In this episode of Fergo and The Freak we look at the disconnect between what the mainstream media finds interesting and what the majority of Rugby League supporters find interesting. We look at the changing media landscape, the way the reporting of the game has evolved, and talk about how things may change into the…
When you look back over the last 15 years of the Cronulla Sharks the club has offered up a bit of a mixed bag of results. Going from a team everyone would like to see win its first NRL title, to being one of the most disliked clubs across the game due to the ASADA…
On this episode we look at the long and varied history of repetitive and systematic cheating of the salary cap rules in the NRL. From the very first season of its existence to the 2019 season. Did your team break the cap? Listen to find out! If you enjoy this episode make sure you subscribe…
The 2004 season was one full of turmoil for the National Rugby League. With off field scandals, rule changes and talk of big name players going to Rugby Union, it seemed like 2004 was a whirlwind of media noise that in many ways the game still feels the repercussions of to this very day. In…
Former Australian Rugby Union player Ben Darwin from Gain Line Analytics joined the Fergo and The Freak podcast to talk about how his company uses Rugby League statistics to measure team cohesion and find the holy grail of analytics use in sports. Team chemistry. Team chemistry has been a bit of a blind spot in…
Former Wallaby Ben Darwin from Gain Line Analytics joins us to talk about the the use of Rugby League statistics, the importance of cohesion on the outcome of NRL games, as well the affect cohesion has across all sporting codes as well as in the workplace. This was a fascinating discussion and is an episode…
On the latest episode of the Fergo And The Freak podcast journalist Matt Attard joins us once again as we take a look back on the 2004 season, one full of controversy and change. We look at some of the rule changes that have been brought into the games since then including two referees, the…
In episode 8 of Fergo and The Freak the boys talk about the opening of the magnificent Bankwest Stadium, the Parramatta Eels demolition job against the Wests Tigers, the season long struggles of the Penrith Panthers and then finish up talking about the two weirdest school excursions in Australian history! Make sure you subscribe to…
In this episode we look at Greg Inglis’ retirement and the drama surrounding the possible salary cap implications for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Eye Gouging allegations and how they are handled, what should happen when a player is badly injured on the field and play is allowed to continue, and the rising retirement age among…
Fergo and The Freak, hosted by Rugby League historian Andrew Ferguson and Rugby League writer League Freak is the best Rugby League podcast you can listen to. With so much buzz surrounding the podcast it is time to show you all of the places you can download and subscribe it! Below is a list of…
In this episode we talk about Israel Folau’s sacking and the virtue signalling surrounding it, the ARL’s hypocrisy in shutting down a possible return to Rugby League, the media’s attacks on Valentine Holmes, Greg Inglis’ future and Anthony Mundine’s Anti-Vax comments. This is a stacked episode so make sure you subscribe and give us a…
Journalist Matt Attard joins the podcast to talk about the Canterbury Bulldogs, how the clubs 2019 NRL season is shaping up, Dean Pays contract extension, the future of the club, his thoughts on Belmore Sports Ground and how the mainstream media treats the Bulldogs. Subscribe to the podcast and give us a five star rating!…
In this weeks episode Andrew Ferguson and League Freak look back at the fight by Dennis Tutty to fight for the rights of players to be able to move between clubs freely, how that lead to the modern day Rugby League contract, failed moves to bring a draft into the NRL, and why an NRL…
In episode three of Fergo and The Freak we andrew YOUR questions! Its a short buy sweet episode but we still manage to get into a few interesting subjects as well as giving a few shout outs to our listeners. You can click below to have a listen, however, if you want to subscribe to…
In episode 2 of Fergo and The Freak Andrew and League Freak talk about the history of Rugby League expansion in Australia, the loss of clubs, what clubs could be relocated to new areas and which areas are ripe for expansion. You can now subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and Spotify, otherwise you can…
The very first episode of the Fergo and The Freak podcast has arrived! In this episode we talk about the history of international Rugby League, from its very beginnings, the establishment of the Rugby League World Cup, we look at the changes that need to be made, eligibility rules, and how we would change the…
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…
The absurdity of the second tier salary cap has reared its head quite emphatically in the past week due to the circumstances that have prevented talented Penrith rookie Fullback Matt Moylan not being allowed to play because his match payments would exceed the club’s second tier salary cap and thus, put the Panthers over the…
Within a minute after the full time siren sounds on grand final day, NRL clubs turn their attention to membership drives. Memberships are a good source of revenue for clubs and are used to try and get fans closer to their club with members only features, such as invitations to training days and team functions,…
Ever wondered how much damage one little lie could do? One Newcastle player certainly found out the hard way. Before the salary cap was introduced, players had to play for the team representing the area they lived in. If a player residing in Sydney wished to change clubs, he had to leave the suburb he…
“I was with Ray until the end.” Sam Haron wasn’t anyone special or significant to the greater public. He was an average person enjoying his life. In 1933, he managed to begin the greatest dream of his life, to tour with the Australian Rugby League Kangaroo’s to England, on board the S.S. Jervis Bay as a Rugby…
Okay, so the title of the article is done, time for polite to fuck off! Background: I’ve been a Balmain fan since 1988 and a Wests Tigers supporter since their inception. I say fan for Balmain because I loved that club. I say supporter for the latter, because as much as I want to tell…
He had a brain for rugby league, creative, speedy, successful and spent most of his life with a bullet in his chest. He was Duncan Thompson. Thompson was born in Warwick, Queensland on March 14, 1895. He joined the Australian Bank of Commerce in 1911. While at Ipswich he represented Combined Country in 1913 and…
In 1908, Rugby League in Australia and New Zealand was officially born. So too, unfortunately, was the first reported attempt to fix a game. Northerners though were always keen for a punt, however one punter attempted to go one step further to get a win. Wigan were the competition heavyweights for season 1908-09, and rightfully…
Comparisons between players of the past with those currently playing the game have been an oft discussed topic. But ultimately it is near impossible to know certifiably just how good players would have performed under the current rules, against different opposition and the tactics of the modern game. Player weight variances would be of the…
There are a number of pertinent issues in Rugby League in Australia today that are the result of over a decade of self-interest by the NRL. A lot of these can be quickly and easily rectified through the implementation of a smarter draw. What the NRL needs to do is look back at what the…