Roar Rookie
Joined April 2020
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This article isn't about State of Origin. It's not about rule-changers or rule-breakers. Hell, this article isn't even about the NRL. Well, it is and…
There's no better feeling. After a few barging hit-ups down the guts by the men in the middle, you get inside the opponent's 30-metre…
Lord's, 1973, the third Test versus England - Garfield Sobers closes a day's play on 31 not out. Not exactly living up to his…
Is it just me, or are there a lot of rugby league players injured at the moment? It seems like there are so many…
I first noticed it during the famous Michael Bevan game, and I saw it again in India in 2001 and in England in 2005.…
Firstly, I will provide a brief explanation of the secret. If you haven’t caught it yet, The Book of Basketball is a highly enjoyable…
Haha no offence intended mate 😛 Did you by any chance ever happen to play against Benny Hunt or Dave Taylor? They are a few years apart, but if you did, it’s likely that we may have locked horns at one stage. The miners were always a tough team to play, especially at home and one of the nicer parks to play at in CQ.
I was pretty good mates with Merv o’Flannagan in the rep sides at the time. Great fella and could play a bit too….. believe he’s in Japan these days.
The corner of the map the NRL doesn't give a stuff about
That’s how I always thought of it too, we used to do family trips to Mackay all the time and around about the time we hit Nebo pub was when we started feeling like we were in NQ.
The corner of the map the NRL doesn't give a stuff about
I would think that they have, they wouldn’t be short of a quid that’s for sure…. Every now and again, one of the big conglomerates (BMA or Rio Tinto for example) would put on an act or two (like Cat Empire). Obviously, relocating an NRL game would cost a bit more than the couple of hundred thousand they would stump up for the concerts…. but arguably it would generate more community goodwill and exposure than the shows.
It causes me to wonder how much a team profits on any given weekend through gate receipts and the like. Obviously this depends on the team, Broncos would make more out of a game than the Sharks for example, but it would be interesting to know what every league team makes on a weekend on average crowd figures, not-including TV money.
The corner of the map the NRL doesn't give a stuff about
Yeah more than likely right NOIP, money rules the game these days, and unless the broncos are able to stump up the potential cash-loss, it doesn’t look like they will be coming up north anytime soon.
As you mentioned, the only way I could see it going ahead, is if there were some junior affiliation agreement, like a scout-catchment area partnership for a regional area and the NRL and one of the clubs boosted some dollars to get a game up here.
On another note, the local catholic college previously had an arrangement with the Dragons (of all teams), which I always found a little strange. So you never know.
The corner of the map the NRL doesn't give a stuff about
Haha fair enough, but you don’t think the NRL could at least twist an arm or two 😁
The corner of the map the NRL doesn't give a stuff about
It’s interesting mate, I know there are probably a lot of logistical and financial hurdles before something like that gets signed off, but I know the President of a local Senior League team around here and he has said, he has made approaches to even get a QCup game played at the humble but proud little ground and he keeps getting knocked back over scheduling clashes and the like.
I am sure that there are a fair amount of politics involved behind the scenes.
The corner of the map the NRL doesn't give a stuff about
Geeeeeeez bathurst to Townsville….. that’s commitment and a love for the game. How long is that? A couple of days driving surely?
The corner of the map the NRL doesn't give a stuff about
Just curious but what reasons do you think would entice a club to go out to country areas? Do you think it’s purely a money thing?
The corner of the map the NRL doesn't give a stuff about
Agree mate, I just think now, more than ever, with all the sides in QLD you would be able to get a game around this way.
Seeing Coaching Clinics would be great, but would love to see NRL/Clubs put a bit more financial oomph into grassroots clinics.
Remember going to a few when I was younger, perhaps it’s changed now, but I remember my parents splashing a few hundred bucks on one.
I do hope that the country and rural regions in NSW also get a few more games when the COVID situation calms down a bit, as a bit of a reward for all the footy that NSW fans have lost this year.
The corner of the map the NRL doesn't give a stuff about
Your probably right there Paul. It all has to do with money these days unfortunately, but that is the nature of the beast in 2021 isn’t it?
It’s a bit surprising that, considering the revenue the region generates in Coal and Beef, one of the big multinational mining companies hasn’t been able to get more games organized this way.
Looks like a partnership agreement is the way forward.
The corner of the map the NRL doesn't give a stuff about
Thank you mate, just trying to bring a bit of a country perspective to the roar.
The corner of the map the NRL doesn't give a stuff about
I’d hazard a guess that your right about the mining dollars, and it seems it could be an issue for any CQ NRL bid, because the mining industry is quite dynamic in the way it goes up and down.
