News that covers Rugby League in Australia.
Rugby League players made up nearly half of the positive drug tests in Australian sport in 2014 according to the World Anti-Doping Authority. Rugby League players made up 20 of the 49 positive tests in Australia in 2014, making Australia the 7th worst offending country behind Russia (148), Italy (123), India (96), Belgium (91), France…
It came as a shock last night when the Parramatta Eels released the following statement: The Parramatta Eels have granted Kieran Foran an indefinite leave of absence to seek the best possible medical treatment regarding a personal matter. The club will be making no further comment and request that the media respect Kieran’s privacy at…
Mitchell Pearce has been through a lot over the last few months. During his suspension for acting like a tool on Australia Day Pearce has watched his Sydney Roosters go from one disastrous loss to another, culminating in his coach Trent Robinson receiving a fine for attacking the integrity of a referee and decisions made…
Jamie Lyon has accomplished a hell of a lot during his NRL career. He even spent time overseas playing in England absolutely killing it for St Helens. The thing is, when ever I talk to people about Jamie Lyon one subject always gets brought up. The way he left the Parramatta Eels. A lot has…
It is the old misdirection play. The team loses a game and the coach starts to spray the referees in the post match press conference to take pressure off himself, and his team. It is a move that is very old and very effective. Hell, even when you know what is going on you end…
As I watched the Canberra Raiders absolutely thrash Wests Tigers on Saturday I started to things about the clubs recent history and how that would effect the decisions made about the future direction of the club. Having won just 2 of their 8 games so far this season, the Tigers at times have shown glimpses…
During last nights match between the Brisbane Broncos and South Sydney Rabbitohs, Sam Burgess ran at the line, turned his back, passed the ball, and got absolutely smashed. There was nothing wrong with the hit. It was a great hit. If you run at the line and turn your back on 13 humans looking to…
I love Golden Point. Not just The Golden Point Podcast, I also love seeing NRL games decided by a moment of brilliance by one side or the other. One of the reasons I love Rugby League is its unforgiving, uncompromising nature. There are no excuses to be made, you win or lose, and the final…
When it comes to playing the Grand Final in Sydney one thing always gets overlooked. Players want the Grand Final played in Sydney. To them, going to Sydney to play in the Grand Final is part of what makes the biggest day of the year so special. So lets not pretend that we need to…
Rugby League is a sport that is fairly unique in the sense that the games tactics can change organically over time without the need for rule changes or artificial pressures forcing the game in one direction or the other. Rugby League has a set of rules that allows for a variety of attacking and defensive…
Todd Greenberg has been formally announced as the NRL’s new CEO today in probably the least surprising Rugby League news we will see this side of NSW selecting Mitchell Pearce at halfback. It is funny that the NRL’s “world wide” search for a new CEO, that saw them spend a lot of money to find…
After having domestic violence charges against him dropped, and providing recorded evidence to police that proved he was innocent, Hazem El Masri has been reinstated as a Canterbury Bulldogs club ambassador once again. After going through a year in which he was dropped by every organisation he worked for an an ambassador based on unsubstantiated…
Fairfax media is reporting that the NSW Government has sought assurances that two thirds of Sydney based NRL games will be played at Sydney’s three major stadiums before it will make any firm commitment to refurbish, or upgrade any of the major venues used by the National Rugby League. Current plans will see Parramatta Stadium…
The Parramatta Eels have scored an impressive 20-16 win over the North Queensland Cowboys in a tough, exciting game of football. The Eels didn’t play too badly in round one but looked lost without Kieran Foran. His return in round two provided the Eels with a much needed field general on the park, and that…
I’ve always said that alcohol bans at NRL clubs are completely ridiculous. Not because I think players should be able to go out every nights and get hammered, or because they are not enforceable at all, I think they are ridiculous for the simple fact that if my employer said I couldn’t drink at all…
