Does Australia need a new Test cricket captain or a new leadership model?
Too sloppy with his keeping, too predictable in his strategies, too boring with his bowling changes. Too old.
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Joined March 2012
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Too sloppy with his keeping, too predictable in his strategies, too boring with his bowling changes. Too old.
In a game that’s often accused of giving second (and third, fourth, fifth…) chances to the wrong people, it warms my cold, cynical heart to see Jarrod Mullen back playing rugby league.
When you think of the coaches under pressure this coming NRL season, it seems silly to even mention the man who took the Panthers to the grand final a few short months ago.
I awoke to a text message yesterday morning from one of my spies that there was a “notable absence” as the Knights returned to training ahead of the 2021 NRL season.
A few years back, three very grown-up things happened to me over a week-long stretch: I turned 30, got married and realised I had become rather fat.
Was there ever a human better made to be punched in the face than Paul Gallen?
The Australian Rugby League Commission naming a Kangaroos merit team yesterday seemed to confirm the current trend of the position of centre having become an afterthought.
I like Andrew Voss. No, you know what, that doesn’t go far enough. I bloody love Vossy.
Penrith are set to lose a player they saw fit for six first-grade matches over the past two seasons. And they are furious about it.
It’s tough to see the team you support lose. It’s even tougher when the loss comes at the hands of your arch rivals.
After giving the Maroons an absolute trouncing in Sydney last week, the Blues have their tails up heading into the State of Origin decider, playing a team dubbed the worst in Origin history.
Nathan Cleary really has no business having three State of Origin series on his CV.
It’s just as well the Wallabies decided against taking a knee for the singing of ‘Advance Australia Fair’ prior to Bledisloe 3. They would have looked pretty silly.
They may have come up short against the Melbourne Storm in the 2020 decider, but the Penrith Panthers are being heralded as the team of the coming decade.
We’ve got the NRL grand final most had predicted heading into the post-season, with arguably the greatest player in the game leading his troops into battle against a team helmed by his heir apparent.
It’s easy to lay the boot into someone lying on the ground. But when your job is to lay the boot into a ball that’s lying on the ground, well, that should be easy too.
You’ve got to wonder what David Klemmer has done wrong in Brad Fittler’s eyes.
For ten glorious minutes on Friday night I got to experience the joy of supporting the Roosters.
I’ve long had a great deal of respect for the Brisbane Broncos.
The NRL top eight is locked in, the coaching merry-go-round is slowing to a halt and I hope the journos from Nine and News Corp are done crying about who’s being meaner to whom for the time being. So let’s leave the footy aside for a week.
Also, as per the NRL website: “The Rookie of the Year is voted on 3 points, 2 points and 1 point basis by the Dally M judges at the conclusion of Round 25.”
So winning the major gong doesn’t necessarily guarantee you also win rookie of the year status, which is where my understanding they are supposed to go to different players comes from.
Well, that and Mick Potter not getting both.
Bradman in line for Dally M honours as the Best young talent in the NRL
Based on my research, there hasn’t been a double up before.
There was one year when it was possible, when Mick Potter won the major award in ’84 (he had played one match in ’83, so by current definition he was still a rookie), but Greg Alexander took out rookie of the year.
My understanding is that rookie is reserved for an up-and-comer, whereas the Dally M means you’ve ‘made it’. No point giving both to the same person.
But if Harry takes both out this year, I’m happy to be proven wrong.
Bradman in line for Dally M honours as the Best young talent in the NRL
Do you honestly think that sentence means we’re shifting the discussion from the history of the NRL to literally every single game that’s ever been played in Australia? If so, where do we draw the line? You want to talk about my season with South Newcastle third-grade Under 11s? Technically it is part of the entire history of rugby league in Australia. And if memory serves, Maryland gave us quite the flogging in the regular season before we beat them in the grand final.
It’s been made clear from the outset we’re talking about the top-flight comp. And, again with due respect to the Brisbane comp, the BRL has never been that. It has no common history with the NRL.
