Roar Guru
Joined May 2012
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Freelance sports writer. Author: Their Finest Hour: A History of the Rugby League World Cup in 10 Matches. Journalist with NRL.com, Inside Sport and Big League.
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The Australian Kangaroos are one of the country's most successful teams. Their brand is synonymous with excellence, professionalism and advancing rugby league through outrageous…
An Aussie summer means one thing: you are guaranteed to play a game of backyard cricket. It’s our form of Twenty20. This form of…
What makes a great sports bar and who does it the best in Australia? With cricket, soccer, basketball and tennis all featuring over the…
Mal Meninga stands on the verge of completing a historic achievement as Australian coach: a perfect year of results. For all the Australian rugby…
England's walloping of New Zealand to reach the World T20 final is one of modern sports most remarkable comebacks. How does it compare with…
James Tedesco is the man to fill Billy Slater's shoes as Australian fullback, as well as reignite the Kangaroos' flagging attacking game at the…
The NRL has a lane to pick. They must decide whether to reward the fans in the stands or on their sofas. It’s now…
He's not as gifted as Sonny Bill Williams, nor does he have the speed of Wendell Sailor. But Sam Burgess could retire as a…
The Baggy Greens' bully-boy act is wearing thin. Bravado and bluster might have worked in the 1980s and '90s, but the world has grown…
Appointing a full-time Kangaroos coach should be rugby league's way of fighting off the Wallabies, Socceroos and AFL's advances. After all, they have something…
How significant was the Kiwis' win against Australia on Sunday? Well, it was big for New Zealand rugby league but also for Test football…
Shaun Johnson's wizard-like Four Nations performance should go down as one of the most dominant displays by a half in international rugby league history…
Push-over scrums, ferocious gang-tackling, a lightning halfback and a classy fullback coming into their own - the Warriors should have the competition shaking in…
This year will forever be remembered for two players who had contrasting years. One, a gifted young player whose career ended via a tackle,…
Is there anything Jarryd Hayne cannot do? The superstar Blues snatched the game from Queensland's grasp and put his name on State of Origin…
Welcome to the new age of rugby league, where players pile-drive each other into the turf like Hulk Hogan and receive a week off.…
As we celebrate 100 State of Origin matches, we've enjoyed reliving those classic moments between Queensland and New South Wales. Yet the Origin contest…
Naming his players for State of Origin before the official squad announcement will come back to bite Laurie Daley and his team. Never in…
Australia and New Zealand's efforts in Friday night's Test silenced the doubters. Seemingly the whole of Australia's rugby league media who billed the match…
Rugby league seems to get faster each year – the speed of the play the balls, players are bigger, fitter and stronger than before…
Gareth Widdop was brought through the Victorian system too when he arrived from the UK.
State of Origin in trouble unless it evolves
Hi Epiquin – the point of the article is to encourage some “out of the box” thinking now that we have reached 100 matches of SOO……it might take another 200 games before the likes of VIC, WA or SA can put enough numbers into a team.. but it could be a reality.
State of Origin in trouble unless it evolves
“It was pitched that way to the boys in blue but for Qld it has never been about a kangaroo jeresey”
Tell that to Darren Lockyer, Mal Meninga, Billy Slater, Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston… that would surely disagree.
State of Origin in trouble unless it evolves
Thanks Ben – yes exactly, some great points there.
State of Origin in trouble unless it evolves
That’s right Kunming, I was attempting to throw some ideas out there in terms of the future of State of Origin… instead of being a selection for Australia, it has arguably become a spectacle in itself (not a bad thing, but surely morphed from what the concept originally was)
State of Origin in trouble unless it evolves
Thanks PD – yep, by article 43 you get to take all the comments as they are, no issues here! This is a great site with very passionate sport fans – good to be part of it.
The Blues have already lost this year's Origin series
Hi all – thanks for your comments.
I take on board that this isn’t my best article – I looked to experiment with a different viewpoint and angle, and granted they sometimes don’t always hit the mark. Hopefully as a writer the best thing you can do is admit when you haven’t produced your best work – which you can add to your experience.
