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Joined November 2017

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I once asked Mats Wilander for an autograph and he snubbed me. Since then I hate Swedes and clay court specialists and only care about Rugby League

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Can’t believe we just found this, but glad it’s International Women’s Day. Hey ‘Really?’ and ‘WilsonDeeWhy’ Sod off and don’t come back until you’re willing to put names and face to whatever the hell it is you do. Tools.

Ten most influential women in rugby league (Part 1)

True, but last few years, long since the salary cap rorts, they’ve been machine like in their ability to regenerate after losing players and continue to win. It deserves respect, even if it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

The real reason the Melbourne Storm are unbeatable, for now

Agreed. They are entering a reckoning period.

The real reason the Melbourne Storm are unbeatable, for now

I’ve a soft spot for Bert as well and actually want to send money to his fight against cancer from these beauties:
Parramatta
if anyone knows a direct way to do so?
Hoping Men of League can help us out and are speaking with them next week.

The real reason the Melbourne Storm are unbeatable, for now

Very true on meninga, but rep footy is a different beast isn’t it? I as merely pointing out that Bellamy didn’t succeed at Origin which gave his critics ammo to say he couldn’t win without the players. The whole point is the being in melbourne is the most important thing for these players and this coach to keep winning. let’s see how Cronk goes this year, he’ll still do well but will be get distracted or have his head turned? who knows?

The real reason the Melbourne Storm are unbeatable, for now

Fair point – forgot the pivotal role Thurston played in the Dogs Premiership, and taking away the two stripped yes you’re right. They do have two premierships. So Smith, Cronk and Slater must have been ready to leave for bigger money so they could keep winning, but they didn’t. Why?

The real reason the Melbourne Storm are unbeatable, for now

Fair call. Hey – they changed the rules for them didn’t they and changed the entire game in the process. We were never comparing them to Dragons, just ensuring they got their due in this piece.

The real reason the Melbourne Storm are unbeatable, for now

I think he meant 3 series in a row and never win one? But don’t know, wasn’t us that said it.

The real reason the Melbourne Storm are unbeatable, for now

You’re not suggesting Brett Stewart is anywhere near the player or influence on overall team performance that Smith is – are you? What will be more interesting for mine is how Cronk goes this year – and the entire year, not just initially – at the Roosters. The argument we make here is that being away from distractions and the fish bowl of Sydney or other major league markets helps players and the club achieve sustained success and whilst Cronk is a champion, his ability to adapt will be an interesting test of this theory.

The real reason the Melbourne Storm are unbeatable, for now

The piece wasn’t meant to remove the rorts or suggest they’d win without them – we’ll never know. But by pointing out they’ve continued winning beyond that period and ask why that is. Then considering the reasoning such as players and coach and point out that the city itself being away from the main League audience is a factor. Also, we compared Bellamy to Norm Provan in that Saints team for exactly that reason, for comparison with the greatest club team ever. Part of the point being made here is why hasn’t Bellamy moved? Because he knows (especially after Origin) that he’s unlikely to replicate such success elsewhere and being in Melbourne is part of the reason why.

The real reason the Melbourne Storm are unbeatable, for now

Getting rid of Inglis and some solid first graders would save 1 mill a year no – the amount they cheated by? The entire point of this article was to suggest their presence in melbourne is the biggest (not the only) factor in their success, including how it effects Cameron Smith. You have to ask why NONE of that four were ever tempted away (until Cronk moved for largely personal reasons). They don’t want to move and neither does Bellamy. They like being away from the NRL limelight and it has made them better as a result. On the Immortal front, I think most would agree he’ll get there but also that Thurston is an even more obvious contender and yet 1 premiership in the same time that Smith has four. Why? Merlbourne that’s why.

