Roar Guru
Joined March 2018
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I'm passionate about sport, especially rugby league. I have been an advertising copywriter for over 20 years and looking to expand into journalism.
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After a terrible start to season 2018, the Raiders were starting to build some momentum with two wins in a row against the Bulldogs…
Being a rugby league fan means signing up for a rollercoaster of emotions. One week you're soaring with the birds in the clear, blue…
They say the success of a leader is best judged by the actions of those he guides. So who are the top five coaches…
As a perfectionist, Craig Bellamy has always expected his teams to be disciplined and error-free, but this season we're seeing a Melbourne team that…
Given that Boyd Cordner and Cameron Smith were recently promoting this year's State Of Origin series, it seems a good time to talk teams.…
Whether it's a simple dropped ball or a kick-off going out on the full, the coach killers have come thick and fast in NRL…
At the start of the year many experts had the New Zealand Warriors as wooden spooners. Five weeks into the competition the Warriors find…
If I was a first-grade league player and I had the pick of all the coaches on offer, I would lean heavily towards Ivan…
Sometimes it's unclear whether it's more entertaining to watch the Raiders players or their coach. Ricky Stuart wears his heart on his sleeve more…
The simple answer is no. When Israel Folau left the Brisbane Broncos to start his successful rugby career he was at the peak of…
There's a new statistic on the block and if you're showing high numbers, it means you're dominating. It's called ‘post contact metres'. I was…
Do NSW have an answer to King Wally Lewis of Queensland? James Maloney is definitely putting his hand up in 2018. If you look…
Ricky Stuart won the 2002 grand final with the Sydney Roosters, in his inaugural year as a first-grade coach. He hasn't won the Big…
It's worth revisiting the lead-up to the ball-tampering fiasco to assess whether we can forgive Steve Smith. Firstly, the South African fans were rude…
Outside of the Dragons and Warriors, the striking thing about the start of the 2018 season is that players, teams and referees have been…
The Warriors will worry a lot of teams in 2018. They made feather dusters of the mistake-riddled Roosters and looked unstoppable across the park.…
They say a fish rots from the head, and that's exactly why Steve Smith and David Warner had to be suspended for lengthy periods.…
For Rooster fans and players alike, this game was always going to be juicy. It was the Rooster legends versus the Rooster legends. In…
So you’re saying Jackson shouldn’t be buying a lotto ticket any time soon?
The top five players unlucky to miss Origin
Thanks John H.
I didn’t even consider the coaching staff.
That’s almost an entirely new article.
Freddy, Ricky Stuart, Brian Smith etc
What would be Queensland's dream Blues team?
Good call.
Fergo would fit nicely into the team culture.
What would be Queensland's dream Blues team?
If that’s the case, Lazarus must be the only Triple Club Legend.
Maloney would come close, but not close enough.
What makes an NRL club legend?
What about Michael McGuire? He helped Souths win their 1st Premiership in 43 years, but was then sacked a few years later.
Ricky Stuart won Grand Final at Roosters in his first year, then sacked 4 years after.
Are they Club Legends?
What makes an NRL club legend?
Great contribution to the discussion. Great names in there.
Coaches also open up an interesting area – can they be club legends?
What makes an NRL club legend?
Thanks for commenting THE BARRY.
He was a legend.
What are your criteria?
Grand Finals? Fighting spirit? Longevity? All of these?
Is every Grand Final winner automatically a club legend?
What makes an NRL club legend?
Very funny John H.
Feel free to point the finger.
Hopoate could be seen as a club legend for winning Grand Finals, but his classless action demotes him in my books.
When looking at ‘rocks and diamond’ players like SKD, I think you need to analyse their balance sheet.
If you take everything into consideration SKD was too sloppy and inconsistent to be a club legend for the Roosters, in my eyes. I also recall him actually losing them a semi-final against the Broncos by offering an intercept in the first play of the game, from the kick-off. That’s an example of the kind of player he is.
But yes, definitely legendary and memorable players. Just not club legends.
What makes an NRL club legend?
Always good to have a comedian on board.
Who are the NRL's toughest of the tough in 2018?'
Fair call Paul.
The article was meant to focus on the tough ‘crazy’ guys – the loose canons of the league.
So the headline should not have referenced ‘toughest’ but rather ‘craziest’.
I agree that the smaller players are incredibly tough, especially the hookers who often take on players who are 20-30kg heavier.
Who are the NRL's toughest of the tough in 2018?'
Fair call Peeko.
The article was meant to focus on the tough ‘crazy’ guys – the loose canons of the league.
So the headline should not have referenced ‘toughest’ but rather ‘craziest’.
I agree that the smaller players are incredibly tough, especially the hookers who often take on players who are 20-30kg heavier.
Who are the NRL's toughest of the tough in 2018?'
I just read that they’ve won 6 out of the last 8 games which is impressive.
The five happiest people after Rabbitohs-Dragons game
Fair call Nat.
It’s probably not as strong as previous Qld sides, but there are enough young players in there to validate your point, and that of Paul’s.
The young guns ready for Origin
When analysing the up-and-coming players, it does feel like Qld have thinner prospects.
There could be a NSW Blues period of dominance around the corner.
But NSW fans have all said that before!!
The young guns ready for Origin
Good call, he should be there – but does he rank ahead of Ferguson and Tom Trbojevic?
The young guns ready for Origin
Hi Paul, thanks for commenting.
NSW needs to do something radical to start winning.
I recognise that it’s a long shot they’ll pick all 8 newcomers, but I believe those on the list I presented deserve to be in the mix.
As for Ponga, he is so young but just keeps delivering. He’s running the side in Pearce’s absence and is a one man spark machine for the Knights. Greg Inglis made his Origin debut at 19 years-old, Ponga is 20 (admittedly he had more games in first grade).
The young guns ready for Origin
Good call Peeko.
He wasn’t really on my radar last year, so his consistency and impact in 2018 has been a surprise to me.
The young guns ready for Origin
I think Peachey is close to a call-up, but I wouldn’t call him a new talent or a bolter – he was dynamic last year.
I was trying to focus on players who were hardly on the radar at the beginning of the year.
The young guns ready for Origin
Thanks for commenting Ivan – although I think this Dragons’ side is different to other years.
They’re still dangerous, it just didn’t click on the weekend.
I’m confident it’s not the start of a significant decline like previous years.
Hunt played injured as did De Belin, who is trying to hide an injury from Freddy.
The five happiest people after Rabbitohs-Dragons game
You may be right Paul.
Every week, any team can win – it’s all about attitude and sometimes revenge.
Maybe this was a one-off, but it does look like the rabbits have a team with few weaknesses, now that Sam Burgess is back.
I suppose I’m just surprised that they’re well into the 8 – I thought they would bomb this year.
Cook is a game-breaker and their backs are dangerous.
The five happiest people after Rabbitohs-Dragons game
What a terrible buy Farah has turned out to be.
Surely he could get a start with a team like Newcastle or the Raiders.
He’s got no chance of playing while Damien Cook is there.
Ironically the ex-State Of Origin hooker may get his opportunity when Cook is called up into the NSW’s Origin team this year.
Nine talking points from NRL Round 10
Qld still have great centre defenders in Chambers and Inglis – won’t be easy to get through them.
Be interesting to see if Damien Cook can make the same kind of impact that he does every week.
Surely McInnes deserved a bench spot at least.
The top five players unlucky to miss Origin