A Look at Everything

Rugby World Cup 2011 is over for another 4 years and even with the IRB trying to ruin it in every way possible. Samoan players lead a revolt with Fuimaono Sapolu leading the charge via twitter where he has not been afraid to voice his concerns. His first post that got the attention of the world was when he compared the World Cup scheduling for minnow nations to the Holocaust. If you are on twitter follow him @eliota_sapolu he is worth following. I have to agree with him, not with the holocaust comparison but the scheduling for the minnow nations needs to be addressed. Namibia played 4 games in 16 days while New Zealand had at least 7 days break between each game. Not fair at all.

Four Nations Rugby League will start early tomorrow morning in England with Australia heavily favoured to win back the trophy. They might have flogged the Kiwi's on a really dry track in Newcastle but the English conditions play into the hands of the Kiwi's. A team full of Warriors who play every second week in similar conditions will surely make it a more playing field. We cant forget that New Zealand is a great tournament team, they improve with every game they play. We will all get a better track of how things will pan out by about 8:30 tomorrow morning.

England can seriously challenge New Zealand but not Australia. That being said they are on their own turf and the games in the northern hemisphere are refereed by a different rule book in terms of a short defence and quick ruck. That will help them out and minor miracles will help the cause of Wales.

Todd Carney back in the NRL a good thing? I will say yes. On this site not that long ago I implied that Carney may be an alcoholic. Looking back it was a foolish thing to say and here's why. He's 25 years old and entitled to a drink and since coming to Sydney he has really done nothing wrong. Yes he got caught for DUI but his blood alcohol content was .05 which is the legal limit of a fully licensed driver. Carney being on his P-Plates was the thing that got him in trouble. I dont know how many times we have all run the gauntlet driving home after a night on the drink. You'd be lying if you said you hadn't done it. He has also said before that if he is asked by his new club to stop he will. The newspapers use the phrase 'boozy night out' so much to the point it has become a cliche and if I have learnt anything its lazy journalism.

International Rules in Melbourne. Who really gives a crap. AFL is the one football code in Australia that doesnt really have an international presence and thats the way it should be kept. I think the first game is in Melbourne tonight and they have only pre-sold 10,000 tickets. Great Response from the sporting capital of the world.

The Aussie cricket team is in South Africa and will play the 3rd ODI tonight. The find of the tour so far has been young Pat Cummins. When I say young he is the same age as this blogger but his pace and variation has the experts saying he should be playing test cricket during the Australia Summer against India. Why not give him a game in South Africa where he can learn the conditions. South Africa is the only place in the world with conditions similar to Australia hence being the reason why we haven't lost a test series in 42 years. If the selectors do give him the chance they must make him the long term solution. In 6 or 7 years this guy has the ability to be spearheading the bowling attack and if the selectors believe this why wait getting him into the team.

Damage out.

Its Showtime.

And here we are once again 29 weeks down and just one game left for season 2011. The Grand Final. 16 started, 2 remain and quite honestly no one could have predicted a Manly vs New Zealand decider at the start of the year. I thought Manly might struggle a bit this year after having a very good 5 seasons previously but they proved me wrong big time. The Warriors always had the talent but lacked composure when it counted against tough opposition. Their defence lacked desperation but the last fortnight they have recitified that issue also.

So who will lift the trophy when its all said and done? I think the Warriors in a close game. Admittedly I hate Manly as much as the next league fan but I just think the Warriors have too much class all over the park. Feleti Mateo will have a big bearing on the fortunes of his team. He was a vital part of the Parramatta team that went to the GF 2 years ago and its no coincidence he is once again a focal point for New Zealand. Shaun Johnson, James Maloney will steer the forwards around and get them through their sets much like they did against Melbourne. And we cant forget the beast, Kevin Locke following the big forwards and creating havoc. This is a football team that is incredibly dangerous and Manly will have to play extremely well to win.