The parameters for the discussion were set in the third paragraph. It’s not arrogant or incorrect to use absolutes in a defined discussion, it’s efficient.
My favourite NRL stat proves the Broncos are finished for 2020
Mate, I highlighted three examples and you tried to defend one – and you don’t even seem to realise the one you’re defending is you trying to put words in my mouth, rather than critically engage with the issue.
I set the parameters of last week’s discussion in the third paragraph, with the words “Since the NSWRL started in 1908…” To then take the words “history of rugby league in Australia” to mean every single game of rugby league that’s ever been played – rather than the history of the NRL, which has never had a shared history with the BRL – is a strawman argument. Which is a sure-fire sign of someone who’s not here to engage with the issues, they just want an argument.
It was a piece, backed up with research and data, that argued the Broncos won’t win the comp this year. You didn’t engage with that issue, you tried to find a way to argue a definition.
Also, “you are contradicting a fan who hangs his hat on winning the reserve grade comp in 97” isn’t engaging with the issue at all, it’s pettiness – and it’s a hallmark of the comments I’ve highlighted.
As for this week, I’ve written a piece about going to a game of football, backed up with the evidence of me, y’know, having gone to the football (there’s even photographic proof). Your response was to try delegitimise my membership. That’s not engaging with the issue, it’s just being small.
Look, fair play, you got an argument out of me today. But I think we’re done here.
If you continue to comment in bad faith, yes, you’ll be moderated. If you try being decent, I’m sure you’ll get a lot more out of this site.
In the stands at a post-COVID NRL game
Is it my continued lack of effort that has you coming back to read week after week? Or do you only disagree with an opinion if you don’t feel there has been requisite effort?
And was “Is your membership based on how the teams starts the year?” aimed at stimulating discussion? What about last week’s commets: “Ohhhh, that’s cute. A Knights fan, who hasn’t seen finals footy in 7 years, telling others who will/won’t win.”
Or: “Watch the excuses come now. Although you are contradicting a fan who hangs his hat on winning the reserve grade comp in 97 so if it doesn’t include NSWRL it didn’t happen.”
(FYI, you got a total of one ‘like’ for those three comments – a big hit with the crowd.)
I’m all for critical debate but you’re not providing that, you’re being argumentative and condescending.
Want to offer a difference of opinion, go nuts. But if you can’t manage a bit of decency in your comments, take them somewhere else.
In the stands at a post-COVID NRL game
“Since the NSWRL started in 1908…”
Fair play to the BRL, but since that’s a comp with zero common history with the modern-day NRL – not even the Broncos ever played in the BRL – their history isn’t relevant to this piece.
This is a stat based on the history of the NRL, which was previously the ARL, which was previously the NSWRL. The BRL is the BRL is the BRL.
I’m sure if you go digging, you’ll find a team in the history of New England Group 19 probably had 50 put on them and went on to win the decider. But that’s not the comp we’re talking about.
My favourite NRL stat proves the Broncos are finished for 2020
The Knights membership team asked for pledges two weeks ago and I pledged the day I got the email.
I’m a member of the club that won three straight spoons – as you enjoyed pointing out in my previous piece, about the Broncos – so no, how the team starts the year doesn’t determine whether I pay my dues each season.
Finally, Nat, I clock your comments and they’re all negative. All of them. You’re just itching for a fight.
Do me a favour, stop reading my pieces since they seem to make you so angry.
In the stands at a post-COVID NRL game
What’s Sia’s stance? I don’t want anyone to put words in the man’s mouth, but I’ve looked all over and while Bryce Cartwright has addressed the situation, all I’ve found about Sia and the other Canberra pair is that they said no to the jab and crossed out words in the waiver.
Has he actually said why he won’t take the shot?
I’m desperate for the footy to start but I’ll stand by Sia Soliola
“the money the Queensland government would likely chip in to try and get their own economy going again would be large and should easily allow the NRL to cover any compensation required to be paid to the New South Wales government.”
Realistic solution.
Great read Scotty.
