Roar Rookie
Joined May 2020
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Almost as pleasant as a Sunday afternoon at the local suburban footy ground.
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Before writing off the value of your team's performance with just three rounds this season, there may be a light at the end of…
Right now the Warriors are the gentlemen in league, holding the door open for NRL's return. Late last year, they adopted the bushfire-ravaged town…
Approximately 25 years to the day that the All Blacks attributed food poisoning to their Rugby World Cup loss, Super Rugby has something else…
Greg Inglis is not the first NRL star to return to rugby league after a long hiatus. Earlier in the year Israel Folau signed…
It brings together rival states and territories, attracting the most talented players in the football league as they battle across borderlines. Games sell out…
Hi Paul,
Would you have preferred McGregor be on the same contract as Nathan Brown was in June 2018? At least it would be performance based, but then in his situation leaving in August with the season remaining could be jarring for the players?
I agree though, the attitude of my ‘contract says I’m here til x’ is a bit presumptious!
In Round 3, only 15 teams turned up to play
Michael Jordan’s statement resonated the most with me, because in the ‘Last Dance’ he made a point about being apolitical, but for him to come out now and state ‘he is truly pained and plain angry,’ shows that he recognises the importance of his platform.
As America burns, sport reminds us of its social responsibility
Hi Forty Twenty,
For sure, some teams will likely finish bottom of the ladder despite 0-3 not always indicating future success. Looking at the Dragons in particular.
I looked at the top four places over the last 10 years as well, and although these teams came close they just couldn’t get the W.
Panthers
2nd 2010, 4th 2014.
Wests Tigers
3rd 2010, 4th 2011.
Gold Coast Titans
4th 2010.
I think the weekend’s fixtures showed that there are plenty of players in the Knights who can step up when the big names aren’t there. Eels and Manly surprised many last year when the 2018 bottom teams came up out of nowhere to be serious contenders, but I think Parra have a tendency to choke when they’re onto a big thing!
Which 0-3 teams have won the grand final?
Despite the Dog’s performance against the Sea Eagles on Sunday, I’m going to bet on a late surge like last year!
Which 0-3 teams have won the grand final?
I would have thought with the cancellation of Magic Round this year, that at least one Origin game in Queensland would generate fever pitch, even if in pubs or in the lounge room.
The Queensland Premier has also given her approval to host one game in Brisbane:
https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/05/01/pm-yet-to-give-official-approval-for-nrls-may-28-return/
Even with her initial reluctance to greenlight the NRL’s return, I don’t think she’d give away 3 games to Sydney that easily!
Does Origin mean as much to Queensland this year?
Good win for the blue and gold army. Mitchell Moses had a good kicking game.
Last time they went 3-0 from the first 3 rounds was in 1993. In saying that they finished 11th on the ladder, so best not to tip premiership hopes just yet!
The Eels are back in the premiership window
I enjoyed actually hearing the ref’s calls and directions to the players tbh. Usually there’s commentary or crowd chatter over that.
I always love in a empty stadium the frequent long pans combined with the continual close up of the same fans. They really make use of those same 3 people!
The six-again rule is here to stay, and so are the Eels
I can handle the truth, Duncan Smith.
What happens when your two teams face off? You’d be a winner regardless…
The Warriors have made it okay to follow a second team
At the risk of sounding fickle I’m capping it a year. At the year’s end, I’ll review 😛
But not round 3? That wouldn’t have anything to do with supporting the Red V?
The Warriors have made it okay to follow a second team
Is it really that hard to believe somebody outside of the Northern beaches follows Manly? 😂
The Warriors have made it okay to follow a second team
Hi Adam Smith,
Sacrifice is an emotive word, and for the purpose of this article it’s being used in the context of the May 28 return.
My mum, auntie and sister are all nurses and when I can, I go out of my way to thank them.
The work they do isn’t reflected in their pay.
The Warriors have made it okay to follow a second team
Hi Succhi,
Good work on actually signing. They’ve always struck me as quite respectful.
I have a few sentimental teams myself, but I omitted this as it would have been me meandering about why the Eels and the Sharks are sometimes good to watch. The latter team is particularly topical as well, so I wasn’t going to get into that.
The Warriors have made it okay to follow a second team
I agree, John.
They are on a level playing field as all are directly impacted by the shutdown and recent return to training. Some fans might argue the draw favours certain teams but I think given the circumstances to get the game back on track ASAP head office has worked with what they have. It’s inevitable that some teams may still feel slighted.
The asterisk isn’t like say the 2007 and 2009 Grand Finals which were stripped. I think it exists more to earmark just how odd the season that is 2020.
I’m curious to see how the Broncos do with Brodie Croft in the halves.
