Roar Rookie
Joined August 2012
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I came away from the weekend's Sydney Roosters vs Melbourne Storm clash with one principal observation. It focusses on the final five minutes of…
Love it or hate it, T20 cricket is here to stay. While I don't have any specific problem with this format of the game,…
NRL 360 producers must be thanking their lucky stars! They’ll dine on this for weeks…especially if Souths lose.
'I won’t explain my reasoning': Demetriou curt on Ilias and Latrell questions as Cook demotion looms
“Jennings flamed out of the league in 2021 after accepting a doping ban”…that, and the small issue of sexually assaulting his wife multiple times!
NRL News: Jennings can 're-write story' as Robbo backs 2024 NRL return, Abdo scalds Latrell
Suli needs to work on his passing skills. He has the potential to be an impact player in the style of Siosifa Talakai, but as you say, currently, there’s not enough variation to his game.
Zac has max potential but Dragons should show him the door if he wants to take his lucrative contract elsewhere
Any time rugby league player salaries are discussed, things get “fuzzy”…ha!
Zac has max potential but Dragons should show him the door if he wants to take his lucrative contract elsewhere
Not that I’ve watched every Souths game, but my impression of Illias has always been that he’s good without being great.
From what I’ve seen of him this year and last, I cant remember a game where Illias took over and was a dominant 7, like I have with others. Sam Walker can be up and down, but there are times when his ball-playing looks very good, and his creativity is great. I cant say the same for Illias, but I’m happy to be wrong if Souths fans disagree.
As for the Knights…I remain unconvinced by Adam O’Brien. The push for Ponga as a 5/8th last year was insanity, and again, this year, his team selections have been head-scratching. By making Brailey his co-captain (just pick one!!!) he has painted him into a corner, and he’s trying too hard to please everyone. I half think he ‘didn’t select’ Hastings because he’s the one who’s most likely to handle it well and not lose his cool about it.
For me, O’Brien needs to forget about trying to please everyone and stop over-thinking things. Just pick the best player in their best position. Play Cogger at 6 outside Hastings, with Gamble ‘not being selected’. Cogger showed what he can do at 6 on the biggest stage possible, so is well worth a shot. Oh, and they miss Dom Young…badly!
Drop it: Ilias and Hastings weren't selected, but saying they were dropped might miss the point entirely
I thought Manly didn’t go to Olakau’autu enough! Keary and co. couldnt do a thing to stop him…they should have gone to Olakau’autu every other set.
Sea Eagles rock Roosters to show they're the real deal in 2024 - with a little help from Bunker's blurred tunnel vision
In the first half of last year, Souths were one of the best in the comp. After 11 rounds, they were 8-3, with the best defence in the comp.
The fall from that point to now, has been pretty dramatic and hard to understand…after 11 rounds last year, they had 150pts put against them. In two rounds this year, they’re already had 64pts scored on them.
Injuries haven’t helped of course, but these are talented footballers…its not like they’ve forgotten how to tackle or score points. I can only think there are internal issues…Sam Burgess walking out last year seemed weird. Not re-signing Reynolds might have had a delayed impact – maybe they miss him more now than they did in the earlier games without him?
IDK, but its pretty strange to watch. I had Souths as challenging for the Top 4, and while they still might, the signs dont look good…
No.1 gun in NRL: Reece is the word at Broncos as star fullback rips Rabbitohs to shreds with lightning quick attack
Not sure 4020 is making a season long prediction…just that the Bunnies are playing poorly, which they are.
Besides, if you look ahead, they have the Roosters, Wahs, Sharks, Panthers and Storm coming up, with their only easier game being against the Dogs in rd 4. Its not impossible to think the Bunnies could start the year 1-7, so yes, its early, but early games count.
No.1 gun in NRL: Reece is the word at Broncos as star fullback rips Rabbitohs to shreds with lightning quick attack
One of my favourites was Rothfield on Suaalii a while back. He wrote some nonsense about him backing out of his Wallabies contract.
On TV, he later said about the article: “I reached out to Isaac Moses who manages Joseph Suaalii…he’s not taking calls or text messages, but I’m hearing that, you know, Suaalii, might not want to leave a powerhouse club like the Roosters.” It’s honestly just making stuff up…
RA reeling and facing a mass exodus of biggest stars - there are three key reasons why they're in peril
It makes more sense when you remember the guy who wrote the article and the new Dragons head coach, are work colleagues! Classic rugby league…
RA reeling and facing a mass exodus of biggest stars - there are three key reasons why they're in peril
Players leaving for overseas teams is one thing, but please don’t give the rubbish that Phil Rothfield and Brent Read ‘report’ about Jorgensen and Petaia the time of day.
Both stories are complete fabrications and shouldn’t be given the time of day.
Just looks at what these two wrote the day after the Petaia ‘story’…They co-wrote an article which reported the Roosters had a roster worth $3million more than some other NRL clubs.
On TV that night, Rothfield was asked how he found the information about player salaries…He said he and Read sat down over coffee and made up salaries for each player without having a clue what their actual salaries are, and reported that.
These guys are paid to make up nonsense to sell papers. Best to ignore it.
RA reeling and facing a mass exodus of biggest stars - there are three key reasons why they're in peril
Agreed.
Even if Sezer isn’t the long term plan, sending Galvin at 18yrs old to play in Canberra in front of a big crowd, and deal with Big Papa, Tapine, Hudson Young, and a bunch of massive units coming off the bench, running at him for the entire game…it seems like a recipe for disaster. Will have to wait and see.
