In what is being described as a “mutual decision” made in conjunction with the Australian Rugby League Commission, David Gallop has decided to stand down as the CEO of the NRL only 4 months into a four year contract. I think it was time. David Gallop took over, reluctantly, as the NRL CEO in 2002…
At the beginning of the year the Penrith Panthers were a club looking to reinvent itself. It needed to happen, they needed to draw a line in the sand and put an era of complete and utter failure firmly in the rear view mirror. One of the major moved forward was that the club announced…
So the NRL Referees have used Brad Fittler to get around their bosses, Bill Harrigan and Stuart Raper, to contact NRL CEO David Gallop and tell him they no longer have confidence in Harrigan and Raper. Hmmm… Firstly, what is David Gallop doing even sitting down at that meeting. Aside from the fact that Brad…
Game one of the 2012 State Of Origin series was a very interesting game for a number of reasons. I personally didn’t think it was the highest quality game, I think neither side played at their best, but both probably learned a lot from that first game and I think both teams will be thinking…
Game one of the 2012 State Of Origin series was a very interesting game for a number of reasons. I personally didn’t think it was the highest quality game, I think neither side played at their best, but both probably learned a lot from that first game and I think both teams will be thinking…
Josh, Josh, Josh…. You know, Canberra Raiders fans don’t ask for much from you. They kinda know what the deal by now. Basically, you’re a good fullback, but every time you get tackled you get up slower than Apollo Creed in Rocky II. You’re more injury prone than Mr Glass from Unbreakable. Hell, you missed…
Is it unreasonable to suggest that the biggest domestic sporting event in Australia would generate enough money to see the participants in that contest earning $50,000 each? No, not really? That is the situation we face right now with the State Of Origin series. The Rugby League Players Association is pushing for a pay increase…
The Queensland Rugby League has announced the Maroons side for game one of the State Of Origin series and there were basically no surprises what so ever. The Queenslanders have a big production around the announcement of their side and its pretty funny if only for the fact that you have so many journo’s who…
The NSWRL has announced the Blues State Of Origin side for game one and I have to say, its a lineup I really like and one that looks like its been selected to attack the Maroons and really go after a win rather than trying to defend its way to a series. When you have…
As we have seen in recent years gambling on sports has become a major issue with a number of sporting organisations. Many try to form partnerships with gambling organizations in an effort to try to stamp out corruption in a move that see’s a sporting organisation retain the integrity of the sport they govern while…
Earlier this year on Twitter Phil Gould was answering questions put to him by Penrith Panthers fans and tried his best to convey the terrible position the clubs previous management had left the club in in regards to the salary cap. Gould didn’t beat around the bush either. He basically said that the club was…
You are a unique and delicate flower. There is no one else quite like you. You are special. So very, very special. You are a Rugby League fan living in the “heartlands”. The game is belongs to you. Who cares about anywhere else, you come first and that is the way that it should always…
Recently Warrington Wolves coach Tony Smith told the media that the game administrators needed to look at ways to create more buzz around the sport and compared it, strangely, to Darts. Yes, Darts. He also talked about the need to make decisions that would probably upset some of the big power brokers in the game,…
As many of you know I have complained a number of times about the money wasted in Sydney on stadium developments at venues that are no where near the standards required for top level sport these days. I have talked about the need for some sort of stadium rationalization for years now. Today came news…
It has been a bit of an interesting week in the National Rugby League with different different teams facing different issues that really come back to personal responsibility. In Canberra, the Raiders season has once again got off to a terrible start and there is talk that an alcohol ban imposed by the club went…
I love a good grudge match and tonight’s Bulldogs vs Sea Eagles match is about as good of a grudge match as you will find. It all stems back to the Sea Eagles implosion after winning the Grand Final. Their success on the field had been masking a lot of issues off the field and…
I don’t need to hear from Rugby League coaches any more. Coaches are cheats and liars. The don’t care about anything other than winning their next game. They have no interest in what is best for the game overall, they don’t care about their opposition, in fact they really don’t care about their players either….
When you get to representative level, the players you assemble are the best of the best. Bigger, faster, stronger, more skillful and with more endurance. It is that last asset that I think is seeing the bench rotation at representative level evolve into something different than what we have become accustomed to seeing over the…
Why do people like international football? At its very core, the most basic level, why do we like watching test matches between international teams? I like to this it comes down to seeing how one group of people from one part of the world plays compared to another group of people from another part of…
The New Zealand team contains an Aussie. The Australian team contains a Kiwi and a Fijian. One side was picked with an eye on State of Origin. The game won’t even be shown live into Australia. So why should I care? As a die hard Rugby League fan that grew up watching some great test…
Last night Australia selected New Zealand born and raised James Tamou to play for the Kangaroo’s. He will go on to play for New South Wales in the State Of Origin series. It is a move that has caused uproar among fans and the media. Nobody feels like this is the right thing to be…
After pleading guilty to bashing his pregnant girlfriend in late 2011, Robert Lui has been suspended by the NRL for the remainder or the 2012 season. Lui will be allowed to resume playing for the North Queensland Cowboys next season, who signed him knowing the charges he faced, because if he can go for 12…
As a lifelong female fan and supporter of Rugby League, I am appalled by today’s decision regarding Robert Lui. I am fortunate to have a local JRL club run by a strong woman, and the Under 9 team my son plays in has a fantastic female player. The piss weak one year ban is a…
Nathan Tinkler formed Hunter Sports Group with the long term goal, according to him, of building a sporting legacy for the Newcastle and greater Hunter region. His first move came 18 months ago when he purchased the Newcastle Jets Soccer club and saved them from folding. Last year though, he claimed his biggest prize when…
When Ben Te’o blasted Matthew Groat last Friday night and knocked him unconscious, I knew what was to follow. Pure hysteria, stupidity and talk of an unfair playing field. The NRL came out just a few days ago to reassure everyone that the shoulder charge was here to stay. That didn’t stop the media from…
The Football Federation Of Australia (Soccer) has announced today that they will start up a Western Sydney based A League team. It has been interesting to see the way the media has reacted to the news, as they look for the dumbed down, sensationalist angle about a “code war” that doesn’t actually exist. The A…
One of the main talking points for the first month or so of the 2012 NRL Off Season has been off the field and it’s a big issue – the next TV Rights Deal and indeed who they will go to. Now for those who don’t know (which I doubt will be many of you)…
Queensland’s winning run at State Of Origin level burns away at me every single day. When I watch games I rate the form of possible Origin players, as well as the Queenslanders. I think that New South Wales are in a much better position than they were say two years ago. Now we know who…
As a Penrith Panthers fan, I didn’t want to see Cooper Cronk leave the Melbourne Storm. Having been talent scouted by the Storm, developed, given his first grade debut and blossomed into a super star of the game at the club, I thought it would have been tragic to see Cronk leave the Storm and…
The Wests Tigers come into the 2012 season as Premiership favorites. They had made a number of big moves in the off season and many felt that they would kick on and go all the way this year after falling just short the last few seasons. Things don’t always follow the script. After starting the…