Recent Articles

‘It’s time for an SBW masterclass’ published on theroar.com.au 19/6/13

When Sonny Bill Williams announced he was returning to the game that made him famous, the rugby league world stopped and for a month or two Williams was bigger than Ben Hur.

His face was everywhere.

Finally came his debut for the Sydney Roosters and even then we were treated to SBW voiceovers from Channel Nine as he paced the touchline in Round 1 against the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

But at least there were no more ‘SBW OMG’ promos right?

The Roosters have hit the ground running in season 2013 and have developed a lethal attack headed by James Maloney, Mitchell Pearce and Michael Jennings.

In fact, anyone who has put on a Roosters jersey this year has played out of their skin and it doesn’t hurt to have a first-year coach who knows exactly what he is doing.

Williams’ transition back into the NRL has been seamless and he has his teammates to thank for that.

He can also thank rugby league for the constant headlines away from the field that have kept the big New Zealander out of the spotlight.

The ASADA saga, public outcry over on-field violence, police investigations, Ben Barba’s return, Josh Dugan’s sacking and resurrection and serious problems at both the Wests Tigers and Parramatta Eels have meant Williams can go about his business.

If you wanted anonymity Mr Williams, this is the closest you’re ever going to get.

For all intents and purposes Sonny has been pretty impressive in his return to the NRL. Even in his return match there were signs the devastating force that once dominated at the Canterbury Bulldogs would soon be back at the Bondi club.

Defensively he has been a workhorse and is clearly a better athlete than the one who left us for France way back in 2008.

“I want to be consistent rather than one week you are on fire, the next week you’re not,” Williams told The Daily Telegraph back in April.

“I see it as a massive challenge.

“I don’t worry about what is going on outside and what people are saying and things like that. I just worry about doing my job and doing the little things well.

“I am feeling good. For me it’s about doing the little things well. The one percenters and making sure I have been diligent in my preparation. If I do then the big picture always seems to fall into pace.”

There is no doubting the professionalism of the man and it really is hard to dislike the guy. He has helped create an instant winning culture at the tricolours and has contributed to every win the Roosters have notched up so far in 2013.

But some might say he still has plenty to prove and you could argue that he wasn’t signed by the Roosters to pass the ball before the line. Granted some of his ball playing has been spectacular and he’s set up some slashing tries for his colleagues.

The question is, when will Williams unleash?

Not just play well but really unleash a destructive 80 minute performance?

With Maloney, Pearce and Jennings all missing due to Origin duties the Roosters travel to Homebush for a clash with the Bulldogs. The very side Williams won a premiership with in 2004.

Under Des Hasler the Bulldogs have forged a new era and are one of the heavyweights of the competition.

It’s time SBW went to the next level and reminded Canterbury who he is.

‘Time to remember Super League origins’ published on theroar.com.au 24/6/13

The Super League War is a distant memory to some and will never be forgotten by others. It was quite simply the most tumultuous time in the long history of this great game.

It has been 16 years since the split competitions of Super League and the Australian Rugby League. It was a difficult time for most and nobody paid more than the fans.

While Super League and its supporters were continually vilified, the breakaway competition did drag rugby league kicking and screaming into a new era.

State of Origin suffered too.

In 1997 the ARL kept with the original Origin format, despite a serious erosion of depth and talent. Super League, on the other hand, went with a tri-series competition containing New South Wales, Queensland and New Zealand.

For some, the memory of Super League still burns. But enough water has now flown under the bridge to recognise the representative caps these players received.

When looking through Origin records, startling omissions sit in the 1997 column.

Fringe players at their very best in a united competition, the likes of John Simon and Michael Buettner were selected for New South Wales in ARL’s series and will forever be branded Origin players.

Yet Super League players like Laurie Daley, Andrew Ettingshausen, Glenn Lazarus, and Brad Clyde are still not recognised for their efforts for New South Wales in the tri-series.

With the Super League-aligned Brisbane Broncos boasting so many representative players, Queensland’s ARL squad was severely ravaged.

Who were some of these guys handed Maroons jumpers? Good question.

Remember Danny Moore, Neil Teirney, Jeremy Schloss or Stuart Kelly?

What about Tony Hearn or Clinton O’Brien?

You can’t blame them for being selected and you can’t question their pride as Queenslanders and you’re sure as hell not going to try and take their Origin jumpers away from them.

Yet Queensland legends like Allan Langer, Kevin Walters, Wendell Sailor, Darren Lockyer, Gorden Tallis and Steve Walters all still boast an asterick next to their representative records.

Is it not time for all these men to be remembered for the games they played for their respective states too?

Where is their recognition?

Let’s not forget the quality of those games in ’97 either.

While the ARL series was played out over three dour struggles, the Super League tri-series culminated in one of the great forgotten marathons of the modern era.

In front of over 35,000 fans at Brisbane’s ANZ Stadium, Queensland and New South Wales battled to a 22-all draw after 80 minutes.

Canberra Raiders flyer Brett Mullins bagged a hat-trick, while Queensland’s Steve Renouf crossed for two tries.

After another 20 minutes of extra time, the teams were still locked at 22.

Finally, in the 104th minute, Noel Goldthorpe slotted a booming field goal in the driving rain to hand New South Wales victory.

Blues great Mark Geyer, who was playing for Super League’s Western Reds that year, agrees players from both New South Wales and Queensland’s tri-series competition should be remembered.

“Of course,” Geyer has told The Roar.

“It was what it was. If a joint and harmonious league existed I dare say there’d be players on both sides (of the war) lucky to have played origin.”

‘The best 10 utilities in the NRL’ published on theroar.com.au 25/6/13

They are a necessity of the modern game. Players who can fill more than one position and still get the job done.

They are the utilities and they’re loved by coaches right across the National Rugby League.

But who are the best ten utilities in the NRL?

10: Jamie Buhrer (Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles)
Former New South Wales coach Ricky Stuart shocked many when he selected Buhrer for State of Origin last season. His stay in the Origin arena was short lived but Stuart obviously saw the value in playing the young Sea Eagle.

He may not have kicked on at club level just yet but he gives coach Geoff Toovey a comfort factor from the bench. His ability to play anywhere in the pack and even wider is a great asset for the Eagles.

9: Nathan Peats (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Playing well above his weight each and every week, Peats would be a starting hooker at most other clubs. Issac Luke might have a mortgage on the dummy half position but that hasn’t stopped Peats from carving out a spot of his own in the red and green.

Creative, tough and determined Peats, has become an integral squad member at Redfern.

Peats proved his worth again over the weekend starting in the back row against Parramatta.

8: Chris McQueen (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
McQueen’s impressive rise through the ranks at South Sydney culminated recently with his very first Queensland cap. His selection was no easy feat, considering the dominance the Maroons team has had over such a long period of time.

He may have debuted on the wing but he has quickly developed into a barnstorming back rower who can also mix it in tight with the big boys.

7: Simon Mannering (New Zealand Warriors)
The Warriors and Kiwi captain has been solid if nothing else over an extended period of time in Auckland.

The big New Zealander might be better suited to the second row but can always be relied on to fill-in in the centres and proved as much by being selected there for the ANZAC Test before being ruled out with injury.

Mannering was made Kiwi skipper earlier in 2013 replacing superstar Benji Marshall. A worthy prize for one of New Zealand’s most reliable players.

6: Lewis Brown (Penrith Panthers) 
The greatest compliment Brown can be paid is that the public is still divided as to what really is his best position. Whether it’s second row, hooker or centre, the Warrior-turn-Panther is a dangerous attacking weapon.

Brown is a dangerous line runner but truly came of age in season 2011 out of dummy half. Despite playing in the centres on his way to a grand final appearance with the Warriors, Brown was lethal around the ruck.

5: Ryan Hinchcliffe (Melbourne Storm) 
Hinchcliffe joined the Storm as a bona fide hooker and many thought the former Raider would simply be a backup to star and captain Cameron Smith.

Instead, Hinchcliffe re-invented himself into a hardworking, bustling back rower.

Shows what you can do when you really love the club you play for.

4: Matt Gillett (Brisbane Broncos)
The Brisbane-native has quickly become one of the most important members of the Broncos team after bursting onto the scene in 2010 as the Dally M Rookie of the Year.

Gillett is a natural footballer and thrives at centre or in the forwards.

3: Feleti Mateo (New Zealand Warriors)
What can you say about Feleti Mateo that hasn’t already been said?

The silky ballplayer is one of the most dangerous attacking weapons in the NRL when on his game and has won many games for both the Warriors and his former club Parramatta.

He might be more accustomed to second row or lock, but the Tongan representative can also lead a side at halfback or five-eighth.

Pity he may never wear the sky blue of New South Wales though.

2: Kurt Gidley (Newcastle Knights) 
There is a certain stigma about Gidley with many fans and it might have something to do with a few serious injuries hampering his career.

But on his day and fully fit, there are not many players like him.

The versatile Novocastrian can play anywhere in the backline or hooker and could probably handle lock or second row quite easily. He kicks goals too, which is an added bonus.

Gidley even captained New South Wales from the bench such is his ability to cover almost every position on the field.

1: Sonny Bill Williams (Sydney Roosters)
One of the most fearsome forwards going around in the NRL.

Williams has proven since returning in 2013 he can play tight and rack up statistic after statistic. But as the season has progressed we’ve seen more of the attacking game that made him a superstar all those years ago.

Only last Friday we saw what Sonny could do as an out-and-out pivot, steering the Roosters to a famous victory over Canterbury.

Whether you like it or not, SBW is almost the perfect footballer.

‘Hey Papalii, bring it on big boy’ published on theroar.com.au 26/6/13

Josh Papalii was just seven days old when Queensland and New South Wales went to battle in Game One of the 1992 State of Origin series.

On that night legendary Queensland forwards like Gary Larson, Bob Lindner and Trevor Gillmeister took to the Sydney Football Stadium for another instalment of the greatest rivalry in Australian sport.

All the while, a newborn baby was still adjusting to his brand new life in Auckland.

The Blues won that evening on the back of powerful displays from bookends Paul Harragon and Glenn Lazarus.

It was something similar in Game One of the 2013 series with the Blues engine room outplaying and overpowering a disappointing Maroons pack.

Just like that night way back in 1992, the score finished 14-6.

Queensland had to make changes.

Enter Auckland-born, Queensland-raised, six-foot tall 115 kilogram juggernaut Josh Papalii.

The Canberra Raider deserves his Origin spot on form alone.

Yet media reports suggest that the Blues camp believe Papalii has been selected to headhunt NSW captain Paul Gallen and take the makeshift prop forward out of the contest.

That’s fine with Blues supporters.

If Papalii has been given orders to seek out and destroy our inspirational skipper, then by all means Queensland, go for it.

Queensland would be negating much of this giant’s attacking arsenal. If Papalii only has eyes for Gallen, the rest of his game will deteriorate.

The Canberra Raiders eliminated Cronulla from the 2012 finals series on the back of a dominant performance from Papalii. The match was highlighted by a running battle between Papalii and Gallen.

Papalii won out that day.

But Origin is a different beast and it won’t matter how much advice he gets. He won’t know if he is ready for State of Origin football until he gets into the grind.

The quickest, toughest almighty grind of them all.

And Queensland want him to be Gallen’s kryptonite in his very first taste of the big time?

That’s a hell of a lot of pressure.

Not to mention the target they’ve placed on their own man.

Gallen concedes it won’t just be Papalii looking for a square-up after his fists of fury with Nate Myles in Game One at ANZ Stadium.

“That’s fine, if they want to target me I’ve got 16 other blokes behind me that are going to be right there with me,” Gallen told a media scrum yesterday.

“If they want to concentrate on me, there’s a lot more strike power on the field than me.

“If they just want to worry about me I’ll be happy with that.”

So should the rest of New South Wales.

This is panic, paranoia, and bitterness at its best. The Maroons empire is wobbling.

Those cracks that Laurie Daley speaks of are widening by the minute.

‘Why desperate Tigers can brave the Storm’ published on theroar.com.au 29/6/13

You would have been laughed at a week ago if you suggested the Wests Tigers were a chance of beating the Melbourne Storm tonight at Leichhardt Oval.

But a week is a long time in rugby league.

If the State of Origin period was not enough for them to deal with, Melbourne’s star five-eighth Gareth Widdop was injured last Monday night in a losing effort against the Gold Coast Titans. The classy Englishman suffered a season ending hip injury similar to the one that sidelined Wests Tigers speedster Chris Lawrence in 2011.

Widdop may just have played his last game in a Storm jersey.

Brett Finch was brought back to the Storm for situations exactly like this one. He has been there before and still has enough talent to fill a void in the Melbourne cog. But he is definitely no Gareth Widdop.

Media reports confirmed yesterday that Melbourne would also be without their inspirational skipper Cameron Smith after a bruising Origin encounter on Wednesday.

Eight stitches under his right eye will see the Queensland and Australian captain replaced by Ryan Hinchcliffe.

Storm supporters will argue they can beat anyone on any given day with or without their biggest names. But when you take Smith’s leadership and direction out the Storm just look like another side.

Granted they’re just another side that boasts Cooper Cronk, Billy Slater and Ryan Hoffman.

