact that two penalty goals or drop goals was STILL worth more than a try never occurred to them….and they are the ones that are supposed to be better educated!
JennyFromPenny
Guest
If somehow teams were receiving more byes than other teams, there's be a problem, but as each team has always received the same number of byes, it makes no difference what points they are worth. No it's not maths. It's not as complex as that.
criag
Roar Rookie
I remember watching a Sunday night TV news in Adelaide. The sports segment consisted of about 1 minute to world sport and 9 minutes dedicated to the Crows and the state of Tony Modra's groin!
Richard POWELL
Roar Rookie
I watched Newcastle -v- Brisbane NRLW on Kayo, where all the NRLW games will be shown
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
It’s not maths, it’s table distortion. Your team gets a bye this weekend but don’t fret your team gets two points compensation so your team is still in the top 8. Top 8, what a great season where having. It’s silly but not as bad as Golden Point.
Chris
Guest
The sooner they put Wighton back out in the centres & just let him run & do his own thing. The better for the Raiders & Wighton. Sometimes players such as Lockyer have the natural skills to move into the halves & play consistently well. That’s not Wighton.
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
Oh, I googled and got the fan selection.
JennyFromPenny
Guest
So good they had to clear the obstruction.
JennyFromPenny
Guest
Need to see it again even less.
JennyFromPenny
Guest
That would be pretty weird, but can't get weirder than 2018, four teams on 34, four teams on 32.
matth
Roar Guru
In the official team the wings are Cecil Aynsley and Lionel Morgan. In the fans team it’s Morgan and Metassa
JennyFromPenny
Guest
Haven't we done the math before ? If you took back the two points from each team for their bye, so there was nil awarded for a bye, the table is the same, exactly the same.
zonecadet
Roar Rookie
On recent form the Bulldogs have only won 27% of the games played in the five seasons prior to this one. They've won 27% of this season's games too so great consistency there. They could go. Pretty sure Wests could go and the NRL survive. There's two. Kind of hard after that to kill off any more Sydney teams. Gold Coast adds little to the NRL so maybe there's a third. With the Dolphins coming in you'd have 14 teams and room to add Perth and Adelaide and whadda ya know? A 16 team national league.
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
There are many reasons this idea would never work, namely there would be no fans. Dissolving all Sydney teams and replacing them with regional teams would ensure fans walk away. Also not sure how adding teams to Central Coast and regional QLD, would somehow improve quality.