Roar Rookie
Joined June 2022
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With State of Origin finally put to bed for another season, this is an appropriate time to reflect on the coaching records of the…
I really used to look forward to State of Origin. Nothing was better than the prospect of seeing the Queensland underdog overcome the odds,…
Another wonderful weekend of NRL has rolled by, and another major milestone was celebrated. Congratulations to Jarrod Croker on playing his 300th NRL match.…
Actions made with the best of intentions sometimes have regrettable outcomes. History teaches us that there is value in recognising accidental mistakes, but little…
Over the course of a career, a player can turn out for many different clubs. But often there’s only one jersey that looks right…
Has much changed in the NRL over the last 10 years? If you were to hop in a time machine (dusting off old copies…
Enough is enough. Let’s call a spade a spade. Players who run in front of the ball-carrier should not be referred to as “lead”…
Everyone has a favorite rugby league team, but sadly very few people nominate the Gold Coast as theirs. In fact I’ve only ever met…
All good things must come to an end. I’ve seen enough to think we are rapidly moving into the final act of the Craig…
Imagine your team wins the premiership. That would be a great season. Now imagine your most disliked team also gets the spoon. That’s an…
Another miracle has been performed at Lang Park, the Cathedral of Crunch, the spiritual home of the mighty Maroons, perpetual underdogs since State of…
As Rugby league television continues to evolve, one aspect I’m coming to enjoy more and more is the ten minutes immediately after the game.…
The eligibility criteria for Origin selection are just too complicated. All this talk of Tier 1 and Tier 2 is enough to have me…
Forty years ago, back in July 1982, I attended the Australia versus NZ Test at Lang Park. Luckily I still have the program and…
Rugby league and quantum physics are both complex and mysterious, and after a lifetime spent studying both I have come to the conclusion I’ll…
They say you should never meet your heroes. Well, actually my heroes say I should never meet them. For many years I had a…
I’m starting to get the feeling that 2022 is going to be just a slightly altered replay of 2021. Queensland will come home and…
Like most people, I have been fascinated by postcodes for as long as I can remember. So when I found out Queensland players would…
I read the other day that Ray Warren, who now has time on his hands, has done some voice work on an episode of…
I sometimes wonder if the Gold Coast actually deserves to have an NRL team. On my last visit there I called in at the…
Travis Head … early nomination for Australian of the Year … please keep shining a light on these arrogant hypocrites who feel the Laws of the Game shouldn’t apply to them. The childish lack of sportsmanship shown by Broad and his miserable coach came as no surprise given their track record.
'Bloody oath I would': Head accuses bleating Bairstow of blatant hypocrisy over Ashes flashpoint
McCullum, that passive aggressive grub, a noted cheat unable to accept the umpire’s verdict, foments discontent between the teams to distract from England losing a home series they would have won under the coaching of almost anyone else on the planet.
Bazball is the logical progression of Brendon McCullum's brilliance
I have always felt that everything is against the spirit of the game.
The spirit of cricket was murdered in cold blood by sunburnt thugs - and the game might never recover
” first wooden spoon since 1938 ” ??? … Illawarra won three spoons in the 80’s … and St G won a few premierships in the 60s … need to take the bad with the good … as for Hunt … he’s not the first player to ask for a shift … club says no … so he should play on and honour his contract … and be judged on his performance … but he shouldn’t be judged for asking to leave a dumpster fire where clearly he and management are on different pages
Dear Ben Hunt: Avoid cowardly act, lest your Dragons legacy be completely ruined
I feel sorry for Canterbury. They have had no luck this year with injuries, the weather, referees, the draw, and most importantly, general manager.
A Gus about nothing: Gould promised everything but Bulldogs going backwards under his watch
Woods!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Blues player ratings: Time for legend to call it quits, Luai no good without Cleary, why was Cam Murray barely used?
I’m really looking forward to this match. Will be nice to see a few new faces.
Second-rate Friday night 'blockbuster' an insult to fans as Origin makes mockery of NRL draw
I think this is a reasonable suggestion … provided players aren’t past their prime.
Should the NRL introduce a Milestone Round?
I genuinely felt sorry for Jarrod Croker who was the victim of this mess. It could have been easily avoided if the NRL had a proper home and away draw, where teams alternated home and away games. Then all clubs would have to do is make sure players debut during away games, so provided they stay injury free (and the club doesn’t play any finals football) simple mathematics guarantees that the player will always play their milestone matches at home. Is that too much to ask?
