I’ve made a recent comment above but I’m curious- on what grounds would the ‘sacking’ occur?
And just terminated by the club for breaking their rules or de-registered by the NRL type sacked?

Moral outrage abounds, & sure, despite no laws being broken & no claims (thus far anyway) of any coercion or lack of “enthusiastic consent” it is a grey area of what is considered right & wrong.
Personally- as an adult male I’d consider any female of whom the description “school girl” fits factually (not just naughty dress ups) to be a no-brainer “off limits”.
I am curious though- they broke club rules so sure the Dogs take their own disciplinary action, but I’ve read that the situation has been referred to the NRL with regards to the possible suspension/de-registration of the players.
On what grounds could the NRL do this?
Bringing the game into disrepute?
I’d hazard a guess that such a justification for de-registration would be tenuous legally & likely to bring an even more disreputable legal proceeding a la the recent ARU vs Folau proceedings.

Lol!
I assume you are going to be right there with the proverbial “Dad & brothers” in that dark alley!?!

You said it yourself- it’s not the ’50s anymore but you still want to ‘protect your womenfolk’ as if it was.

So any company that wants to provide streaming etc will still need actual, physical live recording/coverage of the event ?
I ask because I have wondered about comments (here & elsewhere) that mention the decline of Foxtels interest & how they don’t meet the market demands etc & it occurred to me just how large their actual investment is to cover a sport in the manner which underpins the live stream/on demand customers ?
How many companies out there can actually do this?
I also was under the impression that Optus, for example, can buy rights to the EPL, because they’re only buying rights to one marketplace & therefore the actual broadcaster can offset their costs by selling those rights in multiple markets.

Just a question with regards to streaming- my understanding is that a streaming service provided by Optus for example, still relies upon another company actually providing live coverage (cameras, presenters, infrastructure etc etc) so if Foxtel drop the A-Lge wouldn’t any live stream also go with it (unless another company steps in of course)?
I thought this was what the Kayo platform was all about- getting a share of the market that is growing but still relies upon the infrastructure already in place.

Absolutely agree- but of the run on, play 80 minutes at NRL level with minimal mistakes, give away very few penalties & initiate backline & off the cuff close to the ruck plays from FB which name do you think gets written on the team sheet?

I feel like we saw exactly what is going to happen at the Rabbitohs this year- AJ at FB & LM at centre.
WB is no ones fool & he isn’t going to risk his legacy in his final two seasons pandering to the positional desires of a bloke who kills it centre.

I’m a Cowboys fan & I’m glad that signing Mitchell didn’t happen but not because he has made a gaffe (joke or not).
Firstly, I do agree that the real target was VH & what did the club have to lose by courting LM?
He would have known that & in reverse, what did he have to lose by taking the tour?
Secondly, if I was the coach/club I’d be thinking “great centre (especially outside the right playmaker) but do we want to pay the money he wants to get a “work in progress” fullback?
We’ll all get to see how it goes but I’ll be happy to watch as a casual observer rather than an emotionally involved fan.
Thirdly, as an amateur follower, I thought it was fairly obvious that he wanted to sign for Souths & the rest of the guff that went on was just media filler.
I don’t know LM & he might actually be a complete dickhead (wouldn’t be the first nor alone in the NRL) but I think if we’re going to get upset by the crazy things kids say (I’m nearly 50 so anyone younger than about 35 is a kid) then we’re going to be upset- a lot.

Wasn’t that judgement based on laws protecting the public service & its role in government, maintaining public confidence that public servants serve the government of the day faithfully etc etc?
I’m not sure RA could argue on those lines & obviously wouldn’t have those unusual laws protecting it.

Perhaps contracts that include increasing amounts per year based on performance/appearances?
Storm make the finals every year & go deep so it’s reasonable to believe that many of their first 17 might be getting automatic upgrades if so contracted.

Raelene’s office is now any cafe or restaurant with free wi-fi because RA have sold all the office furniture & closed the internet account in preparation for paying out big Izzy & the retinue of lawyers…..

I feel like CC will be the next Alfie Langer- he isn’t allowed to physically kick & pass but apart from that he is the halfback.

