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Scott is one of The Roar's assistant editors and live bloggers. He has written over 2500 articles covering everything from rugby league to basketball, from tennis to cricket.
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The Rugby League Nines World Cup has arrived, with Friday night our first chance to see all eight men’s and four women’s teams in action. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage of each match on Day 1 from 6:20pm (AEDT).
And so we arrive at the top ten players in the game for 2019. It’s a question that is debated all year, and while the best player in the game might virtually pick himself, the rest of the ten certainly don’t.
Match result: The Sacramento Kings have rounded out preparations for their NBA season, with a dominant second half kicking them well clear of a gallant Melbourne United in the final NBLxNBA game. Final score United 110 Kings 124 Match preview The NBLxNBA tour for 2019 will conclude on Thursday afternoon as Melbourne United continue the […]
The top 50 NRL player countdown continues today as we move into the top 20 players in the game from what was a fantastic 2019 season.
Things are starting to get serious as the NRL’s top 50 player countdown moves into the top 30.
The Socceroos will be out to claim their third-straight victory on the road to the 2022 FIFA World Cup when they travel to Kaohsiung to take on Chinese Taipei on Tuesday evening. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 10:40pm (AEDT).
My top 50 player countdown continues today as we celebrate a fantastic NRL season in 2019. In this article, the countdown moves through players 40 to 31, with two high-profile rookies, two big-name front-rowers and some of the most exciting talents in the competition.
Another NRL season is in the books, and while the wash-up and fall-out to the grand final continues, it’s time to start our top 50 player countdown.
Scott McLaughlin has won the 2019 Bathurst 1000, his first win in the event, in dramatic circumstances on Sunday afternoon.
Race result: Scott McLaughlin has won the 2019 Bathurst 1000, his first win in the event, in dramatic circumstances on Sunday afternoon.
Supercars will let fly with their first laps in anger on Friday afternoon when the field go qualifying at Mount Panorama ahead of the Bathurst 1000. Join The Roar for live updates, times and rolling coverage from 4pm (AEDT).
Match results: Australia have done what was expected of them, but no more in what eventually turned out to be a five-nil defeat of Nepal in their second qualifying match on the long road to the 2022 FIFA World Cup at GIO Stadium in Canberra.
The Sydney Roosters are the NRL premiers for the second year in a row, defeating the Canberra Raiders in a controversial grand final at a packed ANZ Stadium. Here are my talking points from the biggest game of the season
The Sydney Roosters have become the first team to go back-to-back in a unified NRL competition in over 25 years with victory over the Canberra Raiders in the 2019 grand final.
Match result: The Sydney Roosters have become the first team to go back-to-back in a unified NRL competition in over 25 years with victory over the Canberra Raiders in the 2019 grand final.
The teams for the NRL grand final have been locked in, with the Sydney Roosters and Canberra Raiders set to square off for the right to be crowned champions.
Match result: The Brisbane Broncos claimed back-to-back NRLW titles with a dominant 24-point win over the St George Illawarra Dragons.
Match result: For the second time in as many weeks the Newtown Jets have stolen a trophy at the death, winning the State Championship by scoring a try in the final play of the match.
The Canberra Raiders may well be the success story of the 2019 NRL season no matter the result when they take on the Sydney Roosters in a grand final with more storylines than you can poke a stick at.
Match result: South Africa have put on an enormous performance in Siuzoka to thrash Italy by 46 points, running on seven tries to none.
See reply further up to Superspud. There is a big difference between six and twelve games, and the respective impact they have on their sides. The Roosters still won the comp without Friend.
Not being in the pre-season 50 could be considered an oversight though, sure.
The top 50 NRL players of 2019: 10-1
See reply further down, but Dally M winger of the year doesn’t count for much in my book, particularly when Sivo wasn’t even nominated.
The top 50 NRL players of 2019: 10-1
It’s amazing how Teddy has come along. He isn’t just the best player in the game. He is the unsdisputed best player in the game.
