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Tim has been an NRL statistician for ABC Radio Grandstand since 1999, primarily as part of their Canberra coverage. Tim has loved rugby league since Sterlo was a kid with lots of hair but was cursed with having no personal sporting ability whatsoever. He couldn't take a hit in footy, was a third division soccer player making up numbers, plays off 41 in golf and is possibly the worlds worst cricketer ever. He has always been good at arguing the point though and he has a great memory of what happened. Follow Tim on Twitter @GorskiOPork
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The Canberra Raiders have had some superb captains; Dean Lance, Mal Meninga, Ricky Stuart, Alan Tongue and Jarrod Croker. You can now add Josh Hodgson to that list.
Sometimes I feel like if I ever see another Haka again it will be too soon.
There have been lots of NRL supporters who’ve been gleefully watching the steaming excrement sandwich that has been unfolding on the northern beaches over the past five seasons.
This Saturday evening the Kangaroos will clash with the Kiwis in a rugby league Test match. In seasons past I’ve really looked forward to these clashes as they were heated and intense affairs.
Somehow the NRL Match Review Committee managed to only charge Cameron Munster with ‘Contrary Conduct’ for kicking Joseph Manu in the head in the dying moments of the NRL grand final.
So here we are at the final game of the season. I’m not feeling a lot of love for either of these sides out there. However, both are very deserving participants.
So the NRL grand final is upon us and we should all be getting excited and preparing for the big night.
The idea of suspending Billy Slater – the best fullback I’ve ever seen – for the manner of his contact on Sosaia Feki is totally outrageous to me.
7:40pm, Saturday 22 September, Alliance Stadium. This is the last rugby league game at this ground.
There is no love lost between these sides. They really don’t like each other.
If the hysteria is to be believed, we now have the proof that the AFL is clearly better and more popular than the NRL.
Three weeks ago I would have predicted a total blow out to the Rabbitohs in this match. However, the Dragons seem to have found some pretty good form since then and now – back in Sydney – they’ve got to be a chance of beating the Rabbits.
Any way you look at this match the Panthers have a hill to climb if they are going to beat the Sharks.
Okay Josh, you’ve got me. You do get a harder time from the press than most other rugby league players.
To paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of the death of the Dragon’s season were exaggerated. They are now that most hazardous of commodities: a side with nothing to lose and a point to prove.
The Broncos host the Dragons in this elimination final courtesy of nine measly points differential. And should never have come to that.
The second of the top four finals match ups promises to be as much of a cracker as the Storm vs Rabbitohs.
Just as the ladder positions one through four were decided by 85 points on the for-and-against scale, ladder positions five through eight were decided by 31 points.
We kick off the 2018 finals with the battle of second and third. The Rabbitohs really should have locked up the minor premiership but three losses from their final four games saw them slide to third on for and against.
The implosion of the St George Illawarra Dragons has been horrible to watch – akin to an animal in agony.
I love the haka.
I am jealous your nation has it and we have nothing comparable.
I'm totally over the Haka
SoaD, how many times do you reckon both main islands of NZ can fit inside NSW? The distances in Australia between the nations can be absolutely huge and mean there can be huge differences between the Indigenous peoples of Australia.
I'm totally over the Haka
Ben, I’ve never been to NZ either but I constantly see the Haka in spite of that.
Thanks for suggesting I travel to see the others more frequently. I’d love too but feeding and housing my family seems to take all my money.
I'm totally over the Haka
Freedom, You may have noticed that I barely mention my nations Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. It’s not because I don’t care, I do. Its because it is a very complex issue, filled with minefields.
There are so many peoples, so many lands, so many languages. The Yuin nation is thousands of kilometres from the Pinjarup people. How do we get one unified message?
I’d love to see it happen though.
Another reason I’m jealous of the Haka.
I'm totally over the Haka
Not at all unreasonable, no.
But if the activity becomes very widespread and common the respect for it will inevitably erode.
I think it is a magnificent thing. Possibly the best of things.
I'm totally over the Haka
See above comment – because I don’t constantly see those. Because I’m not concerned about them losing significance.
And I just wrote – in the very same article – clear criticism of Australia’s culture. Very clear criticisms. Did you not notice those?
I'm totally over the Haka
I’m saying it is at serious risk of being overused and losing its lustre.
I’m saying be careful with its use – especially if you demand total respect for it.
How Kiwis do their thing is totally up to them.
Go ahead. Knock yourselves out. Not going to stop you. just telling you how I feel about it.
I'm totally over the Haka
Ben, that is half the point of the article! That’s what I’m saying. There are two clear points:
1. the Haka is a wonderful thing and I’m worried that it isn’t being properly cared for and
2. that I’m jealous because Australia has no equivalent.
Further, I don’t see the Tongans, Fijians or Samoans constantly proliferating their cultural performances like I do the kiwis with the Haka.
I'm totally over the Haka
So we agree on its overuse then…
That’s the point of the article.
It will hopefully start a conversation.
Sounds like you should write the rest Bluesfan. Educate us please.
I'm totally over the Haka
Question: did you actually read the article? Your comment has no relevance to the actual content.
I'm totally over the Haka
I’m clearly – quite clearly – saying that Australia has no vague equivalent to the Haka.
I’d love us to have a cultural equivalent from the aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Australian people’s of this country used. Love it. Happy to look there.
I'm totally over the Haka
I have no doubt about the cultural significance at all. My point is that I’m not sure that significance is being cared for as it should.
I'm totally over the Haka
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m sensing sarcasm here…
You might like watching Manly suffer, but we need them
Thanks for taking the time to write that.
Very moving.
Made me feel like a schmuck. Which I know wasn’t your intention.
Thanks for sharing your story. I really appreciate it.
I'm totally over the Haka