But what happens when you cut the head of a snake?

Widdop’s absence can’t be underestimated either.

Their opponents have had a horrible season to date and have been ravaged by injuries to key personnel.

Despite missing the likes of Keith Galloway, Chris Lawrence, Tim Moltzen and Lote Tuquri for extended periods Wests have shown plenty of ticker and unearthed some stars of the future in the process.

Unbelievably the Tigers have amassed eight competition points since round eleven.

A remarkable effort considering the obstacles that have been placed in front of them.

We all know the NRL isn’t just about what players you can throw onto the park. It’s just as much about effort and if you don’t show up to play you’ll be beat.

Rain is expected for kickoff and no team has braved the conditions in 2013 quite like Wests.

Last weekend the Tigers upset the Raiders at Campbelltown in monsoonal conditions and did the same in similar weather back in round eleven against the North Queensland Cowboys.

With Origin stars Robbie Farah and Aaron Woods returning and a resurgent Benji Marshall steering the ship, the Tigers are a chance tonight at Leichhardt.

A desperate team is a dangerous team in the NRL and the Tigers are just that.

“It’s getting close to the point where we have to win every game,” Tigers centre Chris Lawrence told NRL.com.

“The old cliché is one game at a time, but we have to win just about every game that comes our way.

“So we’re treating this game as if it’s our last one. There are not going to be too many opportunities for us if we lose a couple more games.”

Much has been said of the Tigers brilliance when they’re on their game. But this can only be won on guts, toughness and that desperation that separates teams in this, the closest competition in the world.

‘Souths headed north on way to minor premiership’ published on theroar.com.au 30/6/13

Greek philosopher Aristotle once wrote “we do not have knowledge of a thing until we have grasped its why, that is to say, its cause.”

That thing in question here is the juggernaut known as Michael Maguire’s South Sydney Rabbitohs.

On Friday night the Rabbitohs eased passed the Canberra Raiders 32-2 at ANZ Stadium in a display that would have sent chills down the spines of other contenders like the Melbourne Storm and Sydney Roosters.

They were not at their best and they certainly didn’t destroy the Raiders. But the way they went about their business over the eighty minutes, never getting out of second gear, was the most impressive aspect.

All the while missing Chris McQueen, George Burgess, Matt King, Michael Crocker, Andrew Everingham, Beau Champion and losing Ben Te’o for the majority of the clash.

Souths have become something else.

The Roosters and Storm aren’t too far behind. But there is no doubting that at this stage the Rabbitohs are the favourites for the premiership and everyone else is trying to chase them down.

Coach Maguire deserves plenty of credit.

But their success was set in motion years before Maguire ever returned from the north of England.

Back to Aristotle.

Aristotle believed that the ‘four causes’ of movement could explain why something changed.

The first of these causes is material.

For years Souths were the laughing stock of rugby league. Long gone were the glory days and in its place was a team anchored to the bottom of the table year after year.

They were broke and despite their resurrection in 2002 not much had changed at Redfern.

Enter Hollywood movie star Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes á Court. After members voted to hand control of the club to these men everything changed. Sponsorship deals, marquee signings and a competitive squad meant the Rabbitohs had began their renaissance.

The second of Aristotle’s causes is formal. This is spawned by arrangement, shape or appearance.

It is hard to say where Souths would be if they didn’t sack Jason Taylor or if they had re-signed Chris Sandow or they didn’t chase young English tyrant Sam Burgess.

Without Sandow’s departure Adam Reynolds may have never got his chance at the Bunnies and could have been playing at another club.

If there was no Sam Burgess we wouldn’t have seen the other three rather talented siblings and its quite obvious Maguire would have been coaching somewhere else if Taylor was never given the punt.

Michael Maguire is Aristotle’s third cause. He is the moving cause.

Explanation?

The moving cause is the agent that interacts. Souths needed Maguire for change.

The cause of a boy is his father, for a car its petrol and for the Rabbitohs it was Maguire. Souths are a ruthless machine because of Maguire’s regime. He has taken this squad from a top eight contender to an NRL heavyweight.

And the final cause is the aim.

That aim is off course a premiership victory on the sixth of October.

Like the other fifteen clubs in the NRL, winning the title is the purpose each and every year.

‘Sharks pay the price for Gallen’s origins’ published on roundeight.com 1/7/13

Inspirational New South Wales captain Paul Gallen is racing the clock to be ready for State of Origin III after suffering a foot injury in the Blues loss to Queensland last Wednesday night at Suncorp Stadium.

Gallen has given everything for the Blue cause and has become accustomed to battling through injury to play for his beloved state. It will be tight but if anyone can do it its Gallen.

Diagnosis at this stage is three to five weeks and there is a strong possibility he won’t be ready for the decider at ANZ Stadium on July 17.

Nobody is as passionate about the Blues as Gallen and he will be the first to tell you how desperate he is to finally get NSW over the line and claim a series victory.

But in his quest for Origin glory Gallen continues to put his body through hell.

“He is our leader and we will give him every chance to be fit for the game,” Blues coach Laurie Daley told The Daily Telegraph.

“If we have to bring other people into camp just in case we will do that.

“But if Paul Gallen says he is going to be right to play then he is going to be picked to lead our team.

“Gal is an experienced player and I will back whatever he tells me.”

So who is the real loser in all of this?

If Gallen is ruled out for five weeks or possibly longer, aren’t the Cronulla Sharks the ones that really pay the price?

It seems that year after year Gallen and the Sharks fizzle out heading toward September and much of that can be attributed to Gallen’s workload through the Origin period.

Has Gallen thought about his club?

Are the Sharks within their rights asking their skipper to step down from representative duties?

After all it is Cronulla paying his salary and it isn’t the first time his club has paid the penalty for his representative heroics.

The Sharks were circling in 2012 and were expected to figure heavily in Finals football. But they faded badly and were bundled out of the playoffs by the Canberra Raiders in week one.

After the round 13 fixture against Parramatta, Gallen could only muster seven appearances for Cronulla. He made it through Origin with some gargantuan performances, but the Sharks paid the price.

Gallen played his fair share of games in 2011 but the Sharks still wilted at the back end of the season losing their last six games. A fit and firing Gallen certainly could have helped his side. Instead Cronulla were the ones who suffered after yet another Origin series.

When do the Sharks draw the line in the sand?

How many more years can Cronulla’s most prized possession keep doing this to his body?

 

Recent Articles

‘Origin is about more than just talent’ Published on theroar.com.au 5/6/13

26th June 2002 was a famous night for many reasons. On that fateful evening at the Olympic stadium, Queensland and New South Wales went to battle in yet another third match decider.

The Blues had smashed Queensland in Game 1 32-4 after a masterful performance from legendary halfback Andrew Johns. But the Maroons, being the Maroons, fought back and squared the series with a gallant 26-18 win in Brisbane in Game 2.

Then came Game 3, and my first live State of Origin experience.

Sure, I had been to games at Stadium Australia before. But this was something else.

Like one big breathing organism the stadium roared: “Bluueeess, Bluueeess, Bluueeess!”

Every break, every try, the sea of sky blue rose as one.

This was the infamous 18-all draw that saw Queensland keep the Origin shield despite never really winning the series.

The Blues held the lead and were headed to victory late in the piece when Queensland second rower Dane Carlaw got the ball on the halfway line. Sure enough I had to be sitting right in line with the oncoming Carlaw.

Why Jason Moodie was defending at centre we will never know.

Carlaw picked out Moodie and flicked him away with contempt before charging off for the series-sealing try. For whatever reason, Lote Tuqiri was given the shot at goal and right on cue he missed to the right of the posts.

Either way the Maroons had victory.

The Tuqiri miss infuriated my already seething father.

And yes this was the night Gorden Tallis rag-dolled the diminutive Brett Hodgson halfway across Sydney in one of the great Origin moments.

Fortunately enough for me instead of hanging around for the ceremony, my brother and I spent the next ten minutes watching aforementioned seething father drop the shoulder into any number of Queenslanders on our way to the train station.

To their credit, Queensland came back from 1-0 down in the series and had done enough to hold onto the shield. They’d dragged themselves off the canvas and stunned the star-studded Blues.

The Blues had the Immortal Johns and a forward pack containing Danny Buderus, Steve Menzies, Luke Ricketson and Nathan Hindmarsh.

Queensland on the other hand featured journeymen like PJ Marsh, Chris McKenna, Shaun Berrigan and Chris Walker.

Yet the Maroons were still good enough to keep the tag of Origin champions.

The point is Queensland can be beaten tonight at ANZ Stadium.

Sure they have Greg Inglis, Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston and Billy Slater.

But when was an Origin game ever won on pure talent alone?

Queensland has proven it time and time again. Remember the 1995 series?

Last year the Blues came within a point of Origin glory. It wasn’t Queensland’s brilliance that got them over the line, it was guts.

New South Wales must be ready for war tonight, mentally and physically.

They have to be prepared to bleed, run the suicidal lines and chase down every kick and make sure they are there in support for every break.

The result will take care of itself.

‘Who would want to be an NRL coach? Published on theroar.com.au 

During the week Parramatta Eels coach Ricky Stuart told a number of his players they won’t be required for season 2014. One of them was veteran backrower Reni Maitua.

In this professional age, Maitua should have copped it on the chin and played Friday night against the Sydney Roosters.

This is, after all, the club that gave him another chance after a long-term suspension from his time at the Cronulla Sharks.

It is no secret Parramatta are struggling and need all the help they can get. Yet Maitua ruled himself out after Stuart gave him the news that he wouldn’t be in the club’s plans moving forward.

His NRL career might well be over so of course he is allowed to be dirty with Stuart and other officials. But all his actions have done is hurt his teammates.

The Eels tried hard but were eventually put to the sword by the star-studded Roosters.

You can look at it two ways.

Maitua wasn’t in the right frame of mind to do his job and should be commended for standing aside.

Or you can argue that Parramatta still pay his bills and he should have been out there trying to impress other NRL clubs in a bid to secure a contract.

What message is Maitua’s stance sending to other clubs considering making him an offer?

Another team with serious problems are the North Queensland Cowboys.

Despite a wealth of representative players including James Tamou and Matt Scott, the Cowboys fell to the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs on Saturday night in yet another loss for embattled coach Neil Henry.

In a recent story on The Roar, this writer said this Cowboys squad had missed their premiership window. The players around Thurston had become stale and were headed toward the back end of their careers.

While many of them still have good football left in them, it has become apparent that this Cowboys team as a group have never been so far away from that elusive first premiership.

Some tough decisions need to be made on veterans Matt Bowen, Dallas Johnson, Scott Bolton and Glenn Hall.

Bowen’s is the toughest.

The little fullback has been a great servant of the Cowboys and deserves to be treated the right way. But that doesn’t mean he should get a new contract.

Coach Henry has had plenty of time to develop the younger players too but players like Tariq Sims and Jason Taumalolo’s careers seem to be stagnating.

Henry is a nice guy and it remains to be seen if he can make the tough calls on veterans like Bowen or get the best out of young backrowers Sims and Taumalolo.

Henry is not the only coach searching for answers.

Wayne Bennett’s ageing Newcastle Knights went down to the St George Illawarra Dragons in Round 13 and are struggling big time for any kind of consistency.

Bennett has added 35 year-old Craig Gower to his squad for the remainder of 2013 to bolster his playmaking ranks.

Bennett’s love affair with grizzled veterans could end up being a masterstroke come September. But if it doesn’t work out and the Knights flounder, Bennett needs to be asked some serious questions.

‘Gallen v Myles reaction overkill’ Published on theroar.com.au 12/6/13

Over three decades ago Arthur Beetson gave birth to State of Origin football with the most famous fisticuffs in rugby league history.

On that innuagral night in Brisbane, Beetson grabbed Parramatta team-mate Mick Cronin and let loose. No more would the Maroons be the whipping boys.

Beetson had shown the way.

Last Wednesday night at ANZ Stadium, New South Wales skipper Paul Gallen put a left and a right on the chin of perennial niggler Nate Myles.

For Gallen and the Blues this was their turning point. A moment in time just as important as Beetson’s uppercuts to the face of Cronin. Sure, this all followed a swinging arm that had Myles rightfully bemused. But as soon as Myles stepped up and pushed the Blues captain, all bets were off.

The frenzy since Gallen’s one-two has been downright overkill.

If you have not worked it out yet, the National Rugby League and State of Origin football are two completely separate beasts. There have been and always will be two different sets of rules.

That’s why Origin has worked for so long.

This writer isn’t such a caveman that he can’t see that this is a different era.

But to say that Gallen and Myles’ spotfire last week has besmirched rugby league’s good name is lunacy. It’s why over two million people tuned in, and why even more will watch Origin II.

There is nothing healthy about being punched in the head. But rugby league is a brutally intense sport. When so much is on the line and men’s livelihoods are at stake you will always see friction.

A punch can kill.

But so can a 120 kilogram man running back into a defensive line at a million miles an hour and hurling himself into a swinging arm.

Or perhaps even a defender leading with their head?

What are we really talking about here?

State of Origin is not politically correct, and it isn’t for everyone. But neither is MMA, midget tossing or ice hockey.

