News that covers Rugby League in Australia.
Phil Rothfield of the Daily Telegraph is reporting that Australian test coach Tim Sheens was offered the interim Cronulla Sharks coaching role last night, only to turn it down. It is not a huge surprise that the Sharks turned to Tim Sheens. He is a very experienced coach who has seen just about every situation…
Queensland has announced its team for the third game of the 2014 State Of Origin series. There have been a few changes due to injuries but surprisingly the side isn’t all that different from the team that last game two and the series. Queensland Official State Of Origin Team For Game Three 1. Billy Slater…
Peter Sharp has quit his role as interim coach of the Cronulla Sharks effective immediately. At this stage no replacement has been named. Sharp stated that he did not want to take over the role when Shane Flanagan was suspended for 12 months due to the ASADA investigation. As it turns out he did not…
Canterbury Bulldogs utility Reni Maitua has been placed on an 18 month good behaviour bond after being found guilty of intimidating a taxi driver in November 2013. Maitua’s defense was that he had been going through a tough time in his life with personal issue’s and injury that could have put an end to his…
Todd Carney once again finds his Rugby League career in tatters after yet another off field incident. The Cronulla Sharks decision to sack him, and the timing of his sacking (just one day before the June 30 deadline that allowed players to switch teams), makes it hard to see where Carney goes from here. I…
Todd Carney has been sacked by the Cronulla Sharks after a picture of his was circulated on social media last night that showed him urinating into his own mouth. Carney, who has had a number of chances over the course of his career, will be hard pressed to get his football career back on track…
Fairfax is reporting that players from the Manly Sea Eagles and Gold Coast Titans are under investigation by the NRL Integrity Unit for placing bets on Rugby League matches. The NRL released a statement yesterday refuting claims that they were investigating a wide spread betting problem within the game. While the bets in question are…
News Limited is reporting that the Brisbane Broncos have targeted New South Wales State Of Origin forward Trent Merrin as a perfect replacement for Corey Parker as the club looks towards it’s longer term future. Merrin is not off contract until the end of the 2015 season. That means rival NRL clubs can not even…
Sydney Roosters lower grade center Tautau Moga will move to the North Queensland Cowboys before the June 30 deadline in an effort to help the Cowboys get through a crippling injury crisis. Players are allowed to transfer between NRL clubs before June 30 and Moga has been on the lookout for a first grade opportunity…
Wests Tigers fullback James Tedecso has fractured his kneecap during the first tackle of the Wests Tigers clash with the Canberra Raiders. Wests Tigers officials have said the kneecap was fractured and separated and that he will require surgery. The recovery time was estimated to be between 10-12 weeks. Tedesco was injured in a collision…
The following in an official press release from the National Rugby League: The NRL says it has found no evidence of widespread abuse of betting rules in initial investigations into possible breaches of the NRL’s Code of Conduct. Chief Operating Officer Jim Doyle said on Saturday that the Integrity Unit had audited the betting records…
The NRL Integrity Unit is investigating a number of players for allegedly betting on Rugby League games. NRL players, coaches and officials are not allowed to bet on Rugby League games under any circumstances. Even if they bet on games they are not involved in. It is something that is written into their contracts. The…
Blake Ferguson has had his appeal against an indecent assault conviction denied. Significantly however Judge Michael Finnane decided that Ferguson’s bond would be reduced to 12 months and that no conviction would be recorded. Blake Ferguson is currently on the payroll of the Sydney Roosters were he is employed in an “off field” role. Expect…
League Freakosaurus. That is what David Smith and the new NRL regime would have you call me. I’m a dinosaur from a bygone era that wants to watch a tough game of football that occasional see’s two dudes start throwing punches. It is no good for the game. It makes it hard to market the…
There is currently a very troubling story circulating in the rugby league rumour mill that the Canberra Raiders are interested in signing Robert Lui. As a Raiders fan I honestly can’t think of a player in the NRL that I am less interested in bringing to the club. Not just because he’s a mediocre player…