While everyone hates Manly its hard not to be impressed with what this team has achieved this year with the youngests halves combination in recent memory. The return of Brett Stewart, career best form of Jamie Lyon and Glenn Stewart on the right edge has the opposition on red alert. Watmough is due for a 'DNA Freak' performance, the under-rated workers in Shane Rodney, Joe Galuveo and the exciting young talent that comes off the bench. There is plenty of reason for Silvertail fans to get excited as they play their 3rd Grand Final in 5 years.

I think we will see a cracker-jack game of footy as New Zealand attempt to win their first premiership and Manly gun for their 8th title. Regardless of the result it will be a memorable end to season 2011.

Sydney City's Horror Year (oh and the semi finals arent too fary away)

Are the Roosters the most poorly behaved club in the NRL? Do they have a bad drinking culture?

After what has transpired this week, the answers to both questions would be yes.

Coach Brian Smith says in every press conference after the games that they "give away too many penalites and drop too much ball". The main theme I am trying to get across to you is that the problems at the Roosters is discipline.

I get the vibe that maybe some of the players feel as though they are bigger than the club and that they have no respect for the jersey on and off the field. Nate Myles in every game club game this year has looked a shadow of the player everybody knows he can be. Is it a case of complacency or just no respect for the Roosters. The Daily Telegraph revealed on Thursday that Nick Politis just plain doesnt like Myles which was the reason why he was free to negociate with rival clubs with a year still to run on his current contract. 

Has this affected his form? Showing up to work each day knowing your'ne not wanted must be a tough spot to be in. Surely he could find some motivation in playing for his mates until years end. Despite a bad year a club level for Nate Myles he had an awesome State of Origin series for Queensland where he looked very comfortable and more like the Nate Myles of 2010.

Take Myles away and there is a bloke Named Todd Carney. Everyone knows the troubles that he has had off the field and we could talk about them all day.

I will say this though. When the Roosters signed Carney from purgatory in 2009 they knew full well the baggage that he brought with him. He gets sober for a year along with some of his teammates and they have a stunning year with Carney winning the Dally M Medal. Everyone knows the talent that is Todd Carney but I get the feeling that the Roosters though the problem was fixed.

Being an alchoholic is a fight that is never truly won and over the ensuing off season it had been reported that Carney was back on the drink. Knowing the baggage that he had, Nick Politis and Steve Noyce had a chance to try and steer Carney back to sobriety. I believe if the Roosters acted early they could have maybe had a chance at stopping the drink-driving case in February, the all night drinking session with Anthony Watts and the latest indiscretion with Myles and Frank-Paul Nuuausala.

On a positive note, Darren Lockyer plays career game 350. Possibly the biggest milestone the game has ever seen and the papers are filled with the Hollywood horror story that has become the Sydney Roosters 2011 season. Broncos v Cowboys is a sell-out for the occasion as it should be and it could determine which club will make a top 4 finish pending on what the Dragons can muster for the final 4 weeks before the playoffs.

Knights and Warriors play an important match across the ditch. This is another match that will have a big bearing on the final make up of the top 8.

Wests Tigers will attempt to win their 5th game on the spin as they take on Penrith at Centrebet Stadium where they haven't won in 5 years. They will need to win to get out of the dreaded 8th spot.

If the Rabbitohs defeat Canberra which they should, they will keep their September hopes alive.

All in all the game is in an awesome position and just about any team on their day can win the premiership come semi final time.

Up The Knights!!

New Scheduling

'Television Rights' seems to be the topic on the tip of every League fan's tongue. As a Rugby League tragic I was thrilled to read in the Daily Telegraph today about the '27th' and '28th' rounds that could be included in the 2013 season.

This will mean that these rounds will include stand alone representative weekends as well as a 'Super Round' that will see triple header NRL Fixtures being held at Suncorp and ANZ Stadium respectively. State Of Origin will also see mass change as it could move to a Monday Night in order to lighten the load on our rep players as well as maintain the standard of NRL Matches.