Penrith Panthers general manager Phil Gould has refuted claims made earlier today by journalist James Hooper that Wests Tigers youngster Mitchell Moses took a tour of the Panthers facilities as he considers a possible move to the foot of the mountains. Reports Mitchell Moses is coming to Panthers & he has toured new Panthers facility…
He is the 18 years old fullback for the Sydney Roosters that everyone is giving big wraps to. Best of all, he was born and raised in New South Wales! Latrell Mitchell is already making a name for himself in the NRL. His size, footwork, and the fact that he is competing so well in…
As a Penrith Panthers supporter, I HATE hearing excuses like this. Jamie Soward has told NRL Tonight that the lack of big name players in the Penrith Panthers lineup hurts them when it comes to how referees control their games. “Out at Penrith we don’t really have a big name to go up and question…
Triple M in Sydney is reporting that Wests Tigers half Mitchell Moses took a tour of the Penrith Panthers facilities as he looked to make a decision on his playing future. James Hooper reported that the Panthers are very interested in signing Moses, but his asking price is very high and the Panthers are not…
I’m really looking forward to tonight’s match between the Penrith Panthers and Canterbury Bulldogs. After a disappointing start to the season I think we are going to see how good the Panthers really are this year in tonight’s match. They are at home, they need a big turn around if they don’t want to start…
Seven News is reporting that domestic violence charges against former Bulldogs player Hazem El Masri have been dropped ahead of a hearing on Monday. El Masri was charged with common assault, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, in 2015 after an alleged altercation with his estranged ex wife. El Masri pleased not guilty to the…
The Parramatta Eels have found themselves in a new round of salary cap drama after revelations that the Eels board allegedly rewarded third party sponsors of their own players with free corporate hospitality. This was discussed at board level and is completely against the NRL’s salary cap rules which state that third party sponsors for…
Andrew McFadden isn’t too happy with Graham Lowe after the former Kiwi coach claimed the Warriors were suffering from a “bro culture”. McFadden said the club didn’t have any problems and claimed that Lowe was only saying as much in an effort to get himself back into the game. “He’s obviously very keen to get…
News Limited is reporting that Paul Gallen is upset at what he called “disrespectful” Sharks supporters in the wake of news that he will be on the sidelines for a month with a knee injury. Gallen said the he was hurt that Sharks supporters would question his loyalty to the club after some of them…
Fairfax Media is reporting that the St George/Illawarra Dragons have offered Benji Marshall a one year contract extension, believed to be worth around $300,000. Marshall joined the Dragons after a very brief stint playing Rugby Union in New Zealand. There has been a few rumours that he would re-join the Wests Tigers next season if…
Adam Reynolds has suffered a suspected broken jaw as South Sydney got off their season off to a great start with a dominant win 42-10 over the Sydney Roosters at the football stadium. Played in oppressive heat, the Rabbitohs looked the better team right from kickoff. They dominated possession and field position thanks to mistakes…
News Limited is reporting that former Cricketer Nathan Bracken quit his post as a Parramatta Eels ambassador and threatened to sue the club after his sister-in-law was unable to proceed past the first round of auditions for the Parramatta Eels cheer-leading squad. Bracken has denied these allegations on his Facebook page: Before everyone jumps up…
Corey Norman did not play in the second half of Parramatta’s 17-4 loss to the Brisbane Broncos last night. Nearing the end of the first half last night Norman landed awkwardly in a tackle and slammed his face into the ground. During the second half of last nights match Norman was shown in the dressing…
There was not much entertainment on show in the NRL season opener between the Eels and the Broncos. The Broncos methodically ground away at the Eels to come away with a 17-4 win against an Eels team that was desperately missing the influence of a halfback. The game made headlines for what happened in the…
Mitchell Pearce has been suspended for 8 matches and finned $125,000 for his behaviour on Australia Day which has been the subject of so many headlines. The fine is the largest in Australian Rugby League history, and which $50,000 of that fine is suspended, I still think it is way over the top. I think…