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Joined February 2011
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"Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence: in other words, it is war minus the shooting." - George Orwell
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“Desperate times call for desperate measures”. It’s a quote often attributed to Hippocrates, the Greek physician, yet it also succinctly sums up the situation…
Oh, how I love this time of year. The magical period right before the first round of the NRL season. There’s something truly beautiful…
Every now and then, an athlete comes along that transcends their sport. They become a household name, ‘appointment viewing’, and generate the type of…
Despite my own NRL team stinking up the joint, I must say the 2023 season was one of the most enjoyable in recent history.…
The mental stranglehold that Stuart Broad has over David Warner means the Australian opener needs to be dropped from the Test side, and his…
Bazball is not all it's cracked up to be.
With the NBA season now finished, and the Denver Nuggets crowned the 2022/23 NBA champions, it’s time to revisit my pre-season predictions and decide…
Last week I witnessed a lot of love for NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo in the most unexpected of places: my LinkedIn timeline. Every now…
Russell Westbrook’s eye-popping performances in the first round of the NBA playoffs has thrown gasoline on a fire that never seems to truly go…
Gazing into the crystal ball for 2023, there's some surprises on the NRL horizon.
The 2022-23 NBA season kicks off this week, which means it’s an apt time to make some outlandish predictions for what may just happen.…
Another NRL season is in the rear-view mirror, and as depressing as that may be, I feel like I may be able plummet further…
The NRL Grand Final is not that big of a deal to most fans.
When you haven’t written anything for a while, you should always endeavour to come back with a bang. That’s why my Roar return is…
The 2021-22 NBA regular season wraps up next week, with just a handful of games for each franchise to play before the play-in tournament…
It’s hard to believe this is my 11th year of putting what little credibility I do have, on the line. Yet here we are, once again on the eve of a rugby league season, and ready to look like a fool come October - perhaps even sooner - by making my annual fearless NRL predictions.
There was a lot of doom and gloom last summer when Australia lost a home series to India. The Test team was labelled, among…
There’s nothing quite like an overreaction to a single Test match – and one that didn’t even last four days, at that – but…
There’s nothing quite like the silliness of overreacting just two games into an 82-game schedule. To make any sweeping statements based on a sample…
“What goes up, must come down." I wasn’t fortunate enough to meet Sir Isaac Newton, but I think he played in the centres for…
6, 5, 8, 10 & 3. In that order.
Revisiting my fearless predictions for the 2022 NRL season
Oh, I like that Andrew! And Geoff, it’s important to have one ‘stinker’ prediction in there to keep myself grounded!
Revisiting my fearless predictions for the 2022 NRL season
As ever, the Betoota nailed it:
https://www.instagram.com/p/ChYzyNgraBZ/?igshid=ZDg1NjBiNjg=
Politicians, NRL, get off your soapbox and take notice: We don't really care where Grand Final is held
It’s inertia, not a tradition.
Politicians, NRL, get off your soapbox and take notice: We don't really care where Grand Final is held
And suffered the heartbreak of having to play a replay grand final!
Politicians, NRL, get off your soapbox and take notice: We don't really care where Grand Final is held
I just have never, ever believed that “Because this is the way we’ve always done it” is a reason not to change, evolve, adapt, etc.
Politicians, NRL, get off your soapbox and take notice: We don't really care where Grand Final is held
So the tradition is merely the city it’s been played at. That’s not quite really a tradition, is it?
Politicians, NRL, get off your soapbox and take notice: We don't really care where Grand Final is held
Good pick-up!
Politicians, NRL, get off your soapbox and take notice: We don't really care where Grand Final is held
I imagine that would be awesome! And quite the memory.
Politicians, NRL, get off your soapbox and take notice: We don't really care where Grand Final is held
I quite clearly DID speak for myself! 😛
Politicians, NRL, get off your soapbox and take notice: We don't really care where Grand Final is held
The AFL did hold their grand final in Perth. Way back in 2021.
Politicians, NRL, get off your soapbox and take notice: We don't really care where Grand Final is held
This comment must be a gee up . . .
Um, you conveniently mention that the Masters is the ONLY major that’s held at the same course each year! The French Open? Not a great comparison, considering it’s the NRL, not the SRL! And why is the Melbourne Cup held in Melbourne? I reckon the hint might be in the name.
