Having suffered a heartbreaking defeat at the semi-final stages of last year’s World Cup, there are signs of hope for the England rugby league boys as they prepare for a huge challenge in the Four Nations. The Return of International Rugby League International rugby league received a shot in the arm last Autumn when the…
As the 2014 Rugby League Four Nations edges closer, excitement has been rapidly building following the squad announcements of all four teams. This year’s tournament – involving Australia, New Zealand, England and Samoa – will be the fourth time the event has been held, and thrilling conclusions to the Super League and NRL seasons has…
From the eye-popping virtuosity of Jonathan Davies to the stupefying mediocrity of Jon Gallagher, countless Rugby Union players have crossed the great divide to Rugby League with varying results. But how well have personalities from other sports fared when entering the blood and thunder of 13-a-side? Liam Botham – Cricket Probably the only godson of…
I can’t think of too many other sports in the entire world that sees top of the line players depart at the peak of their careers to pursue “dreams” of doing other things. Rugby League should be very proud of the fact that it produces world class athletes that can even consider switching to other…
First of all let me say that it is a very brave decision for a player on well over $1 million a year to walk away from all that money to chase any dream. Jarryd Hayne obviously has a real drive to try his hand at becoming an NFL player and if he feels that…
NRL CEO David Smith has made some interesting statements in the aftermath of news that Jarryd Hayne would be leaving the NRL to pursue his dream to play in the NRL. Smith has explained that he was in contact with Hayne’s management as late as last night and was willing to do what ever it…
Hands up if you thought at the start of 2014 that Blake Austin would be a sought after recruit and that a club’s fans would celebrate upon signing him? Anyone with their hand up needs to be called in for questioning, because you’re telling fibs. Austin began the year not only behind Braith Anasta for…
The Rugby Football League have suspended Wigan forward Ben Flower for 6 months for his vicious assault on St Helens playmaker Lance Hohaia in the opening minutes of the 2014 Super League Grand Final. The majority of this 6 month suspension will be served during the off season, meaning Flower looks like he will miss,…
Ben Flower’s vicious attack on Lance Hohaia in the 2014 Super League Grand Final has raised an interesting argument. There is a lot of speculation that Police are looking into the incident. In these sorts of situations you sometimes need a complaint to be made or pursued by the victim for anything to gain momentum,…
Australia has named a brigade of fresh new faces in their 2014 Four Nations squad. Injuries have really taken their toll on the Australian team and while people have been quick to say that players have pulled out of the squad a little too easily, I think most people underestimate the brutal grind the NRL…
Ben Flowers vicious attack on Lance Hohaia in the 2014 Super League Grand Final is the most vicious, cowardly act I have ever seen on a Rugby League field in all my life. That Flower was sent off just two minutes into the biggest game of the year, without hesitation, says it all about how…
Check out this fantastic infographic that takes a look at both St Helens and Wigan as we head into the 2014 Super League Grand Final:
When the most successful club in the history of the game adds to their success, the history books all need rewritten. The South Sydney Rabbitohs triumph on Sunday evening was a proud moment for Rugby League. For the vast majority of Australian Rugby League history a club with it’s sights set on winning the title…
When I was in high school I had a friend that supported the South Sydney Rabbitohs. It was something he didn’t mention too much though. This was when George Piggins was running the club and they looked like they did not belong anywhere near the top level of the game. After high school I remember…
Cynical. I can’t help it! When I read that Leeds Rhinos boss Gary Hetherington urged the RFL and its clubs to block Todd Carney’s move to the Catalan Dragons on the grounds that it damaged the reputation of the game, I knew right then and there that I should go through all of the players…
Do you remember when the Gold Coast Titans first entered the NRL? They were a new team with a new name, new jerseys, a new stadium, a new centre of excellence…the future looked bright! They gave their new coach a long term deal because he was going to lead this new team of players to…
There is a phenomenon that occurs among sports fans who follow a team for many years, especially a team that struggles to win games for a long time and then turns things around and becomes successful. You see, these people will follow their team through thick and thin. Through the good times and the bad….
It’s true. I was there. I saw it all. Call me a witness. Call me a fly on the wall. Call me maybe. It doesn’t matter because I was there. So we all walked into a large room with a round white table in the middle of it. Around it sat all the bad guys,…
I know it’s been about 20 hours since it last happened in Rugby League but….it’s happening again. THE SKY IS FALLING!!! When the Canterbury Bulldogs kicked the ball through the defensive line and it’s hit the referee it enacted what is possibly my favourite rule in the entire game. When the ball hits the referee…
As a Penrith Panthers supporters it is rare that I get to see my team play I. A semi final at all. When it does happen, my reaction is a little bit strange compared to other people whose football teams make it this far in the season. I don’t get nervous at all. Not one…
The boss of Channel 9 has told the Daily Telegraph that he is open to broadcasting Sunday afternoon football games live on the proviso that it works out in terms of the advertising he can sell during those broadcasts. Channel 9’s delayed coverage is a relic of a bygone era. Supporters of the match have…
The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting that St George/Illawarra Dragons winger Brett Morris has asked the club for a release so that he can join his brother at the Canterbury Bulldogs. Incredibly the Herald suggests that the Dragons told Morris to look around for a new contract at other clubs, feeling that his current contract…
When a referee makes a mistake I expect a good commentary team to discuss the decision. I want them to break down why the decision was wrong, show evidence that it was wrong, and then talk briefly about the possible ramifications that will follow from that wrong decision before going back to calling the football…
The Canterbury Bulldogs did it again. They came into the NRL Finals Series looking busted. No one gave them a chance. No one was mentioning them at all when they spoke of the Premiership favourites. They were supposed to be one and done. What followed was an old fashioned ambush!!! The Melbourne Storm didn’t know…
With five minutes remaining in last nights NRL finals match between the Sydney Roosters and the Penrith Panthers, Mitchell Pearce had his moment in the bag. Criticism that Pearce has carried over the years of not turning up and leading from the front when it really mattered was shattered when he took on the Panthers…
Round 26 of the 2014 NRL season was incredible. With so many games that actually meant something, and with so much on the line, the competition had a real buzz about it in the final round of the regular season. How many games did we watch this season that didn’t really mean much? When we…
I remember seeing pictures on TV of a packed Balmain Leagues Club on Grand Final day. I remember the spirit the Tigers had. The Tigers had a special group of players at the time, players that their supporter base really connected with. The Balmain Tigers went close, as close as you can get, but ultimately…
So the World Club Challenge has now been expanded and the World Club Series will become the latest cash grab by clubs on both sides of the world. Great, looks like League Freak needs to make another bloody banner for his site! The NRL Grand Finalists will join a third team and play one off…
You know, apart from the rules, the time keeping, the referees, the salary cap, the schedule and the venues…..nothing in Rugby League needs changed according to the NRL. No other sport on the planet decides to change it’s rules as often as Rugby League does. In some ways it can be a blessing, after all…
I don’t you know about you but I tend to watch Rugby League because I enjoy it. Last night I watched my Penrith Panthers put up a decent effort in the first half only to get blown away by the Melbourne Storm in the end. To be honest, from very early on in the match…