It wasn’t just neutrals baying for Gallen’s blood. As you’d expect, Queenslanders were in uproar. How could one of their own be set upon by an animal like Paul Gallen?

But where were those same critics when Parramatta and the Sydney Roosters came to blows two days later at Parramatta Stadium?

Then there were others worried about helpless children around the country being “brainwashed” by the actions of these gladiators. So worried about their kids watching Origin that they fully expected them to go to school the next day and smash their mate in the nose.

What a cop out.

When the infamous Melbourne Cricket Ground brawl of 1995 took place, this writer didn’t hit anyone at school or at footy the following Saturday morning.

The funny thing is last Wednesday’s scrap is far from the last fight we will see in Origin football, so why the whingeing now?

This is State of Origin and this is our game.

You don’t have to like it and you don’t even have to watch it.

But more chance than not you’ll be watching Game II come June 26th.

‘How about an NRL summer league?’ Published on theroar.com.au 13/6/13

Our thirst for rugby league in the summer months gets stronger and stronger every year. Long gone are the days where cricket took centre stage and our footy addiction had a sabbatical.

This year won’t be so bad. With the National Rugby League decider in early October and the World Cup running right through November, footy will be back before you know it.

But that does not mean we can’t think outside the box.

In the past, yours truly has sprouted some left-field ideas on my fellow Roarers out there in internet land.

South Sydney playing a one-off at North Sydney Oval in the old Bears strip, NSW Cup champions versus Queensland Cup champions, Parramatta shifting Jarryd Hayne to lock and a clash between Australia and a World XIII on New Year’s Eve to name a few.

So here we go.

In a non-World Cup year we generally have a four month window between the NRL grand final and the annual All Stars match. Why not fill it?

Before you choke on your toast or spit coffee all over that computer of yours, have a deep breath. Nobody wants to see these athletes playing 52 weeks a season. Then we really might see someone drop dead on an NRL field.

Ready?

What about an NRL summer league?

A competition comprised of teams in areas such as Perth, Adelaide, Wellington, Rockhampton, Central and Sunshine Coasts. You can add a Tasmanian side and even a few more sides from New Zealand if you like.

If expansion isn’t on the Commission’s mind, at least give fans from these areas a team to cheer on. All the while the NRL logo is smack bang right there on the jerseys.

Where are the players coming from?

NRL and Super League clubs can be affiliated with the competition and its teams, which will allow players a chance to shine.

Some might be coming back from injury, some might be looking for a contract or they might just be a lower grader looking for a step-up in class.

Allow private ownership and give all these millionaires around the world their own footy side for a few weeks. Hell, they can even call their team whatever they like. And you never know what free agent from league or union might be willing to play.

Play the games over a shorter amount of time with unlimited interchange.

The inspiration behind this insane idea comes from the NBA in America, who play an annual tournament in their off-season which allows clubs to look at different combinations and possible new talent.

If all this means more rugby league, then how can you be against it?

‘RIP rugby league 1908-2013’ Published on theroar.com.au 17/6/13

It is official, the game we once knew as rugby league is dead. The fabric of the game has not just been tarnished; it has been burnt to a crisp and buried six feet underground.

Media reports on Sunday confirmed that NRL Chief Executive Dave Smith had contacted referees boss Daniel Anderson and directed him to implement far stricter penalties for players involved in any kind of fight.

If a punch is thrown, that player will be sin binned.

Perhaps in this day and age rugby league needs to think about its image. But the way this has been handled and the reactive decision of NRL administrators is atrocious.

“We need to make sure our game can recruit young kids,” Anderson told The Sunday Telegraph.

“We’ve got a duty to the community and to people involved in our sport.

“There are a lot of swinging voters on our game who could be turned away by certain incidents.

“The product has to be palatable and accommodate all people who want to be involved in the game. It’s the mums and dads who decide if their kids get to play rugby league.”

Two grown men playing the toughest sport in the world in the cauldron that is State of Origin had a disagreement. Two grown men paid hundreds of thousands of dollars a year and with the pressure of two feuding states behind them had a scrap.

Since Paul Gallen and Nate Myles came face to face at ANZ Stadium, a small minority went into meltdown. That small minority bitched and moaned so loud and for so long that the NRL panicked and hit that red button again.

The same one that exterminated the shoulder charge has now ripped another cog from the machine.

People have compared Gallen’s fists of fury to street violence and death. Sorry but that’s a shocking comparison. They have nothing to do with each other. Have these people ever seen the Ultimate Fighting Championship?

Worry about cage fighting before you attack rugby league.

Then there were the parents worried about their children emulating Gallen. These are the same parents that blame Gallen and then go out to JB Hi-Fi and buy their kids movies or games chock full of battles, violence, or worse.

Stop blaming rugby league. Communicate to your child to help them understand why two professional athletes use physical force in a physical game.

How can the NRL possibly enforce this rule anyway?

If tempers do flare in game two at Suncorp Stadium and all hell breaks loose, will the referees send all 26 players from the field?

This game is played with passion and pride and a desperation that sometimes sees emotions spill over. How can a banker sitting behind a big shiny desk make this decision?

Smith is worried about the game’s image. Physicality is our game’s image. This is overkill and reactive political correctness at its ghastly best.

We are what we are and that’s what separates us from the rest.

What the hell are we doing to our game?

‘Racist football fans need life bans’ Published on theroar.com.au 18/6/13

The meteoric rise and fall of Blake Ferguson has the league world in a spin and one club is mighty happy for Ferguson to hog the headlines.

National Rugby League officials have suspended Ferguson’s registration for repeated offences involving alcohol, after an incident at a Cronulla bar after just being named in the New South Wales Blues side for Origin II at Suncorp Stadium.

Ferguson won’t be on the plane to Brisbane so who could possibly be happy about this whole ordeal?

The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are more than pleased for the Ferguson saga to drag on forever.

Reports from Brookvale Oval confirmed Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs superstar Ben Barba and utility forward Dene Halatau were spat on as they left the field on Friday night.

That’s right. Grown men or women, or even worse children, had the gall to attack these players with their own saliva. Is there anything lower in this modern age than to be spat on in public?

Barba was rightfully ropable and the pair of them were well within their rights to jump the fence and see how tough these Sea Eagles fans really were.

This incident isn’t the first in the NRL and alarmingly it probably won’t be the last. But anyone caught spitting on a player or attacking them in any other way should be banned for life. We don’t need these parasites anywhere near our game.

Eagles general manager David Perry released a statement after the incident.

“The NRL is reviewing video and ground manager reports from last night’s match, and we totally support them in identifying and potentially banning any patrons where appropriate,” Perry said.

“Our supporters don’t want to be associated with poor behaviour, and as a matter of process, we will also review our own security procedures.”

Could it get any worst for Manly?

Yesterday media outlets reported that Canterbury forward Frank Pritchard’s wife was racially abused by spectators as well.

While sitting with other partners in the western grandstand, Raima Pritchard was allegedly called a “monkey” and told to “go back to where she came from”.

Mrs Pritchard confirmed the ongoing abuse on social media during the game.

Is this not where Manly’s paid-up members sit?

Over the years Canterbury supporters have been called everything under the sun for a minority’s actions. It is safe to say now that Eagles fans at Brookvale have been tarred with the same brush.

Rugby league fans are quick to kick a player when he’s down but now the shoe is on the other foot and these perpetrators need the book thrown at them.

NRL operations director Nathan McGuirk told The Sydney Morning Herald they were aware of the racial taunts.

“Our integrity department is aware of that one as well,” he said.

“That is part of their (integrity unit) investigation into that issue as well. Obviously speaking to the Bulldogs will be part of the process.”

Lets not beat around the bush here.

Mrs Pritchard was racially abused and it’s safe to assume Barba and Halatau were not picked out because they were wearing blue and white jumpers but because of their respective backgrounds.

This matter goes far beyond a few rabid locals supporting their favourite team.

Hopefully the NRL can put names to these faceless scumbags and ban them for all eternity.

Articles

‘Trent Robinson: The man behind the chooks’ Published on theroar.com.au 16/5/13

Bondi Junction is hardly the ideal place to gel a rugby league side. The Eastern Suburbs of Sydney has plenty of distractions and has chewed up and spat out many fine football players and coaches alike.

Big money, fast cars and faster women is a lure for plenty and for a coach to try and keep all those egos in check at the Sydney Roosters has been an impossible job.

Ask former coach Brad Fittler.

Lattés, restaurants and the most beautiful beach in the world has its upsides.

When the Roosters are successful that is.

That’s where rookie coach Trent Robinson comes in.

While other clubs have struggled with their new recruits and sit precariously outside the top eight, Robinson’s Roosters are firing on all cylinders and can now be classed as a legitimate premiership threat after defeating the Manly Sea Eagles on Monday night.

The Cronulla Sharks hit the open market aggressively and hooked stars Luke Lewis and Michael Gordon from the Penrith Panthers and Beau Ryan and Chris Heighington from the Wests Tigers.

But who could have foretold the ongoing ASADA saga that has ripped the Sharks 2013 campaign to shreds? Paul Gallen and his troops are barely keeping it together, despite two wins on the trot.

Giant backrowers Tony Williams and Dave Taylor made switches in the off season to the Canterbury Bulldogs and the Gold Coast Titans respectively. Yet fans for both sides are still waiting for the devastating form that made them famous.

Scott Prince is yet to click at the Brisbane Broncos, Beau Scott and Jeremy Smith have been quiet at the Newcastle Knights and the South Sydney Rabbitohs’ Ben Te’o is far from the player that made his State of Origin debut in 2012.

The New Zealand Warriors brought in Dane Nielsen, Todd Lowrie and Thomas Leuluai to help develop the raw talent at the club but the Auckland-based side still languish at the wrong end of the table.

Braith Anasta’s Tigers are dead last too, while there has only been slight improvement from the new look Panthers.

Every side buys success these days, so let’s not use that old line.

But coach Robinson deserves all the credit in the world for what he has done in such a little amount of time.

Roosters supremo Nick Politis went out and picked up the human headline Sonny Bill Williams, troubled speedster Michael Jennings, James Maloney and hothead Luke O’Donnell and told Robinson to make it work.

And he has.

Every single one of them is contributing.

“It was gutsy. We didn’t play our best but that was due to a bit of us and a bit of Manly,” Robinson said after the 16-4 win against Manly.

“But we showed great calmness.”

Calmness.

Now there is a word that hasn’t been used regarding the Roosters for years.

The tri-colours next mission is a trip to Townsville and a Saturday night date with the North Queensland Cowboys.

Many thought the Roosters would still struggle in 2013 despite their new signings.

But people didn’t know about Robinson or how good a coach he was.

Now we know.

‘Mateo a man in rugby league purgatory’ Published on theroar.com.au 17/5/13

With the ink still fresh on a brand-spanking new three-year deal with the New Zealand Warriors, silky second-rower Feleti Mateo will play his 150th National Rugby League game on Saturday night at Centrebet Stadium.

Mateo turned down lucrative offers to return to Australia and insists there is still plenty of unfinished business in Auckland.

“There were other offers but there’s so much more I want to achieve with the team and the coaching staff at the Vodafone Warriors,” Mateo said.

“Making the move to this club has helped me to develop as a player and I know there’s a lot more room for improvement, too. I’ve also grown as a person since joining the club.”

Despite two grand final appearances, two NRL All-Stars caps, City Origin jumpers and a World Cup campaign with Tonga, this talented ballplayer is still yet to taste State of Origin football.

It is almost second nature to forget Mateo this time of year.

For whatever reason his name is rarely mentioned when it comes time to pick a New South Wales Blues team. Sure there are plenty of talented second-rowers to pick from but to think he is still to get a look-in after seven straight series defeats is mind boggling.

Mateo must be considered one of the greatest players to have never graced the Origin field.

With the likes of Luke Lewis, Greg Bird, Anthony Watmough and Paul Gallen ahead of him, Mateo is destined to join a group of talented players that never got to don the sky blue jumper of New South Wales.

Men like Nathan Blacklock, Darren Britt and Colin Van Der Voort.

South Sydney Rabbitohs winger Nathan Merritt is no certainty of claiming his maiden Blues guernsey in 2013 either despite racking up an incredible 147 tries over his career.

But back to Mateo for a moment.

So serious is the Warriors superstar about breaking into the Origin arena he has turned his back on his proud Tongan heritage and switched back allegiances to make himself available for coach Laurie Daley and the Blues.

If he does miss out on selection for New South Wales, Mateo will be forced to watch the World Cup from home if as expected he misses selection for Australia.

Mateo made the tough decision at the beginning of the season to forever turn his back on Tonga.

”I have just decided to back myself,” Mateo told The Sydney Morning Herald in February.

”I had always played for Tonga and the rule was that once I changed I couldn’t go back, so I thought that if I did that and didn’t get picked then I would rule myself out for Tonga and I didn’t want to do that but now I have decided to go that path.”

It was a decision Mateo had to make.

But now he is risks the very strong possibility of missing out on State of Origin and a date at the 2013 World Cup in England.

‘The Knights have arrived, but will they stay?’ Published on theroar.com.au 20/5/13

The Newcastle Knights have all the ingredients to be a premiership threat in 2013. Finally on Sunday afternoon, the Knights put it all together to stun the Canterbury Bulldogs 44-8 at Hunter Stadium.

