News that covers Rugby League in Australia.
Money. Everything I will be writing about in this article comes back to money. Just remember that. This week we have seen various journalists and media types attacking the National Rugby League over what they believe to be a lack of access to players, coaches and officials. Their argument is that journalists should get more…
By all accounts, Andrew Fifita struggled with his decision to leave the Cronulla Sharks and take up a rich four year deal with the Canterbury Bulldogs. There are reports that he broke down what he told his Cronulla Sharks team mates of his decision. As a club the Sharks have been through so much together…
The Daily Telegraph is reporting that ASADA has focused it’s investigation into the use of performance enhancing substances on four Cronulla Sharks players from the 2011 team, and that those four players will be issued with show cause notices by the end of the month. This is a significant escalation in the ASADA investigation. Any…
In the last 48 hours I have seen two different photos of two different players having a quiet beer at a pub. They were not doing anything wrong. They were not causing any trouble. They were just two people having a quiet drink. These players were, without their knowledge, photographed during what I would consider…
Andrew Fifita will become one of the highest paid Rugby League players in the world when he joins the Canterbury Bulldogs in 2015. The deal, which New Limited is reporting to be worth $850,000 per season over four years, will see him join the Bullodogs, shunning offers from the Cronulla Sharks, South Sydney Rabbitohs and…
Australian test captain Cameron Smith has signed a 4 year contract extension with the Melbourne Storm, ensuring he remains a one club player. The deal which is set to be one of the richest in the games history will be the final one of Smiths playing career. Smith had been at the center of a…
It is not very often you hear Peter Sterling give his opinion on anything that happens at the Parramatta Eels. There is a good reason for that. Peter Sterling knows that his opinions hold so much weight with the Eels supporter base that he can make or break the club based on a few simple…
One of the more exciting things to watch during the 2014 NRL season is how Sam Tomkins plays in his first season in the NRL. While his performances at the Auckland 9’s were mixed, we now have a full game played in anger on which we can review Tomkins play. So, how did Sam Tomkins…
With the 2014 season about to begin the supporters of 16 National Rugby League clubs have hearts filled with hope and minds filled with dreams. Right now, anyone can win the Grand Final. Basically, everyone is too bloody happy for my liking! I could have written a normal season preview but there are only about…
Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it! For years Rugby League was handcuffed by poor administration. The feeling was that the game needed to move away from an administration run by former footballers. The game needed to be turned into a business, run by business types, and when that happened Rugby…
South Sydney Rabbitohs owner Russell Crowe has opened up about the departure of forward Sam Burgess to Rugby Union, claiming that Burgess would have stayed in Rugby League had he been able to play for New South Wales in the State Of Origin series. That is all well and good, but Sam Burgess isn’t from…
If a Rugby Union web site offered me three times as much money to write about Rugby Union, I’d ditch you lot faster than Sam Burgess decided to ditch the South Sydney Rabbitohs! Sure I’d probably develop narcolepsy, I’d have to come up with some stupid back story about a fancy school I didn’t actually…
In his first outing as an NRL player Sam Tomkins performance at the Auckland 9’s would have to be described as mixed. There is a lot of interest in how Sam Tomkins goes in his transition from Super League with Wigan to the National Rugby League with the New Zealand Warriors. Some people want to…
The North Queensland Cowboys have won the 2014 Auckland 9’s with a 16-7 win over the Brisbane Broncos in the all Queensland final. The Cowboys were great throughout the Auckland 9’s tournament with Gavin Cooper, Kane Linnett and Michael Morgan all playing great football over both days. Paul Green starts his first grade coaching career…
When the Canterbury Bulldogs named their squad for the 2014 Auckland 9’s the first thing I thought about was Des Hasler telling some NRL official that he doesn’t care one little bit about winning the Auckland 9’s. The Bulldogs are not the only team to not quite put their best foot forward for the Auckland…