I agree with you too, that country towns shouldn’t necessarily have to go holding out their hats to the NRL. The NRL could be a bit more proactive in this area, as other sports are starting to gain ground in former league heartlands.
Thanos for your comment mate 👍
The corner of the map the NRL doesn't give a stuff about
You got me mate, I kinda knew writing this article that someone would catch me out!
Damn google haha. Thanks for your comment
The corner of the map the NRL doesn't give a stuff about
Haha, I just wondered whether you would include Mackay in CQ, but yes not too far away mate. Would like to see more games played.
Also a fan of the Capras and Cutters too.
Thanks for your comment mate 👍
The corner of the map the NRL doesn't give a stuff about
Haha thanks Nat, if I had to hazard a guess, you’d be one of those tough old lads from the Central West?
Nothing but the respect for people out that way, seeing the lengths they would go to to get a game and get their kids involved was incredible.
Great people too. Have many memories of heading out Barcaldine and Longreach way, staying in the shearing sheds, and the people would always welcome you with open arms and put on a big feed.
Hard as nails on the field, but wouldn’t find better people off it.
I know the pain mate, I think there is still a fair bit of skin of mine left on old Crusher Park. For a while, there used to be a hard old cricket pitch in the middle. Bluff was a tough park too.
Understand about Browne Park too. Not an NRL quality stadium by any means, but you would see alot of people travel quite far to get involved in the game.
The corner of the map the NRL doesn't give a stuff about
Somersault or roll, some of these guys get up high haha.
I’ve also wondered that too. If you are going for the low dive, why not try to wedge in back towards the goalposts rather than stray out more towards the sideline.
How long will the 'winger somersault' be around for?
Thats fair Paul. I must admit when I was writing the article, that sentence felt a little bit awkward.
Agreed to an extent about the corner post. You are probably right when you say that the NRL encouraged this kind of behaviour when they removed the corner post rule.
Its a weird balance here, because as you say, its a very entertaining part of the game and that translates into converted viewers and, you would assume, $$$.
Also I share your view that its a difficult area of the game to legislate. Where do the borders of personal responsibility lie?
Currently, I really enjoy it. But I just know it will take one major neck, head or back injury for the whole thing to come into question.
How long will the 'winger somersault' be around for?
Thank you for the suggestion Just Nuisance! I had heard of Clive Rice before, but only briefly. Seems to have been an unfortunate victim of South Africa’s Apartheid Isolation Era. But you are right on the mark. He had an incredible FC record. Scored 48 centuries at 40 and took over 900 wickets at 22. That would rank as one of the best all-rounder averages of all time.
In search of the mythical five-in-one cricketer
Agreed. The youth academys these days seem to direct players to specialize in one skill and focus on that, understandably so. I have often heard of a few players who went into such academies and were a bowler or batsmen, but were then encouraged to take up a different path.
In search of the mythical five-in-one cricketer
Apparently a good dancer too, maybe a 7 tool player. Haha, Pope Paull VII your comment gave me a good belly laugh 😂
In search of the mythical five-in-one cricketer
If only Ace, if only… Seems it would be a bit easier to just cross the Tasman rather than to take a trip around the world to old blighty.
Australia has been looking for a player like him for an odd 15-20 years, probably longer. Watson was Stokes-lite, and Mitchell Marsh hasn’t been able to string it together.
In search of the mythical five-in-one cricketer
Thank you Bernie, I wasn’t aware of the changing arms rule. Can you imagine that? A bowler who could bowl pace and spin with both left and right arms. That would be a complete mystery to face as a batsmen. But like you said, we may never see it as its extremely rare.
In search of the mythical five-in-one cricketer
Thanks for the comment JGK. I think what Bradman meant by a five-in-one player when talking about Sobers, is that he suggested he could bowl both spin and pace, bat for power or precision and he was also a great fielder by all accounts.
I’m not sure if its that exactly, but along those lines.
And thats exactly what I was thinking. T20 seems to have brought in a great degree of innovation and experimentation when it comes to batting, and perhaps that has been a little ahead of the innovation in bowling. You are right. It seems no good late innings or death bowler in T20 is worth his salt without a back of the hand slower ball.
In search of the mythical five-in-one cricketer
I wasn’t aware that Grieggy could do a bit of both. I knew he was a pretty strong batsman and a well-regarded captain that could roll the arm over.
It also brings into question what an all-rounder is. Traditionally we see an all-rounder as someone who could bat and bowl, but my father used to argue, for example, that Gilchrist was an all-rounder because he performed two different skills to a high standard.
In search of the mythical five-in-one cricketer
Haha nice mate, they were some strong teams back in those days, I remember our seniors used to cop a fair flogging from those teams. Think they had a mini dynasty going if I remember correctly?
The corner of the map the NRL doesn't give a stuff about