The real reason the Melbourne Storm are unbeatable, for now

We agree with you, but if you take your points one by one:
1. Bellamy – is he better than Bennet?
2. Smith – better than Thurston
3. They consistently recruit better than 15 other clubs
We agree that all of these play a part but the question is how?
Our contention is that a player like Smith loves living out of the way in Melbourne, that Bellamy attracts a certain type of player 9at least for a period) and expects a certain level of professionalism, plus the city has less distractions by virtue of a drop in profile and that their recruitment is probably great and amongst the best, but can each other team really be so far off the pace on this.

The real reason the Melbourne Storm are unbeatable, for now

Appreciate what you’re saying, and that’s why I clarified it and made it clear. Except the point is that being away from everything in Melbourne is the OVERRIDING factor in their success. Moreso than their players (paid with more money when rorts happen) or that players work better or are attracted to that lifestyle, moreso than their coach. Not denying that these and money in the salary cap rorts case was a factor. EXCEPT they’ve won TWO premierships SINCE. Since clearing out players and admin etcetera. Why? That’s the question I was trying to answer. And two premierships out of a 20 season history would be 10%. Just saying.

The real reason the Melbourne Storm are unbeatable, for now

So influential was JR that we made a t-shirt from his quote. Guess he was right?
Melbourne

The real reason the Melbourne Storm are unbeatable, for now

There is probably an equivalent effect for Swans players being in Sydney, but Sydney definitely loves it’s high profile sportspeople and the Swans are much more visible in Sydney that Storm players are in Melbourne PLUS the Swans get much better crowds. Additionally, the AFL has provided salary cap concessions for new market teams and it could easily be argued this played a larger part in Swans success alongside funding. Look how far GWS have come purely by dint of money allied to draft and cap concessions. Other than the early post Super League period where it had no choice, the NRL has never offered anything similar and it could even be argued that the Storm effectively added their own concessions by rorting the cap, and even when forced to toe the line they’ve kept on winning!

The real reason the Melbourne Storm are unbeatable, for now

Agree on all of this and the point I was making that to do so would be next to impossible in any other location.

The real reason the Melbourne Storm are unbeatable, for now

Agree with you on club culture and edited out explicitly stating that, as for me it comes from the coach + players being Melbourne. Case in point – how many of those players did nearly half as much once they’d left Melbourne?

The real reason the Melbourne Storm are unbeatable, for now

So much yes in this.
Nice one Rob.
We’d go watch a Latin American Rugby League Championship any day!

Taking rugby league to the other side of the world

You’re possibly right. Or is it probably? It was an early stab at it, hopefully we can do it again and make it user generated.

Ten most influential women in rugby league (Part 2)

Womblat,
We’re actually super happy to get a response like this as it shows interest and passion. The Roar decided to split our original post from our blog in two pieces, which means it loses some of the context which would answer some of your points.
In particular, the first line is missing.
Essentially, we admitted to some ignorance at the beginning which motivated us to ask for some feedback via our Twitter and do some research.
We also categorically wish for a day when a list like is pointless, redundant and meaningless.
But lists like this – opinion pieces and written entirely subjectively, being the sum total of our thoughts, conjured from what little we have for brains – are in fact necessary to point things out and sing praise so that those that do not, as we were been guilty of, pay more attention in future.
The list was meant to be those who had influenced the whole game and in so compiling and limiting to ten we attempted to cover all angles – business, admin, reporting and on the field. As such we were left with one player spot and chose Talisha for the breadth and potential of her influence. It was meant in no way to discount anyone who missed out and indeed when posting and then discussing on twitter a host of other names were thrown up. In fact, from that discussion, a large news site asked for contributors on womens sports and is commissioning stories of the back of it. Another good result we say.
What we’re hoping is to do this annually, ask for submissions and have a vote.
If so, we hope you follow our progress Womblat and take part. Sounds like you’d be an awesome contributor!

Ten most influential women in rugby league (Part 2)

Seven years later, RLWC2017 in full swing and nothing has changed.

Rugby league needs to invest in foreign players

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