It's time for a Queensland NRL grand final
Thanks for reading it all the way to the end and then commenting. 👍
Points must stand at NRL resumption – because nobody plays to lose
“Life ain’t fair” is like “it’s a free country” or “Karma’s a bitch” – sayings people wheel out when they’re being jerks.
I’ve acknowledged the NRL is an uneven playing field, but it doesn’t need to be any more unfair to exist in these admittedly extraordinary times.
The fundamental flaw in NRL conferences: Blatant unfairness
There’s an entire committee dedicated solely to getting the comp started again. That they try to make it as fair as possible needs to be part of their remit.
The fundamental flaw in NRL conferences: Blatant unfairness
“It is most favoured to have all teams playing out of the same venue and being isolated from the rest of society including families.”
Max, that’s a hypothetical solution to get the season started.
Because they’re all hypothetical solutions at this stage. Nothing is confirmed. The restart date is being debated at Government level, bubbles have been suggested, everyone may play each other once or we could play the full season going until Christmas.
And NRL.com is still reporting that the conference system is being looked at.
I’m not going to call your comment a waste of time, because it’s great that you engage, but try not to be a dickhead.
Also, direct quote from my piece: “Obviously, the NRL is an uneven playing field”
The fundamental flaw in NRL conferences: Blatant unfairness
I appreciate you providing the antithesis to my long-windedness, but you’ll have to be a little more expansive.
The fundamental flaw in NRL conferences: Blatant unfairness
I reckon you’re right! And don’t ever apologise for being a nark on matters such as this.
Has been amended.
Curse of the Buderus: Knights' hooking hoodoo continues
https://knowyourmeme.com/photos/909991-futurama
An early reason for Panthers and Knights fans to celebrate the 2020 NRL season
Oh John, look at you adding comments and clicks. And constantly mentioning Greta Thunberg so as to get me more comments and clicks.
It’s almost – almost – as though I’m pulling your strings.
No need to play the anthem before the NRL All Stars game
I didn’t realise it was your money to take away.
No need to play the anthem before the NRL All Stars game
The song was written in 1878, so federation isn’t when people became “Australian”.
As for the Afghan Cameleers who first turned up in the 1860s? They were here before most of my (white, English) ancestors. It’s their song as much as mine.
But ignoring the people who were here for 60,000 years? They’re not “a group of people within the population”, they’re the traditional owners.
A government doesn’t create a nation. Australia is not young.
No need to play the anthem before the NRL All Stars game
The song was written in 1878. There was no nation then.
A little embarrassing for you.
No need to play the anthem before the NRL All Stars game
“I’m buggered if I’ve ever heard or seen anything of him before here at the ROAR.”
Dude, I met you in person at the Roar Christmas drinks a few years ago.
I’m not going to pretend I particularly matter, but I’ve worked here for the better part of a decade.
Part of the furniture, me.
Raelene Castle's tenure has been a failure – what else did RA expect?
Belittle posters?
“I thought this was a serious article until I read this line.”
Maybe when that’s the depth of your initial contribution to the discussion, you should have a think about what constitutes belittlement.
To continue that line of thought, if a quote from the SCG Trust is what you consider being belittled, well Jim, that’s on you.
In the meantime, I’ll take the SCG’s line about their attractions over your anecdotal suggestions as to what people may like. The people who run one of the world’s greatest sporting venues know what they’re talking about. And seeking to replicate what they consider a star attraction is, therefore, a completely worthwhile endeavour.
Apologies if all this logic has once again made you feel small.
Newcastle deserve a statue of Andrew Johns at McDonald Jones Stadium
Nah, we should name the bar after Mark ‘Booze’ Hughes.
Newcastle deserve a statue of Andrew Johns at McDonald Jones Stadium
Fitzy has been starting 11, but the Knights recruited a “unit” from the Dragons who’ll wear that jersey this season.
And with O’Brien flagging a move for Watson to 13, Barnett will move to 12, and Fitz will be on the bench.
Could Mitchell Pearce be forced out of the Knights? If the shoe Fitz