It will also see "state against state" move across the Tasman and for the first time we could see an Auckland vs Counties fixture as well as at Toyota Cup level. I will say by seeing the possible line-ups for the Kiwi fixture it would be an awesome concept that would give the New Zealand players a chance to represent their place of 'Origin' and give them a good mid year hit out for their Test team.

The array of talent on display can only benefit the game and give guys on the fringe of Test selection a chance to prove themselves for inclusion in the national team.

The 'Super Round' is another really good idea that the new Independant Commissioners will look at. Sydney fans will have the chance to see three games back to back at ANZ Stadium. As a Sydney resident I would be very quick to get a ticket that will allow you to watch some of the best entertainment the country has to offer. Not just once, but three times which could be the beginning of an annual tradition.

Queensland fans wont be dissapointed as they will get the chance to see all three Queensland teams and possibly the new Brisbane Bombers all on one day at Suncorp Stadium. These fixtures will allow the game to create even more revenue for the clubs involved.

If we cast our mids back to 1999, on the opening weekend a double header at the new 'Stadium Australia' as it was known then saw 104,000 fans come through the gates. In recent years, Brisbane has been holding an annual double header for Bronco's and Titans fans which has seen crowds of up to 50,000 in attendance.

I'm not sure why the NRL haven't talked about this concept more before but with the TV rights being negotiated next year, its come into conversation at a really good time.

On another note, I heard this week that West Tigers star Simon Dwyer's career is in massive jeopardy after the horrific nerve damage suffered against the Bulldogs. If he is forced to retire it will be a sad day not only for Tigers fans but League fans in general. His future in the game looked to be huge with Tim Sheens once claiming "he's the closest backrower I have seen to Bradley Clyde at his age". As far as compliments go, they don't get any bigger. He had become my favourite player to watch this season.

I shudder to think that we have seen the last of Dwyer, but if it is he has left an indellible mark on the game in a short time. No one will forget his shoulder charge on Jarred Waerea-Hargreaves in last years epic Qualifying Final. His game against South Sydney at the SFS earlier this season was as dominant performance I have seen from a backrower this year. From all League fans I hope he can recover and continue to play for the Wests Tigers.

The Glory Bound Rounds!

State Of Origin is over for another year and again Queensland are just too good on the night. While the excitement of Origin is gone for another year we must remember that semi-final football is only 8 weeks away.

The rep period allowed teams less affected by Origin such as Newcastle, Cronulla and Penrith to close the gap and move into the top 8 with Cronulla just outside after their season looked dead and buried.

Teams like the Tigers, Bulldogs and Warriors werent able to capitalise despite each team only having one player committed to Origin duites. The Bulldogs in particular have been poor while the Tigers lost 3 in a row and young backrower Simon Dwyer for the season. The Warriors lost 4 on the trot but got back on track with a solid win over the Gold Coast Titans.

The top 5 looks to be all but a certainty just the places have to be finalised. Melbourne, St George Illawarra and Brisbane all looking in good shape after being heavily affected by Origin. North Queensland will have to make the finals without Johnathon Thurston and look the worst for wear coming into the back end of the year.

The Bottom half of the 8 will be an interesting battle week to week. For and against will become a big factor and positions 6, 7 and 8 will be changing every week and at times every couple of hours.

I'm going to make a bold prediction and say the West Tigers will not make the 8 despite being tagged as a competition heavyweight before the season started.

I also thought that if Cronulla could win 8 games this year that it would be somewhat of a successful season. I'll go one better and say they will finish in 8th position. They will need to win at least 13 games for the year equating to 6 wins from their last 8 games.

There is still a lot of football to be played until we get to the magical month of September and almost anything can happen. If it gets as exciting as last year did, we are in for one hell of a rollercoaster ride.

Knights to win the comp in 2011?

