Roar Guru
Joined February 2012
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Live on the front foot! Greatest match? Australia v Great Britain, 2nd Test, 1990- Meninga scoring in the last minute to keep hope alive of winning the series.
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One of the things that makes rugby league different from other mainstream sports is the willingness on the part of its administrators to adjust…
It's a been a while since I've penned an article on The Roar. I'm actually writing this from an NRL bunker, as I recently…
Yes, it's a punch to the stomach. James Tedesco has left the Wests Tigers for the Canberra Raiders. James Tedesco showed the kind of…
Shaun Johnson, meet Jarrod Mullen. Both these men live in the second tier of halves in the NRL behind the elite: Cooper Cronk, Johnathan…
This headline isn't just because I tipped the Titans and therefore fell further behind in my tipping comp. The Warriors deserved their win. They…
2013 has seen a gigantic influx of resources flooding rugby league, which demand proactivity and clarity from our new administrators. We need no more…
I've been upset the past few weeks. I really thought Dave Smith and the ARL Commission's goal of 20,000 average attendance within five years…
There have been several decisions made by Laurie Daley and his selectors during this Origin series that can be called into question. I slice…
Wests Tigers must do the right thing and let Benji Marshall leave, especially given the optimism surrounding the club's halfback-in-waiting, Luke Brooks. Ian Schubert's…
I've often stated here that the only difference between NSW and Queensland over the last seven series has been class. Forget motivation, “spirit” or…
I'm not a proponent of corporal punishment but I do believe it's time for the public paddling to be a feature of match days…
From acerbic, ruthless senator in The Contender to salt-of-the-earth cop in Batman to psychotic street thug in State of Grace, you gotta love Gary…
Ray Warren cannot be replaced, in the sense that his background and history are unique, rising out of the primordial murk of 1970s midweek…
If one had to pick the opening three games of a round that might encapsulate where league is headed, we've just been given them.…
Let me preface this article by saying that rugby league remains an outstanding spectacle. The standard of games continues to be at a high…
With the ANZAC Test coming up on Friday night, I thought I would reminisce about some (not so) recent Test series and wonder why…
If we ever needed Exhibit A in the case against the “attack” being employed by many of the teams in season 2013, last night’s…
Dear readers, some impressions from Friday night's "grudge" match between the Roosters and Canterbury, in no particular order. People have been bemoaning the predictability…
After viewing his performances in the Indigenous All-Star game and Round 1, I actually came away optimistic about Jarryd Hayne’s prospects of returning to…
Wayne Bennett and Phil Gould are both vehemently protesting the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority's report on the possible corruption of our sports through the…
RMC, you’re spot on, and by not overspending on Thurston, who knows…? Maybe the Cowboys could make a play for Barba, who is exactly the kind of player worth spending extra dollars on: young, in his prime and a guy who will be a face of the franchise for years.
Cowboys are right not to overpay Thurston
True, but Lockyer never showed intent to leave Brisbane and his performances at that age were a bonus and nothing one could count on.
Cowboys are right not to overpay Thurston
Absolutely, Planko. You’re thinking like a smart chief executive. 4 mil is absurd- no way he can return value on that amount. I think 2.7, 3 should be the limit for NQ- this is not a guy you can build around for the next 5-7 years.
Cowboys are right not to overpay Thurston
Loyalty is a nonsense in professional sports. Players stay because it’s in their best interests. Clubs pay players because it’s in their best interests. Nothing more, nothing less and nothing wrong with that.
Cowboys are right not to overpay Thurston
Then you don’t follow rugby league very closely, Mushi, given all the hype and media coverage over where JT will sign. There has barely been any discussion of his true VALUE or the merits of spending that much money on one player. There are plenty of occasions when it’s worth a club’s while to overspend in order to keep a player.
Cowboys are right not to overpay Thurston
Um… bad news, David. Cumberland Oval burnt down in the early 80s, replaced by Parramatta Stadium in 1986. Daley didn’t make his first grade debut until 1987. Might you have been thinking Parramatta Stadium?
Eels legends a reminder of when Parramatta could play
They could also be fools for taking up too much of their cap on a player heading into his twilight years, when injury and loss of form are more likely. The club has to develop talent across the park, not spend too much money on one player.
Cowboys are right not to overpay Thurston
Agreed on all those players- but that’s not the point of my article. The point is that the club should not OVERPAY for Thurston, especially at age 28. And by the way, Hornby/Soward and Sherwin/Anasta are not champions. Very good players, but not at Thurston’s level. So there are exceptions.
Cowboys are right not to overpay Thurston
I like the spirit of your reply Von, and we can find many points of agreement. I also love the indigenous presence, and that it’s the first meaningful game of the season. But it is an exhibition, which is why I wouldn’t call it a ‘representative’ match- this is not a region being represented and the results of the games don’t have historical relevance from a purely sporting point of view. But yes, we agree that it does have a high level of interest and I for one will be watching because you’re right, it’s usually a highly entertaining game. The NRL will definitely not be letting it leave the league calendar.