Should the NRL introduce a Milestone Round?
Very enjoyable article Paul. However since correlation isn’t causation I’d caution against taking any of those indicators too seriously. It is a fun game to play though, and my four KPI suggestions would be
1. most tackle breaks
2. least missed tackles
3. most goal kicks
4. least player-weeks lost to serious injuries
My crystal ball for the GF has Bunnies versus whoever has least injuries out of Penrith, Storm, Broncos, Warriors and Eels. I had predicted (hoped) that Panthers would fall by the wayside this season, but they have impressed with their grit and still a sneaky chance if they can avoid injuries.
What are the KPIs for a premiership-winning team? It adds up to only four clubs a hope of winning 2023 NRL title
You should be allowed to grab hair on two conditions
1. you are trying to make a tackle on a player with the ball
2. you grab the hair as part of a genuine attempt to grab the jersey
NRL Judiciary: Barnett cops ban, Hopoate's hair pull charge, Wighton fined
Very disappointed you couldn’t find a spot for Arron Woods … what does he have to do??
All guts but no glory: The 250-game players who’ve never won a premiership
If Nicho Hynes comes into the starting team, I’d have Arron Woods take his place as the bench and fill the role of coming on for a few minutes near the end to make a lot of mistakes.
Origin II predicted teams: Fittler fuming over Api's bad break as judiciary makes Tino call, another Blues hopeful goes down
It annoys me when they interview players after the game … its cutting into valuable Phil Gould time
'He's a bit weak ... I knew it was him because he ran away': Luai wants revenge for hair-pulling incident
Watching Thursday nights game:
Friend: “Which team are the Dolphins?”
Me: “the red and white team”
Friend: “Which red and white team?”
'Not a new idea': Bizarre blue over Origin jersey sees NRL request rejected
“They’ll win no awards for flair” ? I must be watching a different team. Its an urban myth that they have no flair.
ANALYSIS: Marshall-King and Milford pile on the pain as Dolphins cruise by Dragons - with captain De Belin sent to bin
Aaron Woods has been in great form and would be a perfect replacement for Haas.
NRL News: Haas in Origin doubt after limping out of training, JWH & Tupou extend at Roosters
You make a number of quite valid points, in particular the notion that sport and war must follow exactly the same rules, something made quite clear in Sun Tzu’s seminal work “The Art of Rugby League”.
Does form mean nothing if Blues overlook red-hot Hynes for Origin selection again?
We went from A to B to C to D … and then suddenly leapt off the page and landed in the middle of an identity argument … Surely a man can possess many identities simultaneously … for example I know a man who is a policeman, a coach and a father … he regularly does all three on the same day … surely I it must be possible to be a 5/8, a Samoan and a NSW player all at the same time. (I’ve even seen Cameron Smith play and referee at the same time!)
Does form mean nothing if Blues overlook red-hot Hynes for Origin selection again?
If you picked on Dally M points this year Hynes would be halfback ahead of Cleary … drawing names out of a hat might be a better strategy
Does form mean nothing if Blues overlook red-hot Hynes for Origin selection again?
Yes this could have easily happened. The judges have many methods for guessing the best player. Sometimes they watch the games, sometimes they spin a wheel, sometimes they choose their favourite colour, and sometimes they just try to think of someone who’s name they can spell.
Origin I predicted teams: Maroons star announces surprise retirement, Blues in a spin over form and injury concerns
Hynes is the most over-hyped and over-rated player in the comp. He is a good utility and would do a serviceable job if asked to fill in a number of positions from the bench … but …
if you look at the stats of all half-backs this season he only leads one category … mistakes.
For an inexperienced half-back he is doing quite a good job, and will improve with time, but he has been placed on a ridiculous pedestal for reasons that escape me.
Origin I predicted teams: Maroons star announces surprise retirement, Blues in a spin over form and injury concerns
When faced with a moral dilemma, I always pause … and think … what would the NRL do?
Keep politics out of sport? Why NRL simply had to throw its support behind the Voice
Any chance of extending the media ban to former players?
Shock, horror - NRL players boycotting game-day interviews: How will fans know if teams 'need to play the full 80 minutes'