Roar Guru
Joined June 2014
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Twitter: @louismcintyre
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It’s clear to all who watched Wednesday night’s Origin opener that NSW lacked attacking structure in their defeat.
The season is essentially over for some NRL clubs, who must now look ahead to 2019 when preparing for their final seven games.
When I first heard that Macklemore had been named as the NRL grand final entertainment, I was a little disappointed. I find his music quite tedious, especially ‘Thrift Shop’ and the song about the moped.
In Round 26, all eight NRL games should be played at the same time. With one match to play, top four and top eight positions are still on the line, as is the wooden spoon, meaning simultaneous games is the fairest way to finish the season.
Manly’s push up the premiership ladder has been unexpected in 2017, even for a Manly fan like myself.
After all the backlash that came from both clubs and fans regarding Monday night football, I am surprised that the solution was a 6pm Friday game.
The St George Illawarra Dragons’ six-million-dollar deal with Ben Hunt is a clear indication of how far behind the eight-ball the team is ahead of the 2017 season.
The success of the Raiders’ season relies solely on the outcome of their game this weekend. Win, move on to the Storm the following week and go into the game with nothing to lose.
Up until this week, I thought Parramatta were unlikely to make the finals this year. The signing of Michael Jennings has changed my opinion.
Martin Taupau from Tigers to Manly, Matt Ballin doing the reverse trip, Tim Lafai to the Dragons, Will Hopoate to the Dogs, Dylan Walker to Manly, Sam Burgess back to the Bunnies. These transfers kept the NRL in the headlines this off-season.
Johnathan Thurston’s position as potentially the game’s greatest ever player all depends on the result this Sunday.
How good was the spectacle of Monday night football between the Bulldogs and Storm at Belmore Oval? What a way to bring life back to what was fast becoming a boring concept.
Daly Cherry-Evans is copping flak about how he is handling his negotiations for next year, but we should all just lay off him – he is not breaking any rules and is just looking out for his best interests.
It looks like it’s a case of another year, same old Warriors. While it is only Round 6, the boys from New Zealand are already showing the indifferent form to which we have become accustomed.
There are several ways the NRL can maximise their crowd potential, the prime being improving crowd numbers for Monday night games.
As a fifteen year old boy in 2005, all I wanted was for my team to play finals footy.
Finally! After years of complaining, my biggest pet peeve in regards to rugby league has been corrected. Sunday arvo football will now be shown live!
As a Manly fan, I am happy with the events of the last week. The Penn buyout to end the boardroom bickering was great news (and unexpected), and now the club can build and move forward.
2014 was a cracking year in rugby league, and wasn’t it a fairytale finish?
Forty-three years. How many times have we heard that number over the past fortnight?
Great article! I’m very jealous I didn’t think of it.
For me it was 1998 and sitting in the stands at North Sydney oval with my Pop. He always hated that I became a Manly fan after the failed merger, but he as the man who sold the game of rugby league to me.
What made you fall in love with rugby league?
While the title made me laugh (both for being super corny and for a suggestion that seemed ridiculous), you have actually made some well supported claims. Despite this, Cook has enough runs on the board to keep his rep jerseys.
You would imagine Freddy will be loyal to the players that won him the series last year and it will take an injury or off field incident for Cook to lose his spot.
Cooked Cook, McInnes Masterchef: Why Cook’s Origin jersey should be given to crafty Cameron
You’re looking way too into it. The nicknames in my friendship group are mostly name related, maybe more an indication of current society than anything else.
Regardless of this, if i said Turbo, Jurbo, LeiPana you would know what players (or pair of players) I was referring to.
NRL: The end of contracts, and of characters
Disagree with this one as a send off is too harsh. I think the NRL have put appropriate measures in place and as mentioned above, there are bigger problems to look at.
Possibly adding two minutes to a players sin bin if they are deemed to be taking too long would be sufficient. Referees would be unlikely to want to implement the send off and then would be crucified by the fans and media if they did choose to use it.
Fines and suspensions won't be enough to fix the sin bin mess
Going by the most recent origin game, yeah he is in the run on team. He started at lock.
Irregardless, I think he meant in the future not necessarily 2019.
Des Hasler, Ben Barba and Quade Cooper give this week a good sporting feel
Geez mate, it’s a positive news article about the spirt you’re supposed to love. Go read the online articles at the telegraph. They are more up your alley.
Des Hasler, Ben Barba and Quade Cooper give this week a good sporting feel
The team will be fine once culture is restored. 2018 saw us on a hiding to nothing and we can’t possibly have another horror year like that. The irony is that in all our dominance over the last decade, this year is the first time I can recall us having 3 players in the Australian 17.
How Manly hit Eagle rock bottom
Over the last few years I have noticed the influx of my friends in their 20’s (particularly females) joining AFL teams in Sydney. Moving to London this year has also seen me notice a healthy AFL competition proving to be popular with the Aussie (and even Kiwi) expats.
Our game has such stiff competition that it astounds me that those who apparently love the game try so hard to bring it down. At university I had dreams of being a sports journalist, focusing on Rugby League, that’s why I try to write for the roar when I can. That dream has slowly died over the years as I would hate to be loathed by the players I love.
2018: The year rugby league turned on Buzz Rothfield
Totally disagree, and comparing league to European football is a waste of time. They have massive rosters, play 9 months of the year and have multiple games some weeks. Players can play more than 50 games a season with cups and internationals. Apples and oranges when compared to other sports.