The top 50 NRL players of 2019: 10-1
Good question. He was excellent in the six games he played, but I just don’t see that being enough to make a list like this.
Further to that, I don’t think the impact over his team was as big as Turbo’s, which we can see by the fact the Roosters still won the comp, mostly playing without Friend.
The top 50 NRL players of 2019: 10-1
Cheers Geoff,
As I mentioned in the piece, when you’re putting a list like this together, you need to think about the influence a player has on their team. There were few greater than Tommy T this year.
As an aside, I’d like to know your thoughts on Hodgson as a Raiders fan? Do you view him as better than Smith now?
I was actually surprised going through my pre-season list at how many players missed out. Made this year’s end of season list tougher to put together than any I have done in the past.
Raiders salary cap and who plays there next year is going to be really interesting to follow in the next little bit.
The top 50 NRL players of 2019: 10-1
Cheers,
Brooks went close, as did Corey Thompson.
But Matterson. Oversight. He should have been there.
The top 50 NRL players of 2019: 10-1
Cameron, rather.
Taupau was better in the first half of the season than the second, so not sure what you’re talking about there.
The top 50 NRL players of 2019: 10-1
Cheers Souv,
Fair comments, but I stand by the order I have them in here, although am almost buckling to conceed Papalii should have been higher.
The top 50 NRL players of 2019: 10-1
Nope. Since when has the Dally M winger of the year been a good guide to anything? Sivo didn’t even make the nominations.
The top 50 NRL players of 2019: 10-1
Radley actually made the original cut of 50 right down the bottom until I realised I had made some pretty huge oversights.
The top 50 NRL players of 2019: 10-1
Time consuming indeed, but good fun nonetheless. Thanks Matt.
The top 50 NRL players of 2019: 10-1
Yep definitely came into calculations. He was one of the unlucky ones to miss out.
The top 50 NRL players of 2019: 10-1
Thanks Baz,
Turbo could definitely be challenging Teddy for the number 1 spot with a full season of health.
I hadn’t thought about it that way, but it indeed would be my team of the year based on this countdown. And yeah, apart from Papalii, I’m not even sure I’d be trying to change or argur with it.
The top 50 NRL players of 2019: 10-1
It’s about Turbo’s impact on his club. It was dramatic, which is why he sneaks into the ten.
The top 50 NRL players of 2019: 10-1
Cheers HY.
I thought Turbo was immense in the games he played and spent just enough time on the park, as well as at rep level, to be considered for the back end of the ten. He was just that important to Manly.
The top 50 NRL players of 2019: 10-1
Yep, and it’s why no one will agree with every single position I pick… There are genuine cases for most of these players to be higher or lower, with the exception of Teddy who is clearly the best.
Latrell is a very interesting one. You’re right though – more involvement and for mine – consistency, and he could be 1.
The top 50 NRL players of 2019: 10-1
There is no disputing he has had a huge impact on the Roosters results. I’m not arguing that.
The top 50 NRL players of 2019: 20-11
Nah, no one-season wonders. Cordner is one of those guys who rate highly with some, lowly with others. He is somewhere in the middle for me. Not an out and out star, but bloody good.
The top 50 NRL players of 2019: 20-11
Ha, if I go backwards to the top 200. they might make the cut CPB.
The top 50 NRL players of 2019: 20-11
Last half of the season, AFB, sure. But this is a full-season ranking, so Taupau gets the gig higher up the list.
I can definitely understand the arguments for Jake Turbo and Papalii to be higher.
The top 50 NRL players of 2019: 20-11
Fair enough re Hodgson. In my eyes he is fantastic, but I find I’m always more critical in my own team’s players than others, so was definitely interested in your thoughts.
What is so impressive about CNK is the way he was brought into the pre-season late, and then found a way to cement a spot, make it his own, then help the Raiders to where he did. Definitely recruit of the year for mine.
DCE has always had a great kickng game, particularly short-range. He has his haters, and to be fair, was poor last year, but credit where it’s due, he was great this year.
The top 50 NRL players of 2019: 10-1