Benji's first Tigers game doesn't matter, and neither does his first year - he should treat this all as a trial
I’m not sure Union fans are as used to the rubbish that League fans put up with from Newscorp on a daily basis.
Every day, the Telegraph and co. make up nonsense around NRL teams and certain players, then claim they don’t know where that ‘news’ came from, and move onto the next made up story…
Only last week, they had a story about Suaalii wanting to back out of his Wallabies contract, and Phil Waugh coming out and denying it. On NRL 360 that night, the same group of ‘journalists’ who published this made up story, went on TV saying it was just rumours and Suaalii wasn’t reneging on his contract at all. A day later, its forgotten…
Exclusive: NRL powerhouse set sights on Wallaby-in-waiting after ex-All Blacks boss snags Roosters star Manu
“It’s banter between guys”…Robbo needs the cultural training as much as any of the Roosters players, if he thinks any part of this is ‘banter’.
NRL News: Robbo regrets his words but insists Leniu 'not racist', Cowboy targets Blues spot, Joey's surprise best coach
Blooding young players and building experience is all well and good, but getting beaten week in and week out isn’t great for their confidence. Just ask Luke Brooks.
From next year, the more experienced core of Luai, Bateman, Koroisau, Papali’i, Naden, Klemmer, Olam and Twal (assuming all these guys are actually playing!), need to step up for the Tigers.
Benji's first Tigers game doesn't matter, and neither does his first year - he should treat this all as a trial
The Roosters forward depth is ridiculous.
They lose Leniu but somehow still have enough depth to keep Nat Butcher on the bench, and are unable to fit Angus Crichton, Connor Watson, or Egan Butcher in the 17. Those 4 guys would be starting forwards in most other teams, or at a minimum be interchange players…
And that back 5…Teddy, Tupou, Young, Manu and Suaalii.
Fingers crossed for Manly, but on paper, the Roosters are completely loaded and should be very hard to beat.
The Roar's NRL expert tips and predictions, Round 2: More upsets on the cards after a bloodbath start?
Agree 100%. The discourse around this whole thing is a perfect example of the casual racism in this country and our inability to accept it…some Roar comments are a shocking example of this.
Truth is, we can’t just accept Leniu used a racial slur, and was punished accordingly. We have to make excuses for him…We have to ask other players if they’ve had the same experience, but not complained…We have to try and justify it by saying this is how various cultures talk to each other, so its all ok…We have to make an example of Latrell for speaking out (again)…We have to imply that Mam isn’t ‘tough enough’ to deal with it himself…We have to compare it to Sam Kerr, even though they arent comparable at all…etc
The Symonds or Goodes incidents being mentioned, is just another example of trying to justify racist attitudes, rather than accept they are more common than we’d like to admit.
No excuse for Leniu being ignorant of the impact of his words - eight-week ban sends strong message against racism
I’m not saying they have to hit rock bottom…but until they lose at least 1 Test series, making changes seems an over-reaction.
Test Mortem: Epic comeback win but cracks remain in line-up, Shield form has to count for something, Pat should bat higher
Ahead of the Panthers and Broncos!
NRL Round 1 Talking Points: A full week is done and dusted - let’s all overreact together
Dogs must be hard to watch as a fan…I don’t follow them and they annoy me! Somewhere in that squad is a good team, but not sure Ciraldo is the guy to find it.
NRL Round 1 Talking Points: A full week is done and dusted - let’s all overreact together
The team will have to lose a series or two, before it changes. They’ve had such an incredible run of success, they’ve earnt the right to hang around until results go against them.
Test Mortem: Epic comeback win but cracks remain in line-up, Shield form has to count for something, Pat should bat higher
I’m born well before 2000 and know what racism is.
'I am really sorry': Leniu cops HUGE ban as NRL judiciary hands down verdict for ‘monkey’ racial abuse at Mam
Sadly for PVL, there arent really any new USA followers or gamblers to worry about!
'I am really sorry': Leniu cops HUGE ban as NRL judiciary hands down verdict for ‘monkey’ racial abuse at Mam
Hey SG, I get your comment, but you’re overlooking the power/privilege dynamics between the white people and black people.
Reverse racism is a myth because its assumes that racism occurs on a level playing field, where black people and white people have the same degree of social/ economic/ political power and privilege, which is clearly not true and not supported by any statistical measure.
“I’m getting sick and tired of racism either way white, black and every colour, as it divides us and makes history repeat itself”…me too! But unless we acknowledge the past, and recognise the damage it is causing in the present, we cant positively influence the future.
To that extent, I don’t see how this is a left vs right thing…its a societal issue we all have to be honest and empathetic about.
'I am really sorry': Leniu cops HUGE ban as NRL judiciary hands down verdict for ‘monkey’ racial abuse at Mam
Refs make mistakes…as a Manly fan, I can deal with poor decisions going against us in this game. Some will go our way in other games, so it evens out…
BUT…something has to be done about players complaining to the Ref. Whinging about every call is such a bad look for the game. Moses lived up to his namesake by ‘parting the red sea’ with his hands out on just about every call. He’s not the captain and shouldn’t be talking to the Ref during a game unless necessary. Leave it to Gutherson. Every time the Ref blew his whistle, Moses was yelling at him. It’s little wonder he lost control of the game…
Moses-inspired Parra prove they're finals contenders but Manly seething as Bunker lacks 'common sense' with no-try call