The Sydney Roosters have announced their 2014 Auckland 9’s squad. Its a mixed squad with co-captains named. Also, Freddy has made it! Interesting… Check them out: Mitchell Pearce (Co-Captain) Jake Friend (Co-Captain) Shaun Kenny-Dowall Aidan Guerra Kane Evans Daniel Tupou Samisoni Langi Jackson Hastings Dylan Napa Isaac Liu Nene Macdonald Jonathon Rueben Paul Rokolati Rhyse…
The Penrith Panthers have announced their 2014 Auckland 9’s squad. The Panthers look like they are going all out to win the Auckland 9’s title. They have named just about the strongest team in the competition in terms of first grade talent. Check them out: Matt Moylan Wes Naiqama Josh Mansour Isaac John Kevin Naiqama…
The Parramatta Eels have announced their 2014 Auckland 9’s squad. This squad I think is a bit of a dark horse. They have a lot of players in this side well suited to Rugby League 9’s football. Might be a team to watch out for. Check them out: Willie Tonga (c) Kenny Edwards Bureta Faraimo…
The Canterbury Bulldogs have announced their 2014 Auckland 9’s squad. Its pretty much what I would have expected out of Des Hasler. They look like they will be doing the bare minimum required. The highlight of this squad for me is the addition of Eddie Muphy! Check it out: Sam Perrett Mitch Brown Chase Stanley…
The South Sydney Rabbitohs have announced their 2014 Auckland 9’s squad. Captained by Ben Te’o, and featuring Lote Tuqiri, the side isn’t too bad but they have held back a few of their stars. Check it out: Nathan Merritt Beau Champion Alex Johnston Joel Reddy Dylan Walker Luke Keary Apisai Koroisau Dave Tyrrell Irae Simone…
The Gold Coast Titans have named their 2014 Auckland 9’s squad. This is just about the best looking squad that has been named in my opinion. It includes most of their star players. They will be one of the favorites. Check out the side: William Zillman Brad Tighe David Mead Kevin Gordon Albert Kelly Greg…
The North Queensland Cowboys have announced their 2014 Auckland 9’s squad. Johnathan Thurston is not part of the squad but I still think its a pretty good looking side with a number of players that will be well suited to Rugby League 9’s football. Check it out: Lachlan Coote Zac Santo Antonio Winterstein Kane Linnett…
The Manly Sea Eagles have named their 2014 Auckland 9’s squad. Forget everything else, this is all about the triumphant return of Steve Menzies to the National Rugby League! He will play in what is a fairly decent looking squad. Take a look: Cheyse Blair Jamie Buhrer Michael Chee-Kam Daly Cherry-Evans Clinton Gutherson James Hasson…
The St George/Illawarra Dragons have named their 2014 Auckland 9’s squad. They’ve named a fair few of their star players, with Brett Morris to captain the side. Check it out: Josh Dugan Brett Morris (c) Dylan Farrell Nathan Green Jason Nightingale Adam Quinlan Sam Williams Jack de Belin Mitch Rein Tyson Frizell Leeson Ah Mau…
The Brisbane Broncos have announced their 2014 Auckland 9’s Squad. Ben Barba will make his big screen debut for the club at the Auckland 9’s while Corey Parker will captain the side. The Broncos have named a fairly strong lineup. Check it out: Ben Barba Josh Hoffman Dale Copley Alex Glenn Stewart Mills Kodi Nikorima…
The Melbourne Storm have announced their 2014 Auckland 9’s squad. The team does not include any of the “big three” and relies heavily on non first grade players: William Chambers Sisa Waqa Joel Romelo Mahe Fonua Matt Duffie Young Tonumaipea Mitch Garbutt Justin O’Neill Tohu Harris Matthew Lodge Kevin Proctor Ryan Hoffman (c) Slade Griffin…
In what has to be one of the most ridiculous things a current administrator has ever said, NRL Chief Operating Officer Jim Doyle has told the Sydney Morning Herald that he would like to see Rugby League 9’s turned into a hybrid game. While speaking of the potential to expand Rugby League 9’s into a…
Rugby League trial games don’t mean a great deal in the grand scheme of things. No one should look too much into the results. Their main function is to help bring players up to match fitness and maybe work on a few combinations heading into the new season. Still, that hasn’t stopped Geoff Toovey from…
The New Zealand Warriors have re-signed halfback Shaun Johnson through to the end of the 2017 season. It is great news for the club heading into the start of a new season. I’m a big fan of Shaun Johnson. His re-signing with the Warriors is good news for Rugby League. He gives the Warriors a…
Reports out of England suggest that South Sydney Rabbitohs forward Sam Burgess has already signed a three year deal with the English Rugby Football Union that will see him playing Rugby Union for Bath by the end of 2014. Former English Rugby League player Andrew Farrell is said to have helped negotiate the deal during…