They have the iconic mentor in Wayne Bennett, an impressive roster headed up by captain Kurt Gidley and play out of one of the best venues in the National Rugby League.

But so far something has been missing.

The Knights headed into yesterday’s match on a two-match losing streak after being lapped by the Canberra Raiders in Round 9 and going down to a Cronulla Sharks side that lost Paul Gallen in the opening stages the previous week.

Canterbury were expected to win and win comfortably.

But nobody told the Knights.

Veteran prop Willie Mason turned back the clock, Darius Boyd returned to the form that saw him win a Clive Churchill Medal in 2010 and Jarrod Mullen was at his scheming best.

“It was a lot better than the way we’ve played over the last two weeks,” Bennett said after the big win.

“We needed to come here today and play well and we have done that, which was good as otherwise our season would have been under a fair bit of pressure.”

Despite their spluttering form Newcastle still sit in fourth place.

Bennett doesn’t say much at the best of times and he knows better than most that if the Knights don’t beat the hapless New Zealand Warriors next weekend the victory against the Bulldogs means diddlysquat.

“We got embarrassed last weekend,” captain Gidley said.

“Anytime you get embarrassed, it’s a knock to your pride.

“You need to aim up and that’s what I was most proud of today.

“We spoke about actions over words and it was the response we were after today.”

You know you’ve done something special when the opposition coach is singing your praises.

“You have to congratulate Newcastle, coming off the back of what they came off last week, they almost pulled off the perfect game,” Bulldogs coach Des Hasler said.

“I think they completed 95 percent of their sets .. they were very controlled and very on for the game today.”

There is no turning back now for Newcastle after such a performance. They have officially arrived and are now expected to put the cleaners through the Warriors.

Whether they do or not is another question.

New Zealand were destroyed by the Penrith Panthers on Saturday night going down 62-6 at Centrebet Stadium promising a tumultuous week in Auckland for coach Matt Elliott and his players.

The Warriors will be far more committed then they were on Saturday.

But none of that will matter if Newcastle are in fact the real deal.

Only time will tell.

‘Time for golden point to get the flick’ Published on theroar.com.au 21/5/13

A famous rivalry added another chapter on Monday night as the Melbourne Storm and the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles battled to a 10-all draw at AAMI Park.

The Storm headed into half-time down by eight points and staring down the barrel of three losses on the trot.

Craig Bellamy’s men were struggling and would need to dig deep against the pugnacious Eagles.

Manly looked the better of the two sides in the first stanza and deserved their lead.

What happened in the following 40 minutes, not 50, was something not seen in any other National Rugby League match so far in 2013.

It was nothing close to their best football but eventually Melbourne levelled the scores at eight with a try to Maurice Blair and two goals from skipper Cameron Smith.

Despite a glut of defence and countless goal-line dropouts, Manly stood firm.

When the chips are down champion sides find a way to stay in the fight. Both sides proved why they are indeed champion sides.

The Storm peppered the Manly try line time and time again, yet the Sea Eagles refused to wilt. With all the guts of 13 Rocky Balboas, Manly continued to turn Melbourne back.

A Melbourne side containing Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith no less.

Melbourne kept coming and Manly kept scrambling.

It might not have been the prettiest NRL game of all time but it had all the intensity and heroics of a finals match.

Excuse the boxing puns but the Storm almost attacked themselves off their feet in rugby league’s equivalent of the rope-a-dope made famous by Muhammad Ali against George Foreman in 1974.

It was classic rugby league.

Glenn Stewart worked to a standstill in defence, Billy Slater defused every last kick from the scheming Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran played like a man possessed.

After 80 minutes of epic football they were stilled locked.

Then golden point reared its ugly head.

Neither side deserved to lose but you sensed one of these sides was going to go home empty handed.

But both sides struggled to get anywhere near the posts to attempt anything close to a match winner. The one exception was a shot from the Storm’s Cooper Cronk, who missed from 15 metres.

Fatigue played a part too.

80 minutes of tense football was wrecked by ten minutes of mediocrity.

Since 1908, we as rugby league fans have scoffed at rugby union and its unwatchable goal-a-thons. We laugh at the predictability and the mindset of that sport.

Yet golden point in the NRL has become comical and everything we supposedly stand against as a code.

It’s time for a change.

It’s time for golden point to take its place in history.

‘Wests Tigers at sixes and sevens for years’ Published on theroar.com.au 23/5/13

There is no doubting Benji Marshall’s contributions to the Wests Tigers franchise since debuting as a fresh-faced 18-year-old way back in 2004.

With the help of silky playmaker, Scott Prince, the Tigers ushered in a new era of attacking football that took the National Rugby League by storm. The joint venture club became an overnight sensation and plenty of that had to do with Marshall and Prince.

The combination was deadly.

Having Prince inside him helped Marshall concentrate purely on his own game.

Leading the team was Prince’s responsibility and Benji was free to do as he pleased.

The 2005 premiership victory came and went and so did Prince as the talented pivot headed north to become the Gold Coast Titans’ inaugural skipper.

No Prince? No worries. Surely Benji could do the job.

Then reality set in.

For whatever reason former coach Tim Sheens never found a long-term replacement for Prince. The years rolled on and Marshall was left to run the show on his own.

Since Prince left the Tigers at the end of 2006, Marshall has been partnered with 14 different men in the halves.

The mighty task of trying to create a new combination with a different playmaker almost on a weekly basis for the past seven years surely takes it toll on your personal performance.

Sure Marshall isn’t the player he once was.

Is he too heavy? Who knows.

Are media commitments hampering his career? Maybe.

But the fact that Marshall has been left to steer the ship for so long when he clearly isn’t that type of player is staggering.

It seems Wests still haven’t copped the tip in 2013 with Jacob Miller, Curtis Sironen and Braith Anasta all spending time with Marshall in the halves.

Wests play the North Queensland Cowboys on Friday night at Leichhardt Oval with Marshall returning to the starting line-up at five-eighth with Sironen at seven.

Yet to re-sign with the club, Marshall is desperate to deliver.

“I don’t want to comment on what happened last week,” Marshall told a media scrum at Tigers training in Kiama.

“I am back in the team this week and starting and we have to win. Full stop.

“I know what my role is and I will be trying to do what I did when I came on last week. The best way is to go back and look at what I was doing well when I was going well. That is my running game. All the rest comes off that.”

The time has come for the Tigers to either recruit a legitimate NRL halfback or invest heavily in youngsters like Luke Brooks and Mitchell Moses and give Marshall a legitimate chance of sparking Wests into action.

The seven year experiment hasn’t worked.

Benji Marshall is not the leader Scott Prince was.

There is only one thing he needs to worry about on Friday night and that’s himself.

Benji’s partners post-Prince: 2007
Robbie Farah
John Morris
Paul Whatuira

2008
John Morris
Matthew Head
Robbie Farah

2009
John Morris
Tim Moltzen
Robert Lui

2010
Robert Lui
Tim Moltzen
Blake Lazarus
Robbie Farah
Blake Ayshford
Chris Lawrence

2011
Robert Lui
Tim Moltzen
Jacob Miller

2012
Tim Moltzen
Jacob Miller
Tom Humble
Chris Lawrence
Blake Ayshford
Curtis Sironen
Robbie Farah
Liam Fulton

2013
Jacob Miller
Braith Anasta
Curtis Sironen

‘Hot Roosters await Storm in a teacup’ Published on theroar.com.au 24/5/13

They are the reigning and defending National Rugby League champions. They’re the Melbourne Storm and they deserve our respect.

But after shock losses to the Canberra Raiders and Penrith Panthers, Melbourne have officially hit one of those eventual flat spots most experts predicted. Their torturous start to 2013 has finally caught up to them.

For weeks they had been scrambling to keep themselves in games relying heavily on a little class and a whole lot of heart.

The bubble burst against the Raiders in Round 8. They had officially hit the first wall of the season.

The last thing they needed was a 90 minute dogfight with old foes the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles on Monday night. These sides pummelled each other and somehow Melbourne came away with a draw.

Sure they had all the ball in the second stanza and probably should have won by 20.

But that finishing quality that had got them over the line in the past was gone. They were running on fumes and the Eagles kept hitting.

So here comes Round 11 and the undisputed match of the round between the Storm and the high-flying Sydney Roosters at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night.

How do the Roosters beat the weary Storm?

You hit harder than Manly did a week earlier. You step it up another notch and you knock this champion side off its feet.

They will be back and they’ll be hard to beat in September, but right now, the Roosters have a chance to put the foot on the throat.

The Roosters might boast Michael Jennings, Mitchell Pearce and James Maloney.

But it’s their defence that has everyone raving.

The greatest sides through history had the attack but they were also impressive defensive machines. Trent Robinson’s Roosters are one of those defensive machines and they’ll be ready to continue Melbourne’s slump on Saturday.

Sydney are the only side left in the NRL yet to concede 100 points. Their points differential of 142 is also the best in the competition. That means they can beat you with speed and skill or they can just plain beat you up.

This is the perfect time for the Roosters to get Melbourne. They shouldn’t be thinking about racking up a big score or trying to blow the Storm off the park.

This might sound harsh but the Roosters should be thinking about hurting them. Really firing up.

The Storm are battered and bruised.

Why not stick the boot in now?

And hey, the Roosters might just be helping out Laurie Daley and the New South Wales Blues too.

‘NSW’s most important Origin series ever’ Published on theroar.com.au 31/5/13

Legendary Scottish football manager Bill Shankly once said, “Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.”

Sure, Shankly was speaking about another code, but for New South Welshmen does this State of Origin not have that same kind of feeling?

For most of the year supporting a National Rugby League team is more a like warm blanket for fans. Whatever problems or stresses you might have, you are always guaranteed your favourite NRL team will be there for you on the weekend.

But Origin is different.

Seven years of torment and submission all at the hands of those damned mighty Queenslanders from the north. With their star players, fancy team announcements and that old song and dance about how ‘Queenslanders are more passionate’, the last seven years have been hell.

While the Maroons surge on for avarice, Blues fans have been left to wallow in the muck. Beaten and destroyed by the pure talent of Queensland, the Blues need this series more than anyone has ever needed anything.

It isn’t about bragging rights anymore.

It’s about more than that.

No longer can NSW stomach the stench of defeat. That desperate feeling all fans have whether they’re watching Origin at home or at their local pub. The vile stench of Queensland victory needs to be banished.

It is that time of year after all.

You’re allowed to hate. If it was alright for Queenslanders to fuel their own fire with the same feelings way back in 1980, then so be it today.

By the way, Queenslanders aren’t more passionate than us. They just hate us more than we hate them. It’s always been that way and the Maroons have used it against us time and time again.

So hate that maroon jersey, bemoan that turncoat Greg Inglis and downright loath that ghastly victory song of theirs.

But after the sides run out into the cauldron that is ANZ Stadium on Wednesday night and the atmosphere hits them, the side that plays better football will win.

There will be big hits, a lot of niggle and maybe even a few punches thrown.

Yet it’s still the side that settles and executes their game plan better that will come out on top.

“Honestly, we’ve lost seven in a row, and I am sick of all the excuses about why we lost,” former Origin great Steve Roach told reporters.

“I want blokes who will get in there and tell me why we will win. It is all bullshit and clichéd to say we haven’t got this or they’ve got that.”

Strap yourselves in and enjoy the ride.

‘Stale Cowboys not fooling anyone’ Published on theroar.com.au 3/6/13

Forget their 31-12 loss to the Gold Coast Titans yesterday at Skilled Park. The North Queensland Cowboys were always going to struggle without Johnathan Thurston and Australian props James Tamou and Matt Scott.

But this was their fourth straight loss with reports suggesting coach Neil Henry has one last chance to save his job if the Cowboys can muster a victory over the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs next weekend.

The effort is there. Something you would expect from professional athletes. But no Thurston usually means no win for the Townsville club.

“We’re not travelling well, we all take responsibility for that and I’m the head coach and that goes with the territory,” Henry said after the loss on Sunday.

“But I’ve got confidence in the squad we’ve got and you know we’ve put ourselves in a difficult position this far into the competition.

“We’ve got a couple of weeks until our bye and then we have a run of home games. But you know you start looking at things where you’ve got to win nine out of 12 or something and start pushing those numbers it becomes very hard.

“We need a consistent performance and we haven’t been able to do that.

“We can’t use our rep players as an excuse for that performance, we take responsibility when you put the jumper on and we weren’t very good today.”

More alarming for Cowboys fans was the defeat a week earlier in the mud at Leichhardt Oval against the struggling Wests Tigers. Red-hot favourites to put the Tigers to the sword, the Cowboys failed to fire, again.

Even with Thurston running the show and bookends Tamou and Scott leading the way, North Queensland fizzled out more depressingly than the rain that came down above them.

They didn’t look like NRL heavyweights having a bad night and they didn’t look like the worst side to ever play the game. They just looked bland.

We all know success in the National Rugby League is cyclical. A premiership window experts all over the country speak about. The question is, has the window closed on this batch of Cowboys?

Has Henry had enough time to make this squad successful?