Souths are just as important as Rusty's marriage
Yep. True. Oikee missed that. Although I, for one, was acutely disappointed in ’86 when I found out that League’s new ‘showpiece’ was only going to hold 40,000. And the fact that so few are covered in cases of rain. A pathetic effort by the planners at that time.
Souths are just as important as Rusty's marriage
Taking this WAY too seriously, Bearfax.
Souths are just as important as Rusty's marriage
Absolutely right, Will. Canterbury formulated a plan based solely on their lack of talent in the halves. Freeman has sprung a cog on this one.
WIZ: Put your (best mate's) house on the Storm to win it
Oikee, this isn’t the first blog you’ve hijacked and if it has to be anyone, let it be the Oikman. Yes, league is poorly served by stadia right now. Suncorp’s the perfect model: big enough to host the major games but not so enormous that 30,000 looks like a poor turnout. THe best option in Sydney’s west is to upgrade Parramatta Stadium to a 45-50,000 seater with a roof. Parramatta is a major hub and could eventually be home to the Tigers as well.
Souths are just as important as Rusty's marriage
Scary thought. Not familiar with that injury. Is there video of that?
Souths are just as important as Rusty's marriage
Good reporting, Col. Despite the economic struggle, I still think Super League can cobble together a major sponsor.
Souths are just as important as Rusty's marriage
Backline defence was far from their MAJOR problem last season. Really? How about the club’s inability to consistently complete sets? What about their lack of intensity in attack, starting with a forward pack not willing to take the other team on for eighty minutes? What about poor last-tackle options and a halfback that would go missing for large sections of games?
If the Warriors can address those issues, backline defence will not lose them many games.
Coach Elliott already a hit at New Zealand Warriors
Well said, Johnno, but you’re raising two different points. Creating a sound and productive infrastructure, ie. 3rd tier competitions and juniors, is not the same issue as how much we pay journeymen players at the NRL level. I don’t believe that a solid journeyman making $80,000 a year (or even $60,000) is likely to quit the sport, especially since most of those guys probably don’t possess another skill which would give them that kind of salary. Also, losing fringe first-graders to rugby is extremely rare (you cite 2 cases in the past several years); it’s hard to believe that a low-skilled league player would do any better in another code.
You say “look after the greater good to succeed”. Hard to argue with that, but we also need to define success. League’s success in the modern era has come from a profusion of fantastic talents that we can market to fans who turn out in droves to watch them play. The more of those kinds of players we have, the more we’ll succeed. But of course, having a strong nursery is crucial in that regard so we do need to look after everyone. But it must be proportionate to what they can offer the game.
Do we need to look after fringe players?
Agreed. Bellamy has shown that sometimes a coach with rare ability can consistently raise the standard of his players. But let’s not forget what he’s had to work with.
Coaches are only as good as their players
I can say, Turbo. Newcastle finished about where they should have, given their talent last season. Speculating on anything else is a waste of time.
Coaches are only as good as their players
Really? Steve, give me the last “team of nobodies” who were world-beaters. And while you’re at it, give me the last team of “all-stars” who failed. Generally, teams play to their talent level. Wait… I can think of one example: Brisbane in 1988, 1989 and 1991. They had a team of Origin players and missed the semis. Who was their coach? Oh yeah, Wayne Bennett, the “supercoach”.
Coaches are only as good as their players
Not sure about this one, CC. Anyone who romanticizes the Tooheys/Panasonic/Amco Cups probably has forgotten that 4-quarter rugby league is awful; one misses out on the 15-minute period at the end of each half when the rhythm of the game stretches out and you get the best football. The games tend to be a grind. I think trials suit the purposes of the people who are preparing for the season: the players, coaches and staff. With that in mind, we should absolutely be playing as many of these low-intensity, meaningless games in the country to bolster and maintain interest. Being able to expose our kids to the game played by its best players is of great value.
Trials or pre-season cup, which is better for the NRL?
No Graz, the sides are inferior now because the English RFL has not managed to produce strike players of the calibre of Ellery Hanley, Andy Gregory, Andy Platt, Kevin Ward, Gary Connolly, Joe Lydon, Phil Clarke, Shaun Edwards…. should I go on? Davies is the only guy you mentioned who was a genuine international. English League doesn’t need Union to produce good players- it needs an infrastructure and a strong administration to oversee its game.
Bring back the Ashes
Maybe so Turbo, but Parramatta’s run in 2009 proves my point. Was it the coach? No, because if that were the case they would have continued to be a contender after ’09. Instead, they returned to their natural level. Yes, Hayne should be a five-eighth but it’s because he has lost two yards of pace, not because of his defence.
Coaches are only as good as their players
Sorry Johnno- the current English teams over the last few years are vastly inferior to the sides in 1990, 1992, 1994 and 1997. Not close but I agree that the Ashes should absolutely be brought back.
Bring back the Ashes
WAS a legend. You’re falling into the same trap. There are plenty of great players who have played on bad teams yet still made an impact. That’s not a reason. But yes, I also hope he can bounce back.
Jury's still out on Jarryd Hayne