It’s like saying the lowest score wins in golf so eagle should adopt that rule.
Six sells as NRL finals looms
How can you have no second chances in a 6 team finals system? You would end up with three teams in week 2. Unless teams 1 and 2 have a bye for week one, then there would still be an incentive to finish top.
Regardless the TV networks wouldnt go for 5 weeks less in the season and 1 in the finals
Six sells as NRL finals looms
Going to be in the crowd this weekend at Wembley, but I am a bit sceptical on how many others will be joining me in such a large stadium. Hopefully London make it through the super 8 qualifiers to attract aussie expats to jump on board top flight league in the U.K.
English rugby league grapples at Wembley with the impact of expansion
The thing with Newcastle is the depth issues, especially with their pack. They have a lot of ageing forwards and even the addition of Tim Glasby won’t have other clubs shaking in their boots.
Which of this year's NRL also-rans has the most potential for 2019?
The beauty of it is that any team can drop out. Already from last years 8 Manly, Parramatta and North Queensland have dropped. All three were expected to improve on last year, Eels and Cowboys were even widely considered two of the premiership favourites.
Surely the Storm will finally drop out when the big four of old becomes the big none.
Which of this year's NRL also-rans has the most potential for 2019?
A fair team, but you throw out a lot of ‘best player the game has seen’ comments. I’ll agree with you on Cam Smith.
But Inglis and Chamber ‘Pretty much the two best centres the Storm and the game have seen.’ Are we forgetting Meninga, Fulton, Gasnier? Inglis goes close but not Chambers.
It’s also debatable that Slater and Lazarus are the best ever in their positions as well (Artie Beetson?)
My picks for the Melbourne Storm's best ever team
To answer the question posed in the headline. No it’s not. not even close.
But in terms of the success of this article, It has had a lot of comments and probably a lot of views so at least their is some success there. It is controversial, but I am sure if you ask 43 gamer Addo-Carr and 54 gamer Vunivalu if they both became the greatest wingers of all time at the ripe old age of 22, they would polite ask for their names to be taken off this list.
Is this the NRL's best-ever team?
The beauty of these kind of things is that they are subjective. In this case compiled by 5 people’s opinions. As a Manly fan I feel like Marty Taupau is hard done by, especially after a great 2017 season but at the end of the day I don’t really care if he makes the list or not.
The comments regarding Tyson Frizell are the most entertaining so far, half the readers seem to think he is rubbish and the other half (possibly Dragons fans) think he should be in the top 20.
The Roar's top 50 NRL players for 2018: 40-31
Disclaimer: I am a Manly fan
But I do think your assessment of last year is way off the mark. Describing DCE’s season as ‘solid’ is ludicrous as he was one of the form halves in the competition. He had the second most try assists in the competition and even that was ridiculed- i would like to see the break down of when other players got theirs.
Api also had a brilliant year which has even seen Fittler call him out as potential hooker for this years origin series. Like stated above he is a ferocious defender whose missed tackles come from trying to take down big men to inspire the team. Those stats are misleading.
And while I do view Manly through rose coloured glasses I do have a few concerns
1) how much will we miss Green
2) The lack of a recognised goal kicker
3) We are a bit light in the centres, especially with Walker’s injury.
Pre-season preview: Sea Eagles will fail to take flight
Does this mean that the Titans could be at risk of a fine for being too far under the cap? A ridiculous ruling if the case
BREAKING (again): Jarryd Hayne leaving Gold Coast, Titans reportedly set to confirm exit later today
This is all getting a little bit advanced for me, but did just come from a comment saying there is an Asian nation in the world cup?
Why don’t we just classify the teams from the qualification method they entered from. Lebanon qualified after winning a two game series against South Africa in the Middle East- Africa playoff.
Can all the naysayers just enjoy the Rugby League World Cup?
The ‘why don’t they go and live there’ argument makes no sense at all. There are two premier rugby league competitions in the world the NRL and the Super League. That is where the work is for players.
It is like asking why Ben Simmons and Patty Mills don’t live in Australia. The answer is because they want to play in the elite competition in their sport.
Can all the naysayers just enjoy the Rugby League World Cup?
Have you seen the footage? That fact that you thought the dog was fake leads me to believe you haven’t. Like you I don’t agree with people being filmed in private residences without their knowledge. Despite this his actions were misogynistic and inappropriate, the implications of what he was suggesting are clear (even without being there). Pearce was one of the first to admit this afterwards.
Attempting to make money out of others mistakes is wrong, but Pearce’s actions that night can’t be written off as ‘boys will be boys.’ The incident seems to have been a big wake up call for him and that may have been the best thing to come out of the video being leaked.
Pearce looking to leave Roosters: Report
As stated it was a real dog. Also the bigger issue from the is the lack of respect for women that Pearce showed during the whole incident.
Pearce looking to leave Roosters: Report
I think a lot of Manly’s thinking is to do the best by Blake Green. Signing Pearce would give them an upgrade in player quality (arguably) but more than that it would allow Green to take up a multi year deal with another club that Manly are unable to match. Just like Pearce at the Roosters, there is no point hanging on to a player that doesn’t want to be there.
Pearce looking to leave Roosters: Report
Pearce is 30 next month.
Rock solid predictions for the 2019 NRL season: Part one