CC showed what he could do in guiding the team to a GF win ‘single-handedly’ (boom tish) & I’m sure he’ll be a Jedi like force around the Roosters in the coming years.

Latrell Mitchell- sure, he’s good, but I’m feeling that the Roosters are thinking no great loss & they’ll find someone else to kick goal (maybe not as well but close) & sure he’s got an X-factor but he’s also got a Z-factor too & I’m sure Keary will put the ball on some other guys’ chest & he’ll score a bag full too.

Faith isn’t what God does, faith is about what you think & feel God does & how you act accordingly.
SBW feels that his path to righteousness is guided by God & therefore the opportunities that have come to him are also part of that path.

People talk about the “make believe spirit in the sky” etc, but just as I cannot absolutely prove the existence of God, neither can anyone absolutely prove that there is no God.
We can debate all day about what is or isn’t true, but just as one person doesn’t believe another does & here endeth the sermon.
I’ll ask this though- in a world of chaos & corruption, is a man who openly professes his faith & is thankful for his good fortune & makes a living off his own endeavours a good or bad thing, compared to perhaps our politicians who profess faith but, & please excuse the pun, are singing from a different hymn sheet to the rest of us? Or extremists of any religion, who twist the words of their chosen book to justify the horrors they perpetrate?
SBW is a guy doing his best to make his way in the world & it doesn’t seem like he’s treading on anyone to get where he’s going.

I feel like Panthers are all in on this one for at least another 3 years. Time for Cleary Jnr to really develop & time for Cleary Snr to shape the squad properly.
Of course things can happen quickly, buses never run to schedule after all, but I can’t help but feel that the departure of Gould was an iceberg type situation & the Cleary clan will have some time up their sleeves before anyone is in real trouble.

Yeah I don’t think so.
Maybe it’s time the A-Lge becomes what it truly is & be happy with that?
What is the A-Lge?
A reasonably competitive, reasonably skilled, reasonably national competition that has some fantastic players & flashes of skill & is generally watchable, interesting & hopefully financially viable in the long term in what is a very crowded sporting market place in a country with an unusual dynamic of wide spaces but still small population.
Sure, all the (momentary) attention of the Zlatan would be great, but without having any stats, I ask myself just how many of the people who were interested in Usain Bolt are still interested in the A-Lge?
AdP had a good effect but he stayed & played rather than stopped over en route home.
Other marquees have been great but again, they’ve stayed & played rather than just been a big name with a big mouth ( not knocking Zlatan but this is the prism through which I view the interest in any ‘guest apperance’ stint).
We don’t need Zlatan unless he’s here for at least the whole season.
My view is we have a good league that will grow organically based on generations coming through who feel ownership of their club & whilst attracting people is the aim, methinks if you can afford to pay Zlatan millions once off then you can probably afford to put some thousands into grass roots footy in local clubs where kids play every year & get a lot more out of it.

Well his clavicle may well break but you can be damn sure it won’t make him stop running the plays, I mean water……woops!

Manly are definitely one to be watched, re-sign the twin T’s, another year of Dessie magic & who knows what happens.
I’m a Doggies fan & Des went pretty well for us as far as I’m concerned but at Brookvale he’s on another level.
DCE, twin Turbos, a hard working supporting cast of over-achievers ?!? Who knows?
The Storm won’t go backwards but will they be able to go forwards far enough?
The Roosters may be torn apart by the newly found egos & potential pay-checks or maybe CCC (Coach Cooper Cronk) gets all their chickens in a row & leads them to another GF (after all, if he can do it whilst virtually not playing last year why not in future?)

Of course, but the stats are all based on past events where all the things you list have also happened in some fashion or another, so the margin of error (so to speak) is included in the statistic and therefore (IMO) reinforces it.

If the Sharks want to get rid of Moylan to get under the cap but want to bring in Ramien & Matterson (who wants more money than he’s currently on) what sort of money is Moylan on? & what sort of figures will the other two aforementioned command?
Would Sharks make much headway into their cap dilemma?