How much of the blame should the players take?

The re-signing of Thurston recently should be the catalyst for a complete overhaul of the squad and unfortunately for some, that means it is time for the old tap on the shoulder.

Veterans like Matt Bowen, Scott Bolton, Glenn Hall and Dallas Johnson are all wonderful players and have been for quite some time. But surely Cowboys management need to look at the freshness of the squad and what is the best option for the team moving forward.

A little pain now might be their best medicine.

There is still time for the Cowboys to salvage 2013.

The question is, are they good enough?

‘NRL scheduling a necessary evil’ Published on theroar.com.au 4/6/13 

The annual State of Origin series is undoubtedly one of the greatest sporting events on the Australian calendar. Yet while we salivate for the theatre that is Origin, the National Rugby League suffers.

Missing stars Sam Thaiday, Justin Hodges, Corey Parker and Matt Gillett the Brisbane Broncos were smashed by the New Zealand Warriors on Monday night in what could only be called a slaughter.

Brisbane’s makeshift side had no answers to the brilliance of Feleti Mateo and the Warriors who put on an attacking masterclass that eventually saw them run out 56-18 victors.

But you can’t blame Origin for all Brisbane’s woes.

Coach Anthony Griffin made some dubious changes to his side prior to kickoff.

Peter Wallace was shifted to hooker, Anthony McCullough to the back row with Ben Hunt starting at five-eighth. Sure the changes didn’t help, but Broncos’ fans would still be wondering why they ever had to play without their best players.

A majority of clubs are in the same boat and fans throughout the competition are up in arms.

The North Queensland Cowboys went down to the Gold Coast Titans on Sunday without captain Johnathan Thurston, winger Brent Tate and Australian props James Tamou and Matt Scott.

Wayne Bennett’s Newcastle Knights had the unenviable task of facing the South Sydney Rabbitohs without Darius Boyd. Skipper Kurt Gidley was originally named for the New South Wales Blues but still missed the clash with Souths due to injury.

St George Illawarra Dragons came within a whisker of downing Canterbury-Bankstown and just might have pulled off the upset had they enjoyed the services of Trent Merrin and Brett Morris.

Fans hit social media on Monday night to vent their frustrations at the NRL’s scheduling.

“@NRL scheduling is a joke. Most heavily affected #Origin team against one of two teams unaffected. Please explain!” one fan wrote.

Another wrote, “Heads must roll @NRL over scheduling of this game.”

But what is the answer?

The NRL can’t afford to have stand alone Origin weekends. Eighty minutes of football for an entire weekend is not good business. Most fans would agree, the more football the better.

You can’t have your cake and eat it too.

The answer is there is no answer.

Clubs would rather be ravaged by representative duties if it means those turnstiles keep clicking over. As long as a profit is being made, clubs will cop it on the chin.

The NRL feels the same.

But what about those poor old fans?

On Sunday fans on the Gold Coast were forced to pay anywhere between $30 and $65 to gain entry to a clash that was missing Greg Bird, Nate Myles, Ashley Harrison, Thurston, Tate, Tamou and Scott.

Does that sound reasonable?

Fans in Brisbane were hit with similar prices.

What was their reward? A team missing Hodges, Thaiday, Parker and Gillett and a hiding at the hands of the Warriors.

The fact is scheduling around Origin period is always going to be an issue. But the necessity for profit and the fact we always need football on our televisions will always win out.

Fans are the only real losers in all of this. Yet we saw solid crowds over the four games in Round 12.

I guess we’re just gluttons for punishment.

 

 

Recent Articles

‘A Nostalgic Return in the Name of Business’ Published on theroar.com.au 6/5/13

With yet another impressive victory under their belts over the weekend the South Sydney Rabbitohs are sitting pretty at the top of the National Rugby League table with the Melbourne Storm.

With 25,000 members officially signing up with the club prior to their Round 8 trip to face the Brisbane Broncos you could say the red and greens are in a good place.

They have superstars right across the paddock, a ruthless tactician in coach Michael Maguire and play a brand of football their fans can believe in, not to mention the Hollywood star power owner Russell Crowe brings to the franchise.

It is all happening at Redfern in 2013.

Rabbitohs hierarchy also continue to prove they are a club that thinks outside the box.

This year alone Souths will take home matches to places like Perth and Cairns.

In the coming months the Rabbitohs will host the Gold Coast Titans in Cairns, the New Zealand Warriors at NIB Stadium in Perth and take a match to Gosford for a showdown with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.

Hats off to Chief Executive Shane Richardson and his colleagues.

Fans of the aforementioned teams wouldn’t be at ANZ Stadium for these respective matches anyway so why not move the fixtures?

Taking any more than three games away from their supporters would be a crime.

But what happens this Friday night when the Rabbitohs host the hot and cold North Queensland Cowboys?

How many will be at the Olympic stadium for this game?

So here is an idea for the future.

Some Souths fans will hate it and some will see the value in it.

However they feel about it, you can be assured old North Sydney Bears fans will love it even if it is only for a day. And not just Bears diehards but any rugby league fan that loves a little nostalgia in what has become a professional juggernaut we call the NRL.

Can you see where this is going?

The Bears are of course the NSW Cup feeder side of the Rabbitohs and ran out onto North Sydney Oval yesterday for a clash with the Wests Tigers. In the end, the Bears went down by four points in front of a small crowd at the legendary venue.

It’s a far cry from the halcyon days at Bear Park.

But for the sake of business and giving those old diehard Bears supporters the chance to feel that rush once more at a packed North Sydney Oval would be something administrators at Souths should really consider.

15,000 fans on a Sunday afternoon at North Sydney Oval is a far more attractive proposition than 15,000 in a 80,000 capacity arena like ANZ Stadium.

Every now and then you will find an old Bears tragic.

They’ll tell you about climbing the fig tree when they were young or how their grandfather first took them to the ground to see the mighty Ken Irvine and how they’ve never watched another game of rugby league since the topflight death of their club in 1999.

This would be a day for the Bears and one last chance to see the black and red running out onto North Sydney Oval.

What’s in it for Souths?

Money of course. It’s business after all.

 

‘Tigers and Sharks in a World Of Their Own’ Published on theroar.com.au 7/5/13

Through no fault of their own the Wests Tigers and the Cronulla Sharks find themselves on Friday night football in Round 9 of the National Rugby League competition.

For different reasons these sides find themselves on life support already in 2013.

The Tigers have been hammered with injuries and have been forced to blood youngsters well before their time. Already tipped by many to struggle this season, Wests have been without many of their stars through the first eight rounds.

Cronulla on the other hand have been crippled by the ongoing ASADA investigation after promising so much in the pre-season. This whole ordeal is yet to really blow up and when it does how much of this proud club will be left?

The Sharks stole the first golden point victory of 2013 with a gallant win over the Newcastle Knights in Sunday afternoon football and did it without inspirational skipper Paul Gallen.

But you have to wonder if Cronulla can string two performances together considering their mental state.

For the Tigers it’s the perfect time to get the Sharks and likewise for Cronulla.

So where does that leave us?

It leaves us with two struggling sides that nobody in their right mind would pay to see.

The diehards on both sides of the fence will say they’re with their team through thick and thin and their boys need all the support they can get.

The venue?

Well that would be Allianz Stadium smack bang in the middle of the city.

In previous years the Tigers have hosted matches at Allianz against the likes of the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Parramatta Eels and Sydney Roosters.

But someone thought it would be a good move in 2013 to play the Sharks here.

History has suggested that no more than 20,000 show for these “blockbusters” anyway. Did Wests officials really think that they would see a river of people flowing into the ground with Cronulla’s loyal yet rather small following?

Finally the move has backfired.

Remember Charlton Heston’s 1971 classic Omega Man?

No?

What about Will Smith’s 2007 blockbuster I Am Legend?

50,000 will pack Etihad Stadium Friday night for an AFL match between the Geelong Cats and Essendon Bombers. Can you imagine the chuckles when casual fans switch over later in the night to see 8 or 9,000 fans at Allianz?

Channel 9 may have found their next big series. 34 rugby league players going to war in a post-apocalyptic world inside an empty stadium.

There is nothing wrong with a side like Souths taking games against the Gold Coast Titans to Cairns or the Warriors to Perth.

But do the Tigers really need to take these games away from the people of Campbelltown and Balmain?

Since 2009 the Tigers have spruiked that the deal with the SCG Trust has bolstered revenue.

Well that deal is finally up at the end of 2013 and with the billion dollar television deal coming to fruition the question is, do the Tigers really need to be at Allianz Stadium?

You can’t blame the Tigers for making the deal in 2009 or an earlier deal in 2004 that saw them play out of Homebush. Times were tough and clubs needed to do what they needed to do.

But that was then.

We’ll find out Friday night if the fans have finally had enough.

 

‘The Blues Can Win Without Paul Gallen’ Published on theroar.com.au 8/5/13

If Paul Gallen is ruled out of State of Origin I on June 5 the New South Wales Blues cannot win. That is the consensus of some after the Cronulla Sharks workhorse broke down Sunday afternoon at Hunter Stadium.

Well if that is the case, why even show up on June 5?

Let’s just give the shield to the Queenslanders and give ourselves an early mark.

The fact is Gallen has been broken for quite some time but almost always finds a way to get himself onto the field. He is a different beast and will do anything and everything for his beloved club, state and country.

But media reports suggest the inspirational skipper could make a remarkable return this weekend against the Wests Tigers at Allianz Stadium despite what looked like a crippling injury against the Knights.

It takes something pretty sinister to keep Gallen from walking off the field on his own accord. Yet The Daily Telegraph confirmed that the lock had only strained his medial ligament.

“Gone for a month,” they barked.

“Could be six weeks,” they cried.

“I rang Loz (Blues coach Laurie Daley) to let him know the results of the scans as soon as I got them,” Gallen told reporters.

“He told me he hadn’t even had a sip of his beer while watching the game on Sunday and I was off the field.

“I suppose if you’re going to cop a knee injury, this is the best kind. So he was as pleased as I was when the scans showed there wasn’t any major damage.

“Even though Loz has told me before he wants me as captain of the Blues, I don’t take anything for granted. That’s why I’m so eager to get back as soon as possible.

“Nobody is guaranteed a Blues jersey until the team is announced.”

Now after Monday night football the Blues are apparently in chaos with injuries to St George Illawarra flyer Brett Morris and Manly Sea Eagles’ custodian Brett Stewart.

But who said these guys were even going to be picked?

New South Wales have something they haven’t had for years. They have players in form in all positions ready for an assault on the Maroons empire.

Who says the Blues can’t win without captain Gallen?

Who cares if Morris and Stewart are gone?

The fact that so many have already written off the Blues proves that the mindset of its supporters remains the same. Have no doubt that things are improving and the belief is slowly coming back, but is it the end of the world if Gallen or others are ruled out?

I guess unbridled belief is from a bygone era.

The Blues can topple Queensland.

Believe it.

 

‘Bulldogs Need Barba Now, Not Later’ Published on theroar.com.au 9/5/13

The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have won their last two matches and are seemingly on their way back after eight rounds of the 2013 National Rugby League season.

But how much can you take out of scratchy victories against the self-imploding Cronulla Sharks and the injury-ravaged Wests Tigers?

Signs are good and the improvement is there.

As expected, props Sam Kasiano and James Graham have returned and made an instant difference to their side and how they play. The momentum is returning and finally the results are going their way.

This Saturday sees the Bulldogs travel across the ditch for a date with the New Zealand Warriors in a rate match at Wellington’s Westpac Stadium.

Most pundits have Canterbury winning comfortably.

Five-eighth Josh Reynolds continues to improve, backrower Tony Williams is finally starting to fire and Trent Hodkinson has shifted back into first grade with aplomb.

But, despite all this improvement, something is still missing.

It is time for 2012 Dally M Medallist Ben Barba to burn the house down and show everyone the kid from Mackay isn’t just a one hit wonder.

Yes he had off-field problems and yes his rollercoaster ride to superstardom is something most NRL players will never experience. But for the Bulldogs and their fans, Barba needs to find the form that made him the poster boy of rugby league last season.

The Bulldogs will win their fair share of games in the coming months and will almost definitely push for a finals spot.

Difference between Canterbury being a top eight side and a premiership threat?

Barba.

The enigmatic custodian has been back for 400 minutes of football in 2013 and now needs to find his feet. He needs a big game. Not for himself, for his team.

“I’m not too happy at the moment,” Barba told The Daily Telegraph after the 40-4 win over the Tigers.

“Obviously we won but I’m still disappointed with the way I’m playing. But as I said and as Dessie said, ‘it’s not going to happen straight away and you’re not going to expect to make line breaks and score these tries’.

“I’ve just got to work real hard on trying to find what I had last year. And if it takes months it takes months, but I’ve just got to be in there for the team and hopefully my form comes on the back of just building and continuing to build.”

It might be harsh but Canterbury need more from Barba now.

In the coming weeks the Bulldogs play the Newcastle Knights at Hunter Stadium before home games against the Brisbane Broncos and St George Illawarra Dragons.

Of course there is plenty of time left in the 2013 season.

But for Barba and the Bulldogs, the fire needs to be lit now.

Not later.

