Each and every week until the finals I will present the totally unofficial LeagueFreak.com power rankings. Just a quick explanation, these are not based on who the better team is, or who would win if they played each other etc, it’s more a who would be happier with where they are, form, judgement type of…
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…
There is no doubt that at representative level, Johnathan Thurston’s record is incredible. You can not deny his impact on Queensland’s historic State Of Origin winning run. Throw in his fantastic record at international level, that now include that elusive World Cup victory, and Thurston has done it all at rep level where the great…
South Sydney youngster Luke Keary will meet with NRL Head Of Football Todd Greenberg in an effort to break the brand new State Of Origin eligibility rules and play for Queensland. Keary, who under the new rules qualifies only to play for New South Wales, is being supported by the Queensland Rugby League. There is…
Would you be shocked if I told you that Queensland was whinging once again about State Of Origin eligibility rules? This time the issue surrounds South Sydney youngster Luke Keary. Keary was born in Queensland but moved to New South Wales at a young enough age that he no longer qualifies to play for Queensland….
Over the course of the World Cup Australian Rugby League and National Rugby League officials spent time in the UK meeting with their UK counterparts from various sporting codes. It allowed Australian officials to spend well over a month on an extended fact finding mission they normally wouldn’t have had the time to complete. Out…
A week has passed since another heartbreaking origin series defeat. The dust has settled, and everyone has come to grip with the embarrassing reality that Queensland have stretched their streak to 8. In the emotional heat immediately succeeding game 3, many were quick to blame NSW no. 7 Mitchell Pearce for the 12-10 defeat. At…
The autopsies have wrapped up. Wally Lewis has induced some sedatives. We’ve allowed enough time for a Mal Meninga piece about rodents and grime. That means the emotional dust has officially settled on State of Origin 2013 and it’s time for the sensible wash-up from the straight-thinking public. Canvassing y’all intelligent realists, I’m hearing the…
The 2010 State Of Origin series was the first sporting even in Australia to be shown in 3D. In the lead up, the series the different retailers pushed 3D televisions heavily on the public. They created a buzz. If you didn’t have a 3D television, you’d be missing out. You didn’t want to be the…
Mitchell Pearce has played more games at halfback for New South Wales than any other player in State Of Origin history. He has never been in a series winning side. Many people would suggest it’s unfair to state those two facts. Let’s face it, there are a number of players in the New South Wales…
We are horrified! How embarrassing for Rugby League! What a disgrace! Let’s go and interview his family and friends! You have to love the Australian media sometimes. They love nothing more than to hoist their false outrage banners and go on crusades righting perceived wrongs. When some fmoron run onto the field last night, I…
The 2013 Rugby League State Of Origin series is now over. Game three saw Queensland win their 8th straight State Of Origin series and now we can all look back and rate the players. My State Of Origin player ratings are harsh. I don’t really care if you like them or not. I don’t want…
Queensland has won a classic State Of Origin match in Sydney, wrapping up game three 12-10 and securing a record 8th straight series in a row. Queenslands defense won them this game. Despite a lopsided penalty count and a pile of tackle after tackle defending their own try line, the Queensland scrambling defense was nothing…
I feel like we have been here before… New South Wales got the 2013 State Of Origin series off to a great start with an emphatic victory in Sydney. Then, as soon as the game finished, things started going pear shaped for the Blues. Injuries and suspensions and crushed the optimism New South Wales had…
Because a knee jerk reaction from the NRL has seen an issue (fighting) that was under control blow up to dominate discussion in the game, it has allowed crazies to come out of the woodwork and put forward ideas that do not pass the ten second test. What is the ten second test? Well if…
The teams have been selected. The referees have been told that both sides are cheating. Queensland drank some beer. New South Wales didn’t drink some beer. The stage has now been set for an epic conclusion to the 2013 State Of Origin series. So, what would I like to see happen in this game. You…
Newcastle Knights winger James McManus will play just his second State Of Origin match next Wednesday night in a move that sees the in form winger make a decision I completely understand. McManus, who was born in Scotland, has turned his back on a walk up start in the World Cup for his nation of…
The Queensland Rugby League have named their lineup for the third and deciding game of the 2013 State Of Origin series. As expected there have been no changes to the team that completely annihilated New South Wales in game two. The Maroons have brought Jacob Lillyman and Will Chambers into the squad though. The official…
At present a lot has been said about Origin ruining Club Football weekends as we have only 4 lacklustre games played per Origin weekend and only to keep broadcasters happy though most of these games are shells of themselves. For example Roosters vs. Bulldogs was Sonny Bill’s return to the Kennel at ANZ Stadium the…
Note: Jarryd Hayne, Paul Gallen and Josh Renynolds were replaced by James McManus, Aaron Woods and Boyd Cordner respectively. The New South Wales Rugby League has named a 20 man squad heading into State Of Origin game three. After getting smashed in the second game there have been a coupl of slight changes to the…
Paul Gallen has been a fantastic leader for the Cronulla Sharks. At times he has taken opposition teams on single handedly up front, hitting the ball up without fear, making a million tackles, he has simply never let the Sharks down. At State Of Origin level it has been more of the same. Even as…
Game two of the 2013 State Of Origin series was a disaster for New South Wales. Not too many of the Blues players could hold their head high after the 26-6 thrashing Queensland handed them. Two players stood out though… Aaron Woods and Nathan Merritt made their State Of Origin debuts after a groundswell of…
Game two of the 2013 State Of Origin series was an ambush. Queensland came out breathing fire and New South Wales simply could not stand up to the pressure. In the aftermath of such a complete and utter beat down, its always fun to rate the performances of players from both teams. I tend to…
Normally the Bulldogs hosting the Roosters would be a big game. Especially when you consider where both teams are on the competition ladder and that Sonny Bill Williams was making his return after walking out on the Bulldogs all those years ago. Instead, the Friday night clash between these two clubs felt like an afterthought….
When Mal Meninga woke up on Monday morning and saw that Blake Ferguson was in trouble with the police and Josh Dugan has been out with his good buddy on the drink before they went into NSW State Of Origin camp, he must have thought all his Christmas’ come at once. Granted, as a Queenslander…
The Queensland Rugby League team have made a few changes to the team that lost the first game of the 2013 State Of Origin series. Ashley Harrison and David Shillington have been dropped in a strong statement by Mal Meninga while Daly Cherry-Evans and Josh Papalii make their State Of Origin debuts. Here is a look…
This day had been coming for a long time… For what ever reason, Rugby League loves to forgive its own when they make a mistake. Some would suggest that is a strength of the game, that Rugby League always looks after its own. There comes a point though when the game need to choose between…
It took a matter of hours for Blake Ferguson and Josh Dugan to get into trouble after being reunited as State Of Origin team mates. The allegations against Ferguson, with Dugan mostly said to be a passive third party, are still sketchy. Something is alleged to have happened at a nightclub, a woman was involved,…
Note: Blake Ferguson was replaced by Nathan Merritt after Ferguson was charged with indecent assault. The New South Wales Rugby League has announced the team that will take on Queensland in the second game of the 2013 State Of origin series to be held at Suncorp Stadium is Brisbane. After winning game one at ANZ…
It didn’t take long for the perfect world that the New South Wales camp had created to be shattered by injuries and suspensions. With Jarryd Hayne struggling to overcome a hamstring injury and James Tamou getting taxi’s everywhere from now on, the Blues have a couple of big holes in their lineup they may have…