Jarrod Mullen: A rare case of a deserved second chance
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.
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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.
Mathematically possible – is there a more thrilling pair of words to a Wests Tigers fan?
From the SCG Trust: “The Basil Sellers Sports Sculptures Project is one of the most popular attractions within the SCG precinct.”
Newcastle deserve a statue of Andrew Johns at McDonald Jones Stadium
Oh, Colombia. Because cocaine is made there. And Andrew Johns admitted to using drugs.
I see what you did there.
Bravo.
Newcastle deserve a statue of Andrew Johns at McDonald Jones Stadium
Blake was at a different club (and a Kiwi international played centre in his place), D Brown had played a grand total of three first-grade games, and Evans didn’t play because he’d been dropped to reggies. The Storm didn’t beat an undermanned side, they flogged the best Parra had to throw at them (sans N Brown). Don’t kid yourself with false equivalence.
Win or lose today, Parramatta are the NRL's walking dead
Where the coach chooses to play them doesn’t change the fact the choice of troops from Round 9 is essentially the same as this afternoon. The team that lost to the Storm were not viciously understrength.
Win or lose today, Parramatta are the NRL's walking dead
Right you are, that’s my bad. Story has been updated.
Win or lose today, Parramatta are the NRL's walking dead
You take “factionalised gang of old white men” wearing robes and come up with a guy born in Nazareth, who died at a young age, and his closest mates?
Israel, please shut up about God – oh, and happy Easter!
Cool, enjoy watching them not make the finals again.
Hey Waratahs, welcome to NSW (you probably won't be back, hey?)
When you’ve got three years of history and two of them came up with wooden spoons, yes, 2016 matters.
More importantly than 2016 (which I noted but you’ve conveniently left out), they are the incumbent wooden spooners.
Don’t be disingenuous. The Sunwolves have been the worst team in the comp their whole history. That’s my point. It’s self-evident.
Hey Waratahs, welcome to NSW (you probably won't be back, hey?)
Dead last in 2016.
Second last in 2017.
Dead last in 2018.
Third last now 2019 (and were dead last leading into this round).
The Sunwolves are “an advertisement of what our sport can be”? Get a better agency.
Hey Waratahs, welcome to NSW (you probably won't be back, hey?)
Been there, done it.
Violence is to be abhorred – whether it’s against a woman or a man
The NRL needs a page-one rewrite on player behaviour
By that logic, Cam Smith and Billy Slater aren’t Melbourne through and through.
Salary cap? C'mon, we all know why we hate today's grand finalists
Thanks for the clicks and comments The Barry.
As I’m sure you’re aware, they’re all Buzz and I care about.
The Bulldogs' short memories – among other things – on show at Mad Monday
“… make the decision to move home after things have run their natural course…”
My ‘hypocrisy’ is kind of the point.
Homesick? Suck it up, be a man, and blame someone else instead
“The NRL has confirmed it is investigating the Cronulla Sharks over alleged illegal payments to players during the 2015 and 2017 seasons.”
https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/08/28/cronulla-sharks-confident-they-are-salary-cap-compliant/
Sorry Cronulla, but violating the salary cap in the past isn't just a "historical issue"
Yeah, win the Tour de France seven times.
That’ll get you kicked out of sport for good.
For John Hopoate, a ten-year ban just isn't enough
Right you are Nat, copy has been updated to reflect this.
What the hell do Benny and Baz know that the rest of us don't?
Right you are Jack. The piece has been edited to better reflect the current situation.
I apologise for my shoddy maths (I’m going to blame it on the fact I don’t have all my fingers, which makes it hard for me to count).
Kiss your semis goodbye
Actually, Wales, England and Scotland are all countries. Great Britain is the name of the island they share. Four countries (Eng, Wal, Scot and N Ire) then form the United Kingdom.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countries_of_the_United_Kingdom
Just a short geography lesson. Otherwise, your point regarding Unions stands.
It's time for an international window across all rugby leagues
That’s the one Torchbearer – meant in track and field. Piece has been modified.
37 days to Rio: Betty Cuthbert wins three golds in Melbourne
Right you are – colour my face Maroon, that’s a shocker (which, obviously, I’ve fixed).
State of Origin Game 2: Why NSW will win
Chaves wins the stage and he thanks the OGE team back in the office.
He’s just the classiest bloke.
Giro d'Italia 2016: Stage 14 live race updates, blog
In the salary cap? For a statue of a player who retired more than a decade ago?
Think that one through.
Newcastle deserve a statue of Andrew Johns at McDonald Jones Stadium