 

‘Robbie Farah’s Lost Origin Years’ Published on theroar.com.au 10/5/13

He is widely regarded as one of the best players in the National Rugby League, but Wests Tigers captain Robbie Farah will look back on the past five seasons as the lost Origin years.

There are Australian, NRL All Stars and City Origin jumpers sitting in his wardrobe, and a premiership-ring on his finger for his heroics in the 2005 decider. His achievements speak for themselves.

But when Danny Buderus’ dominance of the New South Wales Blues’ number nine jersey came to an end after the 2008 series, many predicted Farah to take the throne.

Instead Origin got the better of him.

After only two games, the silky rake was axed for rival Michael Ennis.

Yet the losses continued with Ennis, then Dean Young and with Ennis again.

The opinion of most was that Farah wasn’t tough enough, or didn’t have the mindset for the brutality of State of Origin football.

They tried Ennis at hooker with Craig Wing on the bench, Ennis with Kurt Gidley deputising, and by 2011 you kind of lose track. The position was always Farah’s to take if he could just find that edge.

Whether Farah should have ever been dropped for Ennis is anyone’s guess.

Then came 2012.

Blues coach Ricky Stuart told Farah personally Buderus would be selected ahead of him, and assistant coach Steve Roach even publicly stated that Farah was not, “an Origin type player.”

“Robbie is a great player and I gave him man of the match in City-Country,” Roach said in April last year.

“But his game doesn’t suit Origin. You can’t do in Origin what you do in club games.

“You need more than just skill and guile.”

Buderus was eventually ruled out and Farah got his chance anyway. To say Farah was never an Origin player is a stretch. It was always there inside him, he just needed to find the balance.

In a losing effort in game one, Farah was one of the Blues’ best.

In game two he was named players’ player for one of the greatest Origin performances we will ever see, handling the ball over a 100 times and making a record 63 tackles for no misses. This is made even more remarkable considering how close his beloved mother was to death.

Despite yet another Origin series loss, Farah was named NSW’s Brad Fittler player of the series.

Another series is just around the corner and the Blues now have the Robbie Farah they always wanted.

But even he would still think about all those sky blue jumpers that never were.

 

‘Maroons Front Row Stocks Dwindling For Origin’ Published on theroar.com.au 11/5/13

There was once a time when Queensland could call on an endless line of representative front rowers to bash the helpless New South Wales Blues into submission.

While Blues coach Laurie Daley has the wonderful predicament of fitting at least half a dozen players into three spots, the Maroons will be forced to blood unproven youngsters in the hellfire that is State of Origin football.

Alarm bells were ringing for Queensland mentor Mal Meninga when Ben Hannant limped from Parramatta Stadium in the 19-18 loss to the Eels on Saturday night.

Reports suggest Hannant could miss up to a month with a hamstring injury.

With the Maroons side named in a fortnight, Hannant’s place is now up for grabs with youngsters Martin Kennedy and Josh McGuire roaring into contention.

But McGuire’s chances have also taken a hit after being placed on report Saturday night for a high-shot on Eels superstar Jarryd Hayne.

Another option for Queensland is to push Sam Thaiday up to the front row. But even this would be music to Daley’s ears as his impact on the match would be all but nullified.

Undoubtedly Matt Scott and David Shillington will lead the pack and have no choice but play big minutes against the Blues.

Shillington returned from a rib cartilage injury in the Canberra’s Raiders big win over the Newcastle Knights on Sunday.

Nonetheless, stocks are slim for Queensland and you can guarantee the Blues brains trust can smell blood in the water.

A massive target has now been placed on the chests of Scott and Shillington.

With the likes of James Tamou, Aaron Woods, Tim Grant, Willie Mason, Andrew Fifita and Aiden Tolman waiting in the wings New South Wales clearly have the upper hand through the middle third.

The Blues now have the front row to go with the most dangerous back row combination in rugby league.

Origin matches might be won by the Cooper Cronks and the Jarryd Haynes in the dying moments. But the platform they work from is setup by the blood and sweat of the men in the middle.

New South Wales also have the advantage in 2013 of playing not one but two matches at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium. It’s no secret the Maroons struggle at Homebush and its slower track.

Queensland’s greatness will truly be tested.

The Blues have their own injury concerns with speedsters Brett Stewart and Brett Morris considered unlikely starters on June 5.

But outside backs can be replaced.

Quality State of Origin hard men are few and far between.

 

‘Warriors Keep Signing Same Old Tune’ Published on theroar.com.au 14/5/13

Two grand final appearances in eleven years is not the worst record in the National Rugby League.

But for the New Zealand Warriors, it always has been a case of one step forward and three steps back.

The year was 2011 and the Warriors rollercoaster ride to the decider at ANZ Stadium had New Zealanders across both islands jumping for joy.

Granted, the mighty All Blacks are the pride of the land over there, but this NRL franchise had the entire country behind them.

Casual fans headed out to buy merchandise in their droves and record numbers tuned in on televisions for the final match of the season.

The Warriors were soundly beaten by the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, but the groundwork had been laid for a golden era of rugby league to follow.

Young stars like Shaun Johnson, Kevin Locke and Ben Matulino had fans beaming.

Then reality hit.

2012 came around and the Warriors went into remission once again.

Those casual fans grabbed the remote and changed the channel back to the Super Rugby and folded their Warriors flags and caps back into the bottom draw.

Last weekend was the perfect time to get their season back on track. A trip to Wellington and a clash with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in front of over 30,000 fans at Westpac Stadium.

They shot out of the blocks and looked destined for a famous victory.

And then it happened again.

The Warriors fell away like they always seem to do.

“I think it’s pretty much the same as the last few weeks. It’s obviously something in preparation that we need to tidy up,” coach Matthew Elliott said after the loss to Canterbury.

“It’s not as though we’re not addressing it. We’ve just got to do a better job of it that’s for sure.

“I thought our effort to hang in there and get ourselves back in the game again was really positive. We just didn’t play positive footy… it’s too hard to be stuck in your end for 40 minutes and try and hold on.”

After appearing in the 2002 grand final the Warriors missed three of the following four finals series.

Prodigies like Ali Lauitiiti and Clinton Toopi quickly faded into rugby league history.

Almost like clockwork, the Auckland-based club self imploded last season, finishing 14th despite showing so much promise the year before.

Is this just a young side trying to find their feet? Is it time these players were held accountable? Or will this group of youngsters fade like prodigies past?

 

‘Toothless Tigers Bench Benji Marshall’ Published on theroar.com.au 15/5/13

The Wests Tigers have officially hit rock bottom. Comparing their struggles in 2013 to the dark old days of the merged club is somewhat unfair.

Back then it was John Hopoate’s famous fingers which cost the winger 12 weeks on the sidelines, and of course the six-month suspensions of Craig Field and Kevin McGuiness for the use of recreational drugs.

These were only two of many ugly incidents for the Tigers in the early 2000s.

Things improved for a while and they even snagged a premiership in 2005 with one of the great winning sequences of the modern era.

But this, in 2013, is their lowest ebb.

They sit last on the National Rugby League table after nine competition rounds with a points differential of -120.

Six sad losses on the trot means Wests have not won a game of football since the 22nd of March.

And now their most prized asset has been dropped from the starting 13.

Benji Marshall’s form has been so poor that coach Michael Potter had no other choice but start the playmaker from the pine in what could be one almighty massacre at the hands of the South Sydney Rabbitohs on Friday night at ANZ Stadium.

Now the burden, if it wasn’t already, has been dumped in the laps of captain Robbie Farah, Aaron Woods and youngsters like Curtis Sironen.

Things are eroding just as quickly away from the field too, with old factions continuing to death ride the franchise.

The bickering between both the Western Suburbs and Balmain sides of the club has hampered any growth the team had made in the previous eight seasons.

“I have always said you need a healthy side off the field,” former Tigers director Ben Elias told The Daily Telegraph.

“We have managed so far to be quite resilient. Unfortunately, this year we seem to be really struggling on the field.”

Therein lies the problem.

While the Wests Tigers were winning games and making semi-finals everything was fine. But the inevitable tough times would rip open wounds that refuse to heal.

Back to Marshall.

There was proof two weeks ago Benji is struggling physically and mentally.

In the early stages of their clash with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Marshall found himself on his own try line one-on-one with monstrous backrower Tony Williams.

Instead of making any attempt to stop the rampaging Bulldog, he simply let him go by without laying a finger on him.

On the verge of a new contract at the Tigers, reportedly worth upwards of $4 million, Marshall recently pieced acolumn for The Sydney Morning Herald pleading his case.

“This year, I’ve hardly taken the line on and I’ve hardly been tackled. Lately, I’ve got caught in the ball-playing trap of just trying to put others over,” Marshall wrote.

“The strength of my game has always been my running. The 2011 season wasn’t quite so bad, but 2012? It was like I was playing in a dinner suit. I hardly took the line on. What made me a good rugby league player was the way I used to play the game.”

There is no doubt Marshall helped propel the Tigers into the stratosphere all those years ago.

But there is also no doubt the enigmatic number six has become stale.

Much like the rest of his club.

The $4 million question is do the Tigers pay up for the ageing star or lock up the river of young talent coming through and prepare for the future?

Recent Articles

‘NRL rep weekend: four games is not enough’ Published on theroar.com.au 23/4/13

Most people would now agree that the representative weekend is a fantastic idea. But surely more work can be done to squeeze more out of what could be a wonderful annual extravaganza.

The ANZAC Test match rightfully took centre stage on Friday night at Canberra Stadium and was backed up by three pretty good games of footy over the next two days.

Australia might have ran away with the victory in the end but over 25,000 fans at the ground saw a legitimate arm wrestle for most of the clash.

With Benji Marshall, Simon Mannering and Sonny Bill Williams still to come back into the fold you can be assured the Kiwis will be more than a chance at the 2013 World Cup later in the year.

New South Wales made it two victories in a row in the under-20s State of Origin encounter with fierce rivals Queensland after a commanding performance at Penrith on Saturday night.

But the main event at Centrebet Stadium was a showdown between bitter foes Samoa and Tonga. This fixture needs to be a part of the representative weekend next year and every year thereafter.

Both sides showed pride and passion and proved we are on the right track when it comes to international rugby league. There is so much untapped potential within the pacific islands and across the world, we must be grow the game.

Sunday in Coffs Harbour was another story.

With detractors already tapping nails into its coffin, fans on the north coast were expected to lob up in droves and fork out for ridiculously priced tickets despite a number of players pulling out of the game.

But this game is still relevant.

The Australian Rugby League Commission needs to put the work in all year round and not just throw the bones of a once-entertaining concept to a different country town each season.

There is still a place for City-Country Origin.

“It would be a tragedy if people took this weekend’s crowd as a sign of the interest in Country-City,” Country Rugby League chief executive Terry Quinn told The Daily Telegraph.

“This match has an amazing impact in the regions we play in every year and you only have to look at the support it has generated over the past few seasons to understand how many people in the bush want to see this match played.

“We will be doing all we can to grow Country-City in the future and the NRL is extremely supportive of that.”

Well good for them.

But something caught this writer’s eye while on the beautiful Gold Coast this weekend. There wasn’t enough games to satisfy supporters thirst for rugby league.

Four games was simply not enough.

Sitting at an establishment in Southport on Sunday afternoon, it was obvious how much of a leg up rivals the AFL had with only the delayed 4pm City-Country coverage going up three matches of Aussie Rules.

From 1pm right through to 6pm, the AFL dominated the numerous big screens at said establishment. Coming from Sydney, you are used to having the rub of the green when it comes to television dominance at any given venue.

But the few watching City-Country felt like lepers tucked away in the corner with one rather small screen to watch.

Surely we can add some more games to this representative weekend to make it more viable to the neutral sports fans.

Why not have a Queensland City-Country contest to keep the Queenslanders interested?

Perhaps a Papua New Guinea versus Fiji Test match in Townsville?

Maybe even pit the NSW Cup champions Newtown Jets up against the 2012 Queensland Cup premiers the Wynnum-Manly Seagulls?

‘Sharks and Dogs desperate as anyone this weekend’ Published on theroar.com.au 24/4/13

The last time the Cronulla Sharks battled the Canterbury Bulldogs, both sides had already started their surges toward the 2012 finals series.

It was May of last season and both were in the top eight and flying.

But as we all know, 12 months is a long time in rugby league.

It might only be Round 7 but these supposed heavyweights are just trying to stay afloat and both desperately need a victory to keep in touch or risk losing their season before it really even begins.

Canterbury, the 2012 minor premiers, sit dead last on the National Rugby League table after losing four consecutive matches. They might have been without a number of their stars but the best teams find a way to win when the chips are down.

Dally M Medalist Ben Barba is back on the paddock yet the Bulldogs refuse to click.

The Sharks looked the real deal heading into the new season with the signings of Luke Lewis, Beau Ryan and Michael Gordon.

Add the likes of Paul Gallen and Todd Carney, who were already at the club, and that elusive premiership was finally within their sights.

With ASADA’s investigation targeting them, the Sharks have crumbled under the pressure, lost their past three games and sit precariously on the table with a 2-4 record.

