Roar Pro
Joined April 2013
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Finding the perfect mixture of a high-offloading playing style and a more traditional, structured game-plan is the key to continued success, says Warriors halfback…
Pure, straight-up and unadulterated brute force was the key to Souths' 28-8 shellacking of the Roosters at ANZ Stadium in Thursday night's NRL season…
World record transferee Sam Tomkins will make his NRL debut at fullback for the Warriors against the Eels in Parramatta this Sunday. Former Sharks…
Physical barely describes it. Exciting comes close. Brutal maybe. Definitely exhilarating, and worthy of a match on the game’s biggest stage. Quite simply, it…
American fighter Brandon Rios has that “take it to the next level thing” said boxing pundit Max Kellerman on HBO's 24/7. “If you hit…
Part of the joy of watching any major international sporting event is tracking the progress of the so-called 'minnows'. Like becoming an instant expert…
Michael Clarke scored 88 as NSW made 8/280 on day one of the opening Sheffield Shield match of the 2013/14 season at Blacktown International…
The St Louis Cardinals have turned around a disastrous 8-1 loss in the opening game of baseball's World Series with 4-2 win over the…
Much like Sonny Bill Williams, I can't seem to make up my mind. One one hand, as a New Zealand sports fan, I'm happy…
It was last playing second last on a chilly August night at Parramatta Stadium. Neither the Eels or the Tigers are going to figure…
With an unfortunate gaffe while on radio on Wednesday morning, Eddie McGuire ensured the Adam Goodes racism story would remain in the news for…
You can get your rugby league fix anywhere these days. From traditional outlets like radio, newspapers and TV to modern day avenues like Twitter…
After the Storm and Sea Eagles played out a 10-all draw at AAMI Park in Melbourne on Monday night, Glenn Stewart and Cam Smith…
Waratahs coach Michael Cheika has backed 21-year-old openside tyro Michael Hooper to play against the British and Irish Lions this June after Brumbies flanker…
With the British and Irish Lions Tour fast approaching, every man and his dog have taken a stab at predicting what the Wallabies line-up…
I'm all for player protection and on a good day can even be persuaded that outlawing the shoulder-charge completely – rather than just policing…
It's a pleasure to watch Floyd Mayweather box. In a brutal sport often known purely for its violence, Mayweather is an artist. Undefeated in…
Nobody's tipping Wests Tigers to beat Canterbury Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium this weekend. You'd be crazy to. Winless in their last four games and…
Floyd ‘Money' Mayweather will beat Robert ‘The Ghost' Guerrero at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas this weekend. I'm fairly certain of that. It…
Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez has earned a unanimous decision over Austin Trout to unify the WBC and WBA titles at the Alamodome in San Antonio,…
Why would you add Cooper so late. If he’s going to play – which I think he should – don’t you want him training with the rest as much as possible?
Izzy's in but Quade to miss Wallaby squad
As I said in the article, not all players I left out of this side will be Wallabies, nor am I suggesting there should be 30-odd Waratahs in the squad. Mainly wrote this to highlight some of the fringe and club players going around Sydney. No point doing that if you’re just going to leave Kibbo,
Barnes, Foley, Mitchell and Horne in it.
When Wallabies are away, young Tahs will play
If you had Lewis as the bench utility, would you start the untested Maloney or the tried and true Carney? If things aren’t going well, you’d want a more dynamic playmaker than Lewis to come on. Then again, Sutton’s untested and Gidley hasn’t been playing his best…
Pick Sims for NSW, says Tamou
Weird to think that Nathan Sharpe never got to play a Lions series. These guys will absolutely love it and I can’t wait for it to start. Skelton was awesome in his time on the field against the Stormers and he’d have no trouble doing the same against the Lions.
Good point about the anthems. I’m not sure now that you mention it…
When Wallabies are away, young Tahs will play
As I said, I don’t think Kibbo will play for Australia, but I left him out of this team to make it interesting. There’d be a real battle between Matt Lucas and Grayson Hart for the starting halfback spot in McKibbin’s absence. Cheika has favored Lucas so far, but I’m not sure he’s an 80 minute player yet. Hart meanwhile, is supremely fit and has done it all before at Super Rugby level.
When Wallabies are away, young Tahs will play
Rob9 – There’s a possibility Foley could get selected in a wider Wallabies squad – he was last year – but I doubt he’d play in the green and gold. He will likely line up for the Tahs against the Lions, but I left him out of this side to make it a bit more interesting.
Volavola is an outstanding fullback – maybe better there than flyhalf – and Cam Crawford played a lot of junior rugby and club rugby at flyhalf, so those two players and positions could easily be switched. Crawford hasn’t played outside centre, but he’s learning the ropes at inside centre at the moment. He could be the next AAC. Big call!