Vaccine, Warriors premiership: The miracles needed to save season from asterisk
Hi Jacko,
I guess I should be flattered that in your rugby hiatus you still read my article!
My point about the conferences at the end was more about cementing the NZ/SA rivalry in 2017, as I’m sure Kiwis would have laughed at the Lions getting a real taste of the competition when they faced the Crusaders.
The same season he employed the goose step, he hilariously asked ‘Stu Who?’
Always makes me giggle.
South Africa could emerge as the real winners in a Super Rugby exodus
Hi Jacko,
I appreciate this is speculation and positing of ‘What If’ scenarios. I should have clarified earlier.
As a rugby fan, I endeavour to be creative when imagining when there is a proposed change to a competition or structure, and propose my own take on how it could materialise. Sometimes that means getting a ‘if ain’t broke, don’t fix it,’ response, other times key considerations are left out. I.e. not mentioning the Currie Cup or Mitre 10 Competition.
Also, David Campese is what I picture re ‘goose stepping.’
South Africa could emerge as the real winners in a Super Rugby exodus
Hi Nat,
I like that the ESL has grown more of a international profile in recent years, and I hope the tone of my article was not seen as a last resort, but more of a second chance.
When I watch league, I personally prefer to watch faster attacking styles where the ball play is continuous. Rather than seeing players put up a defensive brick wall, I like to see the long range tries. That still happens in NRL, but I think there’s space to move and experiment in ESL.
There’s always the Super League
Hi JN,
To clarify, there’s been no official statement from South Africa, Australia or New Zealand on the issue. I said a Trans-Tasman competition was proposed, but there have been discussions in the past from South African players such as Frans Steyn.
Perhaps a better title for the article could be ‘If South Africa were to leave Super Rugby, how could this benefit them?’
South Africa could emerge as the real winners in a Super Rugby exodus
I appreciate your honesty! 😂
South Africa could emerge as the real winners in a Super Rugby exodus
Hi Cookie,
I agree that Currie Cup could be the key to a domestic SA revival. The shortened, single round format in 2018 was an unnecessary reduction.
I think time zones, game times and travel times matter as well. Who’s watching, where and how do the players (and fans) get there?
I would have liked to have explored the benefits of a Pacific Islander inclusion, however the main scope of the article was how it could affect South Africa.
South Africa could emerge as the real winners in a Super Rugby exodus
Hi Just Nuisance,
Thanks for the comment.
My point re the contracts was that, as you say, there was a grace period of 21 days in place for South Africa. I would have liked to explore this point further, but I did not want to delve into this compared to the Reds trio as it would have detracted from the main point of the article – that there is more freedom for SA to move abroad than Australia presently.
My example of Pieter-Steph du Toit was that ultimately he stayed at the Stormers, but effectively he was able to renegotiate his contract as a result: https://www.sarugbymag.co.za/du-toit-marx-contract-cases-review/
He could have still ended up leaving like his teammates.
I can understand Europe’s reluctance to add another nation to the 6 nations. Up until 2000 Italy were not included! However, as the Pro 14 allows South African players to play in Scottish teams aka Glasgow, it does not seem that unlikely that in the future they could be eligible for international selection as well.
I think extended tours can really hype up a sport, akin to say a football/soccer world cup. My usual hesitation is fitting them on an already congested Test rugby calendar.
South Africa could emerge as the real winners in a Super Rugby exodus
Hi Piru,
Completely agree with your pointing about selling rugby’s unique features via marketing. That’s where I was getting at about New South Wales and Queensland having such iconic colours that League Origin practically sells itself.
I do like the Nike Running ad, but the John Eales Visa ad where he does a scrum to get on a train will always stand out to me.
I still feel the sting of the RWC 03 campaign, and that Johnny Wilkinson conversion.
What would a rugby State of Origin look like?
Hi Hoolifan,
To think that in these fringe areas, you can refer to the game as ‘rugby’ and people will know it’s about league!
Do you think any of the star signings to SL will restore the game in its current financial state? And if the game does return to its roots, will it lose popularity as league can be perceived to be faster than union?
There’s always the Super League
Hi Paul,
Thanks forthe reference, I watched the interview on ‘Inside the NRL.’
Chammas and Soward made the point that there were 5 Origin players in the roster, but they either don’t like the game plan or weren’t playing to it. Oh, and potentially beating the Sharks or Dogs was not a benchmark 😛
I guess the benefit of cutting loose early is that there is more certainty for signing for 2021, as in the ‘rebuild’ can begin sooner rather than later. Maybe this isn’t a premiership year for the Dragons, but they can look to improve their standings for 2021 with a new coach.
In Round 3, only 15 teams turned up to play