While Cronulla cops plenty for a seemingly one dimensional attack, the Bulldogs have scored less points in 2013 and boast the worst points differential in the NRL.

These sides come together at Bluetongue Stadium on Sunday afternoon, desperate to regain that winning feeling.

This competition has a funny way of bringing you back to Earth with a thud no matter how good you were the previous season. The NRL is about the now and what you are doing to win this weekend’s game.

Neither side can lose any more ground to the competition’s leaders.

Trent Hodkinson has been named at halfback for the Dogs and will partner Josh Reynolds against Jeff Robson and Todd Carney. You get the feeling that something has to give and one of these playmakers needs to stand up.

“We really need a win, we’ll be doing everything we can to get it this weekend,” Canterbury winger Sam Perretttold bulldogs.com.au.

“The Sharks haven’t had the best start to the year either so they’ll be a tough opposition as I’m sure they want the victory just as much as we do.”

These might not be the championship rounds just yet for most sides in the NRL but for the Bulldogs and the Sharks, the next five weeks will go a long way to deciding their fate in 2013.

After this weekend’s clash Canterbury will face the Wests Tigers, Brisbane Broncos and St George Illawarra with road trips to Newcastle and Auckland.

Cronulla head to Newcastle in Round 8 before facing the Tigers, Canberra Raiders and South Sydney before a bye.

The point is these sides need to start winning and winning now.

It isn’t panic stations just yet, but the hand is definitely on the red button.

‘Roosters v Dragons: Lest we forget’ Published on theroar.com.au 25/4/13

It takes a lot for the modern day rugby league player to get caught up in the occasion. They are professional athletes and do everything in their power to block out anything and everything in the lead up to a big match.

In almost every other instance these men are the centre of attention, whether it be State of Origin, internationals or the bright lights of the National Rugby League. They are superstars and fans worship them accordingly.

But ANZAC Day at Allianz Stadium is a different beast altogether.

This will be the twelfth time the St George Illawarra Dragons and Sydney Roosters have played out the biggest annual club match on the NRL calendar since its inception in 2002.

The Dragons have dominated the fixture, winning eight of the eleven matches.

But this game is not about statistics, or Sonny Bill Williams, or even the Dragons’ return to form.

Just like every other week, these players will have woken up today with the game itself furthest from their minds. They will have breakfast and some might even catch a wave, whether it be Bondi or Wollongong.

Some will prepare their bags and some will re-check theirs after packing the night before.

They’ll eventually find themselves at the ground signing autographs and keeping conversation to a minimum as they weave their way through to the locker rooms at Allianz.

So far everything feels like just another match.

The players will go through their notes and take in some instructions from the coaching staff, some sporting headphones and some not, before putting on their gear and heading out for warm-up.

Now they can feel the buzz around the ground.

But as the warm-up intensifies the crowd becomes a distant memory. They know the game plan and they know their individual jobs. The butterflies build in their stomachs as they prepare for kickoff.

Then it’s back into the sheds.

Just like any other match, they take their final instructions from the head coach, some listening more intently than others, with kickoff minutes away.

The time comes and they are down the tunnel and onto the field.

With the shadows lengthening over the ground, they can now take in the 40,000 strong crowd.

But this is completely different to any other game they’ll play. For a few short minutes prior to kickoff, these professional athletes are reminded of how insignificant their jobs really are in the big scheme of things.

The Last Post is played.

This spectacle isn’t about them anymore.

Then there’s that eerie silence that takes over the stadium and the players are paying tribute just like every other man, woman and child inside Allianz Stadium.

They are humbled just like everybody else.

“It was definitely my favourite game and something I will always remember,” said former Rooster Ryan Cross.

“Standing there in front of a massive crowd I would always look forward to the Last Post and the whole emotion behind the day, it’s something I will never forget.”

For those few short moments between feeling the turf under their boots and the referee’s whistle, the players feel something they won’t feel in any other match in 2013.

Lest we forget.

‘My Blues team for State of Origin I’ Published on theroar.com.au 29/4/13

There is a little over a month before the first State of Origin match of 2013, where the New South Wales Blues are hunting their first series victory in almost a decade.

Some have already given their Blues squad for game one and many will follow suit in the coming weeks. So why not get on the bandwagon and give my New South Wales 17 to finally bring down the Queensland empire beginning June 5 at ANZ Stadium.

Fullback: Brett Stewart

Other contenders: Jarryd Hayne, Kurt Gidley, Anthony Minichiello

Stewart has slowly worked back into form at the Sea Eagles and is a shoe-in to be Blues custodian with the disappearance of Josh Dugan and the poor form of Jarryd Hayne at Parramatta.

Gidley is a chance but is a better option on the bench.

Wingers: Brett Morris and Nathan Merritt

Other contenders: Akuila Uate, Jarryd Hayne, Jorge Taufua

Morris has become one of the premier wingers in international rugby league and has continued to excel in a Dragons side that has been less than impressive over the past 12 months.

Merritt deserves a chance in Origin and his try scoring feats at the Rabbitohs cannot be ignored anymore. He will have no problem with the step up into the Origin arena.

Centres: Josh Morris and Michael Jennings

Other contenders: Jamal Idris, Jarrod Croker

Jennings picks himself this year after a spectacular start to the year at the Roosters. He might have been picked from NSW Cup last year, but the enigmatic speedster has been on fire at Bondi Junction in 2013.

Morris will pair up with his brother on one side and the mouth-watering combination of Merritt and Jennings on the other.

Five-Eighth: Todd Carney

Other contenders: James Maloney, Josh Reynolds

Carney keeps his spot at five-eighth despite serious challenges from Maloney and Josh Reynolds. The Cronulla playmaker has been good in a poor side so far in 2013 and will need to step up after a disappointing Origin debut last season.

Halfback: Mitchell Pearce

Other contenders: Adam Reynolds

Coach Laurie Daley said he would stick solid with Pearce earlier this year and the public support has paid dividends, with Pearce and the Roosters firing. The combination of Pearce and Carney returns for another shot at the mighty Queenslanders.

It’s now or never for these two. But that doesn’t mean they can’t do it.

Props: James Tamou and Aaron Woods

Other contenders: Tim Grant, Willie Mason, Andrew Fifita, Tim Mannah

Australian prop Tamou is first prop picked and continues to thrive in the big matches. He plays big minutes and has the ability to dominate the Maroons pack.

Woods gets his first sky blue jumper continually standing out in a struggling Wests Tigers side. Woods plays big minutes too and does so with the quality of a seasoned pro. He is ready for State of Origin.

Hooker: Robbie Farah

Other contenders: nil

Farah has come a long way since being re-picked for the Blues in 2012. Behind Paul Gallen, the Tigers rake is the second man picked for New South Wales.

Backrow: Luke Lewis, Greg Bird, Paul Gallen

Other Contenders: Anthony Watmough, Ryan Hoffman, Trent Merrin, Glenn Stewart

Gallen will play tight for the Blues shoring up the middle third with Woods and Tamou in the opening exchanges. Bird and Lewis can play tight or on the fringes depending on what the situation calls for.

Bench: Kurt Gidley, Trent Merrin, Anthony Watmough, Ryan Hoffman

Watmough has been playing in the middle for the Sea Eagles but can play a little wider. His intensity and passion is an added bonus on the bench for the Blues.

When Merrin gets his chance, Gallen can be pushed up to prop to give either Tamou or Woods the break they need.

Hoffman is a devastating line runner and gives the bench that balance Laurie Daley is looking for.

Gidley could be the x-factor for the Blues at around the 30 minute mark, keeping Farah fresh and posing a serious threat to the tiring Queenslanders.

‘Eels the worst side of the NRL era’ Published on theroar.com.au 30/4/13

Heavily backed and expected to roll the under-strength Penrith Panthers on Monday night football, the hapless Parramatta Eels crumbled without a whimper in one of the darkest nights in the club’s proud history.

The Sydney Roosters might have put 50 points on them in Round 4 but at least there was some effort and even the most hardy of Eels fans will tell you the Roosters were simply a class or two above them.

But last night was something different altogether.

Penrith were missing stars right across the paddock and fielded a makeshift 17. Usual starters like Lachlan Coote, Josh Mansour, Blake Austin, Wes Naiqama, James Roberts, Cameron Ciraldo and Brad Tighe were all out.

Parramatta had this one in the bag.

But nobody told the Panthers how this story was suppose to unfold.

Most experts had Parramatta winning and winning handsomely. Instead, the thousands of Eels fans that trekked to Centrebet Stadium were left to wallow for another week.

There might have been bigger defeats in the past but the 44-12 demolition at the hands of the Panthers is easily one of their worst losses since their inception in 1947.

The question isn’t how does coach Ricky Stuart get his team out of this mess, because nobody has that answer.

The question is how the hell has this club fallen so far?

So far, in fact, you have to compare this Parramatta side to some of the worst rugby league sides since the birth of the National Rugby League in 1998.

You can argue it isn’t fair comparing different teams from other eras.

Other sides might have lost more games on a more regular basis and may not have had superstars like Jarryd Hayne in their squad, but in this modern age you are expected to be a whole lot better than what was expected of sides from the past.

Are they worst than the 1999 Western Suburbs Magpies?

The Magpies won only three matches in ‘99 and gave up a whopping 944 points.

Parramatta, man to man, are a better team than that Wests side but that was a different time. The NRL in 1999 wasn’t the even playing field it is today.

The point is, the gap between the Magpies and the premier sides of that year compared to the distance between the Eels and the top sides of 2013 is the exactly the same – possibly even worse.

South Sydney Rabbitohs of 2003 recorded only three wins for the season too and conceded 758 points.

It’s a fait accompli Parramatta will win more than three games this year and they definitely won’t concede anywhere near the aforementioned teams. But the fact still remains the Eels are just as bad as any other side the NRL has seen since 1998.

Coach Stuart didn’t have much to say post-match. But what he did say would send shudders down the spines of all Parramatta fans.

“It’s embarrassing when your two best players are an 18 and 19 year old both learning how to play the game or play at first grade level.”

For Eels fans you could say the only way is up.

When the ascent begins however is anyone’s guess.

‘Manly’s brutish ways could be their downfall’ Published on theroar.com.au 1/5/13

No side treads the fine line of aggression quite like the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. In recent years the so called silvertails have based their game on grit, passion and intimidation.

While other sides in the modern era shy away from confrontation, the Sea Eagles welcome it and thrive on it. When the chips are down or a match is on the line, no other side can match Manly for sheer brutality.

Under Des Hasler and now Geoff Toovey, the Eagles have made an art form out of one of the basic fundamentals of rugby league.

They are what you call ‘old school’ and that is exactly how they want it.

They still have the attacking finesse of other sides and boast some of the best players in the competition in Jamie Lyon, Brett Stewart and Kieran Foran.

But last Friday night against the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Manly crossed that fine line. That fine line makes them an awesome football side and will probably carry them all the way to the finals and the top four.

Although everyone loves watching the Eagles play, everyone also knows that things can escalate pretty quickly too.

The high-flying Rabbitohs were headed to Brookvale and Manly wanted to remind them who’s turf they were stepping onto.

And what a game it was. It had everything and then some.

But as the stakes continued to rise and the pressure reached boiling point, the Eagles lost their way. Souths took everything they had and then took the competition points.

So where did this result leave both sides?

Yes the Rabbitohs might have been battered and bruised for the next few days but they still had the victory. Coach Michael Maguire knew what a litmus test it was going to be for his team and they came out the other side with flying colours.

But what of the Eagles?

For all their ‘passion’ they will now be without Richie Fao’aso and Steve Matai for Monday’s clash with the St George Illawarra Dragons.

Both took early guilty pleas with Matai missing only one match after a tackle gone wrong on giant Rabbitoh George Burgess while Fao’aso will miss eight games after two separate lifting tackles on superstar Greg Inglis.

“I thought it was a cracker of a hit [Matai on Burgess],” Cherry-Evans said on Tuesday.

“(I am) very surprised that he’s been charged.

“We see those sort of tackles week after week and no one else seems to cop any grunt from it.

“It’s just because, unfortunately, Steve’s built up a bit of a resume when it comes to the judiciary.

“That one, I thought was pretty fair and he should be right to play hopefully.”

Fullback Stewart has also taken an early plea for an elbow on Andrew Everingham but will take his place on Monday.

At the end of the day, Matai’s hit can be excused.

But the others leave you wondering if the Sea Eagles care about winning the two competition points or just breaking some bones.

Come September, Manly’s strength could be the very thing that brings them down.

‘Bronco Thaiday fires up Sam Thaiday’ Published on theroar.com.au 2/5/13

Brisbane Broncos captain Sam Thaiday might as well have walked straight up to Sam Burgess and slapped him across the face.

If the South Sydney Rabbitoh did not need anymore firing up, yesterday’s headline in The Courier-Mail said it all: ‘Thaiday says George is the best of the Burgess brothers’.

Thaiday has not done his team-mates any favours heading into the Round 8 clash at Suncorp Stadium.

Although Burgess may not admit it, there is nothing that lights a fire under any competitive man like being told your little brother is better than you.

“They are some huge boys. They tower over our front-rowers,” Thaiday told The Courier-Mail.

“We are more the shorter [Thaiday and Hannant], rounder front-rowers.