As for tradition, the first grand final was played at the Royal Agricultural Society Showground, so I’m guessing you’re arguing it should still be played there?
Politicians, NRL, get off your soapbox and take notice: We don't really care where Grand Final is held
Tim, how are you? Long time no chat!
Just to clarify, you’re saying Ricky shouldn’t be forced to front the media after losses because he’s too emotional, and it’s actually therefore unfair on him?
So then, what is the time limit – or statute of limitations, so to speak – on when he should be expected to front the media? How long does he get to ‘cool off’?
I’m guessing it will need to be a couple of days at least, considering he lost the Kangaroos job in 2009 for abusing the referees in the hotel foyer the next morning after the World Cup loss the night before.
(Also, if we are making said changes to the rulebook or manual to accommodate Ricky’s post-match blow ups, can I please add another change? I don’t think my Bulldogs should have to face Penrith and Melbourne. That’s pretty unfair on them! They’re not very good!)
Sticky situation: NRL should enforce a few more rules in Operations Manual after Stuart's spray
Wow. In the words of Ron Burgundy, that escalated quickly.
Some of the replies are wildly entertaining. Way more entertaining than my ‘pub’ idea, actually.
Thanks to all for reading and for replying.
And Twitter? Eat your heart out.
For the good of the game, we must cull the Kangaroos from the Rugby League World Cup
If it wasn’t clear (and I apologise if it wasn’t), I had no issue with the NRL starting up again during COVID.
Fearless predictions: Munster for Dally M, Tigers avoid spoon, Sharks to make GF
Totally agree. And with the series in the bag, I think Australia should play Swepson in Sydney, because I think two spinners, and 3 quicks (including Green) is the optimal balance for the sub-continent, so it would be good to give it a dry run now, with zero pressure.
I told you the sky wasn’t falling on the Australian Test team
There’s a bit going on here!
There is zero evidence of any England bounce about to happen! But hopefully, for the sake of England, and Test cricket, they do.
“...had the Ashes been played on English soil the reverse result would have been so.” The Ashes was played on English soil, two years ago. And the series wasn’t over after three Tests?
As for Australia, I think you might want to look up NZ’s record against Australia in Tests, as I’m not sure the statement “NZ will bring us back down to earth with a thud as is often the case v the Kiwis” is even remotely accurate, is it? And we belted them last time we played them!
I told you the sky wasn’t falling on the Australian Test team
Well, to be fair, I think the obsession came from him scoring back-to-back double hundreds in the Shield cricket. Which is no mean feat, even on roads. And then he looked pretty good in his debut Test. He’s had issues with getting hit in the head, but it really escalated after the “obsession”.
I told you the sky wasn’t falling on the Australian Test team
Looking at the list of batting averages in Shield cricket, I agree that Australia has a bit of an issue. And it’s been like that for some time. We’re fairly heavily propped up by Smith, Marnus and Warner (on home soil, at least). If any of those three were injured (or retired), I think our batting depth would be very tested.
As for the spinners, Mitchell Swepson would be the next in line, and he’s pretty handy. I’d love an old SCG wicket to be served up next week, so that we could possibly play two spinners, and see what he’s like. Green’s bowling would certainly help Australia field two spinners.
I told you the sky wasn’t falling on the Australian Test team
Cheers Sheek – hope you had a good Xmas, mate!
I told you the sky wasn’t falling on the Australian Test team
I think when your 3 and 4 average 120 between them, you’re batting isn’t going too bad. Throw in Warner at home, and that’s a line-up that’s pretty good. The issue is that we’ve decided to ‘carry’ Green for the time being – which is the right call – but leaves us very little wiggle room for the other 5 to not be firing.
I told you the sky wasn’t falling on the Australian Test team
Totally agree on the openers, actually. It just wasn’t listed as a concern last summer, because everyone agreed Pucovski looked the goods. But obviously, he’s got some issues to sort out. And seeming as I’m still not sold on Harris, and Warner isn’t getting any younger, it is area that needs ti be looked at. (I think one of the Australia A openers got a hundred against the Lions though?)
I told you the sky wasn’t falling on the Australian Test team
I think the Dolphins will really struggle. Why are you so optimistic, Matt?
Revisiting my fearless predictions for the 2022 NRL season