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…
The NRL has brought in a list of new rule changes and rule interpretations ahead of the 2014 season. While some of these rules will be good and help move the game along, other just seem like change for changes sake. The new rules that have been brought in for the 2014 NRL season are:…
It is going to be very difficult for Sonny Bill Williams to avoid being suspend for a high shot on Willie Mason that occurred in the Roosters 28-12 win over the Newcastle Knights. The shot he put on Mason was high and hard. It was enough to stun Mason and it was put on report…
On face value, it is hard to argue against the original intent of banning shoulder charges. The NRL came out with statistics that showed that, while shoulder charge’s made up a very small percentage of overall tackles made, the amount of concussions and injuries that come out of shoulder charges were very high. I hated…
When Paul Gallen put a combination on Nate Myles chin in State Of Origin one, it was a major talking point in the game. It didn’t matter what else happened in the contest, the way Gallen went after Myles was a moment every single person that watched the game wanted to talk about. The reaction…
The NRL has announced that it will introduce a 30 second time limit on the formation of scrums in an effort to speed up the game. There will also be a change to the time limit currently applied to line drop outs, with the limit dropped from 40 seconds down to 30 seconds. These changed…
Rugby League coaches never lose games. Ever. There is always something that gets in the way of a Rugby League coaches perfect plan to take down the opposition. Injuries, suspensions, the terrible schedule, the rep season….there is always some reason why a coach didn’t manage to get the win. Of course, the most obvious reason coaches…
An attacking player that is not in possession of the ball is not allowed to obstruct a defender. It is a really, really simple rule that has been over complicated. Do you know who is to blame for that? Coaches. You see for some reason when rules come up for review in Rugby League, we go and…
There will be a number of rule changes that will come into effect for the 2013 NRL season. Their announcement has come at a strange time but then again, with the way the ARLC is making decisions, you can’t be all that surprised. From the NRL official web site the new rules are: Benefit Of The…
When you cross the white line and onto the playing surface of a Rugby League field, the risk level rises. Rugby League is a tough sport and there are about a million ways to get injured playing the game. When you take the field, you know the risks, and you accept them. When you become…
The NRL came out yesterday with a curious announcement that, one week out from the finals, it would send any shoulder charge that made contact with a players head or neck straight to the judiciary without any grading. This process is usually what happens with the most extreme cases of foul play and usually results…
Hi again. After a bit of positive feedback on the first article, I’m here again to rant. This week we have the so-called ‘Captain’s Challenge’. Whilst I understand that most players/coaches/fans have not been happy with the standard of refereeing this year (or for a number of years it should be said), this initiative will…
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 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…
I always find it very interesting when someone within Rugby League tosses up an idea that is used in another sport, when it is clear they have no idea how that idea is applied in that sport, let alone how it would be applied to Rugby League. The latest idea is the draft, and internal…
The RFL put out and extrardonary press release last night in which they confirmed their planned 2012 tour of New Zealand had been cancelled, blamed Australian administrators for the cancellation, and then decided to change the laws of the game. You know, just because they felt like it! The stupid, pathetic, egotistical failures within the…
The Australian Aboriginals Vs NRL All Stars game is a great concept that ticks so many boxes. Its a fantastic focus for the kickoff to the Rugby League season. It has great fan interaction as people can vote for who they want to play in both sides online. It is a game that can be…
I always find it funny when Super League Imports talk up the quality of Super League and its players. The vast majority of the time I think its just about knowing who butters your bread. Other times I think it just comes down to a player or a coach trying to convince themselves that they are no…
Cause and effect. It is something that gets over looked far too often in Rugby League. When you change one thing, it effects other things you possibly don’t want it to effect. Right now in Super League we are seeing how short sighted moves can effect areas of the game many did not expect. Slow…
I can not wait for this game between the Indigenous All Stars and NRL All Stars earlier next year. I’ve wanted there to be a game for the best Aboriginal players in our game for many years now, and I think the NRL has just about got it right in terms of who they will…