My understanding is that clubs could sign International Pathway players to an extra spot allocated to the normal 10 man practice squad with the caveat that they cannot be moved to the playing squad like a regular practice squad member can.
They can’t play but nor will they be cut is the deal.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001025740/article/four-international-players-added-to-rosters-ahead-of-2019-season

Think of it as a bit like “intellectual property” in that the player has become “better” whilst at the ‘selling’ club & therefore the “trade” value is determined by how good
a. the selling/losing club has gone recently &
b. how much the “gaining club” is wiling to pay which is an accurate market determination of the IP of the player in question.

Here’s my suggestion for the trainer issue, accepting that we either keep the current rules but enforce them properly &/or do away with them altogether & introduce something along the lines of the following:

Trainers make contact with the ball, an opposition player, or are deemed by the refereeing team (video refs included to assist with adjudication) to have interfered with or affected play results in one of two options for the opposing team;
1. Penalty tap on a point of the attacking 10m line of their choosing , or
2. Kick for goal to be taken in the same manner as a try being scored, i.e. at any point they choose along the alignment of the infringement.

Teams can choose their play depending on how they feel but the main point is that if a teams trainer affects play then they are possibly giving up points regardless of whether it was intentional or not.
Flaws in the idea?
It won’t overcome the opportunity involved in random, broken play but then again it will overcome a situation like the Roosters being deemed the “attacking team” & subsequently getting the scrum feed when for my money, it was the Raiders who were attacking because they were best positioned to exploit the broken play.

I have no stats of how many times trainers are involved in any scenario where the refs have to make a ruling about their actions or interactions, but I’m guessing it’s actually quite minimal.

I’m certain that this rule change would eventually become victim to a situation where it seemed that a team was harshly dealt with or unfairly penalised (perhaps accurate kickers will start kicking at trainers?) but hey, that’s the price a team pays for having a trainer on the field.

The result (as in a Tigers victory) for sure, even GWS fans knew it was a big ask, but the manner was even more shocking than the final score.
The pressure the Tigers place is immense & just induces more internal pressure because they must know that where there’s one there’s two & even then there’ll be another ready to swarm & it just went on from there.
No time, no space & not even getting the lucky bounce because the Tigers just came on to the ball hard both with & without possession.
I have been in Melbourne for a few months & being a GWS member had the opportunity to get a ticket & go to the game (chose going home to Cairns to visit my wife instead, hardly a choice really) but I think I probably would have spent most of the game with my mouth hanging open in amazement at the reality of the Tigers dominance.
I’m sure it must have been even more impressive live.

“Suffocate and surge – that is Richmond’s game.”

GWS member here- you’ve just given me waking nightmares to the extent that I feel I may sleep without a pillow tonight just in case!
We were suffocated to the extent that I couldn’t help but wonder how we get to the pointy end of the season & one team looks so much fitter & sharper than the other ?!?
It seemed as if there were three Tigers to every Giant on every contested ball & it just overwhelmed us.
Mentally & physically sharper in every facet of the game, it was a little scary to watch & I hope we don’t implode a la the Crows after being shellacked so convincingly.
We could have done with Coniglio for sure (& Shiel ? why oh why did you leave??) but I’m not sure it would have made any difference at all.
Tigers are a breed apart & look to have years of success ahead of them.

I realise the NT isn’t a “new market” given the immense popularity of the game there but given the amount of money the AFL is prepared to spend on supporting expansion teams one would imagine that a virtual certainty as far as supporters, members & attendance goes would be attractive in that the entity would likely be able to hold it’s own financially.

There would some logistical issues to work out but having lived in Darwin for 2 years recently, they’re sports mad generally given the itinerant nature of people living/working there but I think it would be fair to say that AFL is king by quite a distance.
The NT Thunder provides a natural gateway & branding of a recognised & quite successful entity in the AFL world as well as to the casual sports fan in the area & there are natural ambassadors aplenty to achieve instant recognition on a national scale.

It dovetails perfectly with all the indigenous promotions that the AFL engage in at present as well as offering scope to increase the efforts into remote communities on a sporting & community service level.

I’m sure there’d be plenty of details to be worked out & the AFL probably thinks it has the region sewn up so why bother but for me it would be a no-brainer.

I’ve long thought that Cairns will eventually be the home of an AFL club & eventually the northern derby would/could be a real highlight of the season same as all the other rivalries.