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Joined February 2016
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Own & run Beast Mode Personal Training in Canberra. Raiders fan and keen follower of the NFL in the offseason.
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Well, well, well. It appears it is time for a good old fashioned ‘I told you so'. In February this year I wrote an…
The Bunker has been quite the success so far this year. It makes for far more interesting viewing on TV than the previous video…
The Marty Taupau high tackle on Jack Bird has caused quite a bit of division in the rugby league community. Most people are coming…
The New Zealand Warriors will win the 2016 NRL premiership. Apparently. The Parramatta Eels will improve massively this year. Apparently. The Manly Sea Eagles…
With the NRL reducing interchanges from ten to eight per game in 2016, I decided to pull out my crystal ball and make my…
I have never understood the largely Australian phenomenon of arguing about which footy code is the best of the lot. It makes no sense,…
Think back to 2014 in Canberra and remember the malaise surrounding the Raiders football club. Average crowds of under 10,000 per match, prodigal son…
I find it quite astonishing that you are comparing Rapana to Robinson. Rapana is a big body with explosive power who plays the game angrily and with passion, while Robinson would play more of an agile game than a power game, while also seeming rather disinterested in the game much of the time. Rapana also has a far greater impact returning kicks than does Robinson.
While they both have a tendency to make poor reads, Rapana can stick in a tackle very well and has rather strong initial contact. He is much bigger than people think. I believe it is the up and in defensive structure that has caused the Raiders outside backs so many defensive problems. It is an outdated style which is no longer effective on a regular basis and can be exploited routinely by top class teams. I believe that most wingers would be made to look rather bad in such a system if they were forced to play it week in, week out.
So I think that any winger you put there will have the same problem. This is why I agree with The Barry in that his defence is not an issue worthy of keeping Rapana out of the team. If the defensive structure is the reason for one try being allowed in but Rapana can score two, then it is preferable to having someone there who can only score one.
Canberra Raiders for top four? You'd better believe it
While the bunker is an excellent idea, the NRL seems to be hiding from the fact that the games biggest problem lies in poor officiating. Fans could understand waiting a long time for a decision if it ended up being correct 99% of the time, but when it takes minutes and is still incorrect, that is the problem. I feel that there is a reasonably strong chance that, in the early rounds at least, the bunker officials will be under pressure to make decisions so quickly that they rush their decision and make the wrong call.
Additionally, the interpretation of rules is a massive issue. All of a sudden we are seeing things called a try when it has been a knock-on for over one hundred years. Same with obstruction. It is simple. If you do not have control of the ball, it is a knock on. If you run behind your teammate, it is an obstruction.
There should not be so many grey areas that are open to interpretation.
A first-hand look inside the NRL's new video bunker
Everyone’s comments are all understandable, but I stand by my article 100%.
I have been following the game intensely for over ten years, and generally have a sense of pessimism regarding the future of my team to prevent disappointment. In this case though, I believe what I have said, and will write a follow up at the end of the year on where I was right and where I was wrong, and I look forward to either the ‘you were right’ comments or the ‘I told you so’ comments.
Have a good week, folks!
Canberra Raiders for top four? You'd better believe it
Great article!
Despite what people say about him, Ricky Stuart is a good coach who is constantly learning and improving his coaching methods. The next two or three years will be the true making of him as a coach, as he now has the stability and backing of a club that is not stuck in constant financial or political turmoil. Watch the media jump on the bandwagon and change their tune when the Canberra Raider make the top four in 2016.
Ricky is repairing the Raiders rot that started with his sacking
Too much pressure on the Eels this year. Too much pressure on Foran to succeed without DCE. Jennings has not been an elite game breaker for some time now, so I think his impact is being exaggerated. Junior Paulo is apparently moving to Canberra in 2017, which could cause some friction or instability. Michael Gordon, as great a player and man as he is, is past his best. Very little experience as a team in true high-pressure situations. Watmough coming off an incredibly disappointing season. Should improve, but I think the Eels will be disappointing in 2016, finishing 8th-10th.
Resurgent Parra set for a top four finish in 2016
The two referee system I do not like. I am in agreeance with you on that point.
In local rugby league there is only one referee. He or she consults with their touch judges on contentious decisions and then is firm in their call. All the spectators may be angry for a minute or two but play continues and everyone moves on. Granted, with the media pressure and scrutiny people will analyse everything after games, but I think this is a better system. Even though I do not believe this will ever happen, I would like to go to a system where the video referee is used for touch line calls and nothing else. Leave it to the ref in the middle. Yes, there will be mistakes, but the game will be more interesting and free flowing, with none of these ridiculously long stoppages so that the officials can find a way to claim a knock on is a try.
A first-hand look inside the NRL's new video bunker