Anyway look forward to getting out another one this week that encourages passion and healthy debate once again.
Cheers
Andrew
The Blues have already lost this year's Origin series
Great Brisbane support – remember the 2008 World Cup final and 2010 Four Nations crowds.. 50,000+ each.
Gripping contest just what Test footy needed
Firstly, thanks so much for your comments Pete.
To your points – good idea about the potential kick for goal to make it 20-12. I guess they thought they were on a roll, and a try was going to knock the Aussies out anyway.
The answer to your second question is simply one thing: money. It is more commercial viable to have a match in Australia rather than in New Zealand. It also has to do with better viewing ratings – if held in NZ, kick off time of 5.30pm won’t attract the same TV numbers as at 7.30pm.
Auckland got 35,000 to watch the 2012 ANZAC Test which is great, North Harbour Stadium has also traditionally done well with crowd numbers.
The Four Nations to be held later this year in Australia and New Zealand will provide Kiwi fans the chance to see NZ in action – the same as when the 2010 Four Nations was held (i.e. a match in Christchurch also). There will be Kiwi games in Whangarei, Dunedin and Wellington which has the final – superb stuff.
Gripping contest just what Test footy needed
Thanks TahDan. I really like your idea about rescheduling – and purely focusing on Tri Nations/Four Nations. The ANZAC Test is supposed to be the start of the Test season in Australasia – as England have their now regular Autumn international series with France and another European country.
Gripping contest just what Test footy needed
On your point about the ratings and crowd numbers for Origin isn’t down…. why is it that NSW hasn’t won a series since 2005 but people don’t slag it off as a non-contest like the media has this week? Just wanted to get your thoughts on this turbo.
Gripping contest just what Test footy needed
The betting is an interesting one… probably the Aussies are generally going to be paying anywhere from $1.10 – $1.60 due to their record over the last 116 years.. even if New Zealand started winning more often. But the Kiwis, until they start does this (even one in every three of four matches), will be at least $3.00.
Gripping contest just what Test footy needed
Do you mean you would hold the mid-season Test every two years, or two years for each Test between NZ and Australia?
Interesting point about Sydneysiders though, I take your point – they don’t seem to get behind Test football.
Gripping contest just what Test footy needed
Nice comments Scott, glad you thought it was a good game too. Very gutsy by Kearney but as you say, you have to give him credit for sticking by his convictions!
Gripping contest just what Test footy needed
Turbodewd – how can you comment if you didn’t watch it? Echoing Crosscoder here..
Gripping contest just what Test footy needed
Come on Fil – with that mindset the game will never develop internationally..do some research into the history of Test rugby league and it might change your view. Rugby League Project is a good start.
Gripping contest just what Test footy needed
Definitely Renegade. A bit like the great Aussie cricket team of the early 2000’s… this is one of the great Kangaroo sides… for these young Kiwis it was a great performance too.
Gripping contest just what Test footy needed
Agree Lovey – it was a close one right until the end.
Gripping contest just what Test footy needed
Thanks Sheek – great to hear the thoughts of someone who was at the game too!
Gripping contest just what Test footy needed
Great words Sleiman – agree – more positivity is the key!
Gripping contest just what Test footy needed
Thanks Atko – Tate and Hodges have certainly had special careers. Tate’s 100 metre try in the first Tri-Nations game in 2005 (he bet about seven players) will always remain in my memory – and his resilience to come back from such serious neck injuries. Hodges too.
NRL's 'ten-year men' prove the value of veterans
Thanks Planko, nice link to the good players play for good teams too, agree.
NRL's 'ten-year men' prove the value of veterans
Hi Jake – again, this is just a selection of some of NRL’s veterans – and I’d hope people would debate/disagree/agree with me….
NRL's 'ten-year men' prove the value of veterans
If they keep winning they will get first dibs!
State of Origin in trouble unless it evolves