When Wallabies are away, young Tahs will play
Good point there. NZ hasn’t had any genuine and consistent world class centres in a while. SKD had a stellar season a while back and looks to be getting back to that form, but he’s been quiet in between.
Just look at the fact that Simon Mannering has often been put out in the centres.
There does seem to be a lack of depth in the halves compared to front and second rowers.
Maybe all the good ball players are playing union?
Where are the young Kiwi halves?
Will be interesting to see how Stirzaker goes from the start of a match for once, rather than coming on when the games is already lost. Why was Phipps benched though?
Rebels thrust rookie into playmaker role
I agree that the suspension was pretty harsh for JWH – can see both sides of the argument for the send off too.
It’s great that his comeback is against Manly too!
Not sure how Souths’ popularity relates to favourable onfield decisions though….Andrew Everingham just got two weeks for a pretty innocuous offense.
Should Jared Waerea-Hargreaves have been sent off?
The only thing I can think of in relation to Matai is that the original contact – as you say – was with the ball, before bouncing up. I was at that game and the refs had a few looks at it on the big screen but took no action. JWH on the other hand made direct contact with the face.
Yeah Everingham was very hard done by I thought. Bad call that’s now going to count as loading for him in the future.
Should Jared Waerea-Hargreaves have been sent off?
My view is the same no matter who the player is. Every penalty, sin-bin sending off etc should be determined on the seriousness of the infringement, not the player who commits it.
I’m not saying that JWH’s hit shouldn’t be punished somehow, I’m just pointing out the many inconsistencies in refereeing so far this season.
By sending JWH off, they’re basically saying they’ve been getting it wrong for two months. Or they’re changing the rules.
Should Jared Waerea-Hargreaves have been sent off?
Don’t see how putting Fulton in will help the Tigers. At least Benji has proven attacking ability. He won’t get his form back by sitting on the bench.
Benching Benji bodes badly for building confidence
I’m not a big fan of the carry-over point system either. As you say, each offense should be judged in isolation. I think the refs sent him off because of his reputation.
Good point re: Richie Fa’aoso – i hadn’t even thought of that!!
Should Jared Waerea-Hargreaves have been sent off?
Yep, lots more sending offs and sin-binnings in the weeks to follow. Just like all the penalties for contacting the kicker and the 8-point tries the other year.
Should Jared Waerea-Hargreaves have been sent off?
I but agree that half the time the onfield refs just make it up, but the five weeks is decided by the judiciary isn’t it?
Should Jared Waerea-Hargreaves have been sent off?
There’s no way he ever meant to seriously hurt George. They’re pretty good mates off the field, so I’m guessing he just wanted to put a good shot on him. We can’t start sending people off for what we thought was going on in his head.
Should Jared Waerea-Hargreaves have been sent off?
Rabbits to score 50 plus…i’d take those odds!
Benching Benji bodes badly for building confidence
How many of the 70-odd points the Tigers have conceded in the last two games went through Benji though? If the argument for Fulton is his defence, he should be playing on the wing to defuse some bombs. Haha.
Benching Benji bodes badly for building confidence
Good point, re: admitting mistakes and adapting, but I hope that’s what they’re actually doing, not just having a nightmare week after week. I haven’t been looking real hard, but haven’t heard Anderson or anyone else say that’s why JWH was sent off.
The only thing with referees adapting is that they tend to overreact sometimes – remember when there was a spate of 8-point tries after that Origin series a couple of years ago?
Should Jared Waerea-Hargreaves have been sent off?
I agree. Don’t see how Marshall could possibly regain fitness or confidence by coming off the bench.
And why replace him with Fulton? I thought the Tigers were supposed to have a whole lot of young halves coming through?
Benching Benji bodes badly for building confidence
Richie Fa’aoso was given a few weeks worth of penalties for each bad tackle. Combined, it was 8 weeks. Add this to the woeful shot he put on Ashley Harrison earlier this season and it seems pretty lenient to me, considering JWH just copped five weeks.
“I think it was because it was the 2nd time he was penalised for a high shot on Rose.” — Why does this line of thinking apply to JWH on Monday, but not Fa’oso in Rd7??
I’ve got no problem with the ban, as I said, it’s consistency I’m after, and across the board, we’re not getting it.
Should Jared Waerea-Hargreaves have been sent off?
Yeah, I’ve got no problem with clamping down on high tackles and contact with the head, but I agree that they can’t wait till Rd 9 to start doing it. I reckon the refs get caught up in all the commentary and punditry during the week.
Should Jared Waerea-Hargreaves have been sent off?
That should be easily rectified once he gets accustomed to the speed of Super Rugby. He’s also proven he can handle the big games, scoring tries and playing well against the two best sides in the competition from last year and nabbing a hat-trick against the woeful Kings.
Waratahs, Brumbies, Wallaby squad...what a rugby weekend!
He’s been around a while, had a good career, but it’s time for Leipheimer to pack it in.
Fired Leipheimer left out to dry