Origin III

Its so close you can almost feel it. Origin III is here and Phil Gould said it today, this could be the biggest one of all.

The Blues seem to have the most concerns injury wise with a 20 man squad named this afternoon with Stuart retaining all of the team from Game II.

Keith Galloway gets a call up into the squad with a chance to make his debut if players are ruled out. He gets the nod over Tom Learoyd-Lahrs as a reward for his fantastic form. Glenn Stewart earns a recall to the squad and will play if Beau Scott succumbs to injury.

Justin Hodges is all but a certainty to play his first Origin game in two years and Dave Taylor could face a nervous wait with the judiciary.

Now the teams have been sorted, lets fast forward to Wednesday night. It will be your typical Origin game, but there is so much more at stake. Darren Lockyer's last game will bring out the best in Queenslanders and they will be extremely tough to beat. They will be a lot better side than the one we saw in Game II. There is no more motivation needed to win this game of football and to continue 'the streak'.

New South Wales, well they dont need much motivation to get up for the game either. They know what they have to do to win at Lang Park, they came so close only one month ago. They will continue to play an expansive game which will play into their hands with the dry conditions in Brisbane.

Ricky Stuart has also said this group of men have exceeded his expectations with the commitment and desire shown to win back interstate supremacy.

Its almost like a classic Heavyweight Boxing match.

Queensland- the powerful, well oiled machine who dont think they can win they expect to. Under the reign of Meninga, its become a culture so deeply ingrained that winning football games is as automatic as brushing your teeth in the morning.

New South Wales- The challengers, on the trail and so close to winning back the shield. The past five years have tested the character and resilience of this football team. At times they have passed the test but more often then not they have failed in the big moments. Now the tide has turned, you can sense that anybody can win and its a talking point with every league fan.

Only ten more days and NSW will face their biggest test and more than ever they need to pass. If they fail it will be another case of 'here we go again'.

GO THE BLUES!!!

Issues In The Game.

Another week and there seems to be more and more controversies creeping into the great game of Rugby League.

The question on everyone's lips is whether or not representative players should stand down for 2 club games instead of one to better prepare for the decider in State Of Origin?.

In a perfect world the answer is yes. But is club success more important that NSW winning a State Of Origin Series?. Ricky Stuart would say yes. This was highlighted when he asked the St George-Illawarra and Manly players to consider standing down from the round 16 Monday night game which will see at least half his team in action and risking injury.

Had the Sharks lost today, Paul Gallen said he would have given a lot of thought to standing down from his club duties with Cronulla.

With half the NSW team expected to play on a Monday night 9 days before the game with the other half of the team already in camp. This will mean that Ricky Stuart wont have half his team to train until the Thursday or Friday before the game. If game two of the series was the most important game in a couple of seasons, then the decider could arguably the biggest clash in the history of Origin such is the importance of the game.

Its very easy to see where Ricky Stuart is coming from but its almost certain the clubs will not let their rep players stand down. The NRL clubs are responsible for paying the players bills and making them the players that they are today. Not to mention their team mates who rep players owe a lot of their personal success to.

A solution possibly, could this be the way of the future?

Like Cricket, the NRL could adopt a top 25 or 30 player central contract system that is linked with their club and respective state. With the Independant Commission set to come into action within the next year, I think this is an idea that could be looked at for the future.

Stand alone State Of Origin was trialled in 2001 on a Sunday night and it was quickly axed due to ratings and other circumstances. Wednesday night Origin works and I dont think that the fans should be robbed of a whole weekend of club football.

People will argue that the quality of Rugby League suffers when rep stars are missing. This might be true but it gives clubs a chance to blood young players and give them some experience which can only be a benefit in the long run. Had the Dragons had all their rep stars available, would Alex Mckinnon have had a chance to score a double on debut.

There is many ways of looking at this issue and I'm sure that changes will be made in the coming years to the representative schedule.