Somewhat surprisingly, after just one series loss after eight straight wins, there is talk of Mal Meninga turning to the next generation of superstars in Origin three. Although I severely doubt there will be sweeping changes, surely a dead rubber Origin game is the perfect place to blood the stars of the future. One enforced…
As time goes on the whispers are getting louder that Wayne Bennett will head back to the St George/Illawarra Dragons and coach them for a second time in 2015. Bennett has a lot of options to consider when it comes to his coaching future. Some have even suggested that Bennett may look to move into…
It’s an ongoing debate in stadiums, lounge rooms and pubs around Australia – who is the most injury prone player in the NRL? Now it’s very easy to bag from the sideline. Most of us are has-beens who never really amounted to much more than fourth grade trundlers, but being fantasy players, well it’s just…
Parramatta Eels fullback Jarryd Hayne and South Sydney Rabbitohs forward Sam Burgess are leading the Dally M points count after 15 rounds. It is a great effort by Jarryd Hayne in particular when you consider he has missed two NRL games leading into State Of Origin 1 & 2. The current Dally M points leaders…
Former NRL referee Bill Harrigan has told News Limited that Chris Sandow should have been sent off, not given ten minutes in the sin bin, for asking referee Ben Cummings “How much are they paying you/”. I tend to agree with Bill Harrigan, you can’t go attacking the integrity on any official so directly without…
He is the highest paid player in the NRL, and at 31 years of age he isn’t getting any younger. As the North Queensland Cowboys fell to the lowly Newcastle Knights 36-28 at Hunter Stadium last night, I couldn’t help but wonder if it is time for the Cowboys highest paid player to concentrate on…
Ricky Stuart was quoted in the media last week saying that for the club to rebuild, more short-term pain would probably be required. Ricky was, however, adamant that better times were coming as the club developed, and recruited, the sorts of players needed for the future. Then, on Friday night, we got a little bit…
In an incredible moment of honesty, Cronulla Sharks captain Paul Gallen has said that Sharks players have not put 100% into this season because they don’t believe the coach has put in 100% himself. “I don’t think players have been putting in 100 per cent because they are under the impression that Sharpie isn’t putting…
Sam Tomkins joined the New Zealand Warriors this season after they paid a big transfer fee for the young Englishmen some in England claimed to be one of the very best players in the world. I reviewed Tomkins form earlier in the season and now that we are at the halfway point of the season…
As part of redevelopment plans ANZ will be rolling out a series of statues to stand outside the stadium that represent great moments in the stadiums history. One suggestion put forward is that Paul Gallen should be immortalised in this way for leading New South Wales to it’s first State Of Origin victory since 2005….
Queensland were gracious in defeat, New South Wales were respectful in victory. That was one of the main talking points coming out of State Of Origin two. Don’t tell that to former Queensland player Greg Dowling though.. Dowling has launched a full on attack aimed squarely at anything any everything New South Wales, admitting he…
Andrew Proszenko has an interesting article in the Sydney Morning Herald today that suggests that South Sydney may be willing to give halfback Adam Reynolds an early release from his contract after signing QLD Cup player Cody Walker. It would be a huge call on South Sydney’s behalf but it is clear the club is…
We all remember the famous “Thats In Queensland” song that took the piss out of all of the players the Queensland Rugby League team selected from different parts of the world. Now the bloke that put that tune together has come up with a new one. An apology to Queensland! Check it out:
Rugby League Weeks The Mole is reporting that Sydney Roosters centre Michael Jennings might not play again this season due to a torn latissimus dorsi. BREAKING: Moley hearing Mick Jennings of @sydneyroosters may not play again this YEAR — The Mole (@RLW_Mole) June 19, 2014 For all those asking about @M_Jennings_03 , he has a…
Greg Inglis has been very quiet by his standards in the 2014 State Of Origin series. A lack of opportunities and very good defense by New South Wales have seen Inglis have very little impact on the first two games. In the past Billy Slater has looked untouchable in the fullback role for Queensland and Australia….