“Their team plays a lot of football off the back of those two guys.

“I have been more impressed with the younger brother this season.

“He’s really stepped up and really taken that role of being a great young front-rower right on board.

“I think there will be some reward for him at the end of the year with a World Cup call-up for England.”

Perhaps George has overshadowed his brother in the opening rounds with his barnstorming runs and intimidating presence. But when it comes down to it and you put it all on the line, big bro Sam is light years ahead of his giant sibling.

Physically and mentally the Rabbitohs are a better team with Sam in the side.

Statistically George (818) leads Sam (789) by 29 in all run metres in 2013 despite George playing an extra game. Oh and Sam has made 47 more tackles.

The point is that Sam is a finely tuned all-round monster while George still has plenty of work to do. And the scariest part is that Sam still has plenty of improvement left in him this season.

Brisbane sit sixth on the National Rugby League table with a record of 4-3.

But has anyone really been impressed with the Broncos so far this year?

Against a listless Wests Tigers pack last weekend that boasted such “household” names as Shaun Spence, Jack Buchanan and Sauaso Sue the Broncos almost found a way to lose the unloseable match.

They were awesome early but faded badly at Campbelltown on Saturday night.

Those same lapses in concentration and execution cannot be repeated against the Rabbitohs who boast one of the most powerful forward packs in the NRL.

Brisbane might have won their past three encounters against the Bunnies and seven of their last ten, but there is something different in the air this year at Redfern.

It isn’t Mario Fenech and Craig Coleman beating their chests or the throngs of Souths supporters and their annual premiership song and dance.

This is an honest-to-god premiership threat.

Friday night in Brisbane, the red and green road show rolls on.

All the stars will be out.

Inglis, John Sutton, Adam Reynolds and yes even George Burgess.

And don’t forget one S. Burgess looking for a certain S. Thaiday.

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‘Time For Rugby League To Embrace Representative Season’ Published on theroar.com.au 17/4/13

Do we not have a responsibility to embrace representative rugby league? That is the question I put to all supporters of the greatest game of all.

In these modern times where no Australian sport is safe and all codes look for that edge, why does rugby league try and bury the one thing we have clear cut over the AFL?

The AFL can insist on itself all it likes with hybrid disasters, but we have something to build on in the short term and the long term.

While Aussie Rules pride themselves on the prestige of making an All-Australian team, Australian rugby league players and others from around the globe actually get the chance to represent the places that made them.

Whether it be for the mighty green and gold of the Australian Kangaroos, the world champion New Zealanders or even City and Country selection, these men have earned the right to play representative football.

State of Origin already gives rugby league a leg up on its competition. It has become one of the most anticipated annual events on the Australian sporting calendar and for good reason.

Origin is the epitome of what a sporting brand should be.

International rugby league might be Origin’s ugly cousin, but it’s still a powerful tool if harnessed the right way by administrators and fans alike.

People have finally got what they want. A representative weekend not only gives NRL teams and their star players a short reprieve but also allows the international game to take centre stage.

Yet like clockwork on Monday morning the media began questioning the merit of representative games.

Ask Australian captain Cameron Smith if he thinks playing for his country is a waste of time, or Issac Luke who will once again lead the haka on Friday night in Canberra.

Maybe ask Curtis Sironen to give back his first City Origin jumper?

Head to Penrith on Saturday night and try and tell the Tongan and Samoan boys that they can’t go to battle for bragging rights ahead of the 2013 World Cup.

Better yet, tell the 10,000 or so fans on the north coast that they don’t have to show up at Coffs Harbour on Sunday afternoon because the game doesn’t mean anything.

For a sport with such a bright future, being short-sighted is a curse.

Yes, many players have withdrawn from the City-Country clash on the weekend, but for the players involved this still means something.

And heaven forbid a game is actually played for the fans.

I agree that one game in a different country town each year isn’t enough.

For too long people from the bush have been the ones burnt by the mistakes of others.

Why not play two Monday night football games a month in the bush?

But it isn’t just how people feel about City-Country that needs to change. Its all representative footy. It needs to be invested in by officials and respected by the fans and the media.

The Australian Rugby League Commission and its clubs are being far more proactive in 2013 then in previous years, but more can be done to make representative rugby league a whole lot more commercially viable.

Give the fans a chance to truly enjoy the value of rep football and they will support it back tenfold.

So if you can get to a game this weekend do so and support representative football.

Whether it’s in Canberra, Penrith or Coffs Harbour.

It’s still rugby league after all.

‘Panthers Sign Soward: Was it the Right Move?’ Published on theroar.com.au 18/4/13

Penrith Panthers general manager Phil Gould has a plan for the western suburbs of Sydney and his club.

But after all the recent huffing and puffing regarding off-field projects, Panthers fans have been left scratching their heads after the signing on Wednesday afternoon of St George Illawarra playmaker Jamie Soward.

28-year-old Soward’s four-year deal begins in 2014 with the five-eighth destined to finish his career at the foot of the mountains.

After missing out on superstar Johnathan Thurston the Panthers have been desperate to lock up a quality pivot. Question marks still hang over Luke Walsh despite having another two seasons to run on his contract.

But is the answer Soward?

The former State of Origin number six has divided public opinion for years and many experts have criticised his style of play and his inability to inject himself into a match.

None more so than the outspoken Gould.

But necessity has won the day and Soward will be welcomed to Penrith with open arms.

“Jamie Soward is a marquee signing for the Panthers club,” Gould said via a press release on Wednesday.

“He is a tremendous talent, proven at the highest levels of our game. He also brings with him great experience and leadership qualities.

“Jamie is an outstanding role model for the youth of Western Sydney and his obvious popularity with the kids makes him a perfect ambassador for our club’s community and Junior League programs”.

Was it not ‘Gus’ who helped push Soward out the door at the Sydney Roosters when Gould was a coaching director in 2005?

Despite Todd Carney still on the open market the Panthers have gone with Soward.

The twist of fate here off course is the Panthers have opened the door for the Dragons to make a seriously big play at Carney.

It is understandable that teams in the cellar want to get out and will do anything to bring quality to their squad.

But signing players for the sake of signing them is not the answer.

Soward might improve Penrith’s kicking game but has the problem not been Walsh’s running game or lack thereof?

How will Soward improve this area for the Panthers?

The Panthers also recently picked up veteran prop Brent Kite for season 2014.

His signature comes despite Kevin Kingston, Dayne Weston, Nathan Smith and Nigel Plum yet to see new deals. Not to mention that Penrith already boast two of the best young props in the game in Tim Grant and Sam McKendry.

You can see that coach Ivan Cleary and Gould are cleaning up the roster as best they can and picking up as many “good buys” as possible.

But that isn’t good enough for Panthers fans anymore.

The kids in Penrith need a superstar they can emulate in the schoolyard.

Is Soward the man to lead Penrith into a new era?

Time will tell.

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‘Blues Fans Must Get Behind Pearce’ Published on theroar.com.au 11/4/13

The Queensland Maroons have dominated State of Origin for what seems an eternity. Most of the reason for that is having some of the greatest rugby league players we will ever see.

Talent does eventually win out. Queensland have had the unfair advantage of having the best players over the past decade.

That is just how it is and how history will remember this era.

The New South Wales Blues, however, have not done themselves any favours throughout this period.

Whether it be the continuous sacking of players or coaches, the Blues haven’t stood a chance.

But is it purely the selectors fault?

Are the players to blame for not taking their chances when given to them?

The answer as always lies in the fabric of what makes a Queenslander a Queenslander. We as New South Welshmen have never copped the tip when it comes to supporting our Origin side.

When Papua New Guinean-born Adrian Lam was appointed captain of their beloved state, did they not still bleed maroon?

Did they kick up a stink and call for heads to roll when Daniel Wagon was selected as five-eighth in the dark days of the early 2000s?

It’s blasphemy north of the border to ever question the Maroons. At the end of the day they get behind their team and breathe every moment of every game.

They never question the decisions of the hierarchy. Whoever wears that jersey has the respect and support of the entire state.

Do you really believe the Maroons don’t feel their fans when they run onto the field?

The Blues haven’t let the fans down over the past seven years. Sure, there have been poor performances and the media and supporters have every right to feel disappointed about what has happened recently.

But we as a state have still let down our players.

The uproar since Laurie Daley announced that Mitchell Pearce would be the Blues halfback again in 2013 has been laughable to Mal Meninga and his legion of followers.

You can hear them laughing from here.

Daley wrote a column for The Daily Telegraph before the season even started stating Pearce was his preference in the number seven jersey.

“As for Mitchell, I think he is ready to take the next step in his career and become a real leader,” Daley wrote.

“Which is also part of the job description if you want to be the playmaker of an Origin team. You don’t want to always try to be the star, but you do have to want to take control of any situation.”

Where is the problem in giving Pearce the confidence he needs to finally get the Blues over the line?

“Last year, for whatever reason, Mitchell just didn’t seem to be the same player I had seen over previous seasons and I think his form reflected that” Daley added.

Remember that against all odds Pearce helped get New South Wales to within one point of conquering the Maroons in 2012. Why aren’t we supporting whomever Daley picks?

Despite Adam Reynolds and his excellent form for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Pearce is our best option. He has already played nine Origin games and he is still only 24. This isn’t a reason to drop him, it’s a reason to play him.

But you have to wonder in those nine matches how much love Pearce has felt from his own state.

Whomever they pick for game one at ANZ Stadium doesn’t really matter.

It is the support the players get that makes all the difference.

‘Campese Returns In The Most Important Game of his Life’ Published on theroar.com.au 12/4/13

Terry Campese has been named on an extended bench to face the New Zealand Warriors in Round 6, with the unluckiest man in rugby league looking to resurrect a career littered with injuries.

Campese has not worn the lime green of the Canberra Raiders for 12 long months and has only played eight matches over the past three seasons.

If the former State of Origin playmaker does return Saturday night against the Warriors it will end yet another torturous spell on the sidelines for the Canberra skipper.

Everyone wants Campese to succeed.

To see such a naturally gifted talent sidelined for so long is disappointing and no one wants to get stuck back into the rigours of the National Rugby League more than Campese himself.

“I can’t go out there thinking about them [his operations],” Campese told The Daily Telegraph.

“That is when you put yourself in a dangerous position. I have to get out there and not think about the knee. Just get out there and play football.

“I have been ticking all the boxes and finally got the tick of approval from our medical staff. Everyone is happy.

“It’s been 12 months since the operation, so it’s time to play. I knew what to expect this time around, so it was easier. But it doesn’t get easier watching from the sidelines.”

But someone needs to play devil’s advocate for a moment.

It is the understatement of the century but this is easily the most important month of Campese’s footballing career.

If everything goes to plan, the Raiders get their star five-eighth back and set their sights on September.

On the other hand, if Campese breaks down again, then he must seriously consider retirement. It’s sad to say but it’s the brutal truth.

After two knee reconstructions and surgery on his groin, Campese is surely touch and go when it comes to how good he could possibly be upon his return.

“It feels forever [since I played],” he continued.

“It’s like I am making my debut. All the hard work is finally paying off. I can’t wait to get back out there.

“I had a few emotions running through my body when I got approval from the medical staff that I was right to play.

“It’s exciting again. It [rehab] is always worth it knowing you are going to put the jumper back on. I want that opportunity again to run out alongside the boys.”

In a perfect world Campese returns and finds the form that made him a State of Origin five-eighth and one of the classiest players in the NRL.

This a professional era full of professional athletes and we expect them to return from injury and simply slip back into the players they once were. But don’t question how nervous Campese will be as he throws on his Canberra jersey on Saturday night.

After three years of hell Campese returns.

The entire competition will be behind Campese and the Raiders on Saturday.

Unless you’re a Warriors fan off course.

‘Dragons Are Back – For Now’ Published on theroar.com.au 15/4/13

Legendary Australian rock band The Divinyls put it perfectly: ”there’s a fine line between pleasure and pain”.

For St George Illawarra Dragons coach Steve Price, truer words could never be spoken.

This Dragons team has been branded everything from morbid to abysmal and everything in between.

Some of the criticism has been warranted and some not so much. But the bottom line is the Dragons were not winning games of rugby league.

Wins are everything in the National Rugby League and whether it’s right or wrong, the buck stops with the coach.

The rollercoaster ride Price has already been on in 2013 would even have the cast of Jackass shaking their heads.

So if we are going to kick Price when the chips are down you have to give him some of the credit for turning St George Illawarra around.

The Dragons themselves would be the first to tell you they were in a dark place. Three straight losses to start the season had supporters baying for blood.

From Kogarah to Figtree you could hear the fans.

‘Jamie Soward isn’t tough enough’, ‘Nathan Fein is too old’ and ‘just who is this Gerard Beale character?’

But all of a sudden, Price and his men have turned it all around. They and they alone have dragged themselves out of this hole they had dug for themselves. And have no doubt, it was one mighty hole.

You have to admire Price for sticking by his players. It doesn’t always finish the way a coach wants it to either. Sometimes the players realise the spot their coach is in and wilt knowing he’s going to take the fall.

So in that regard you have to admire the players themselves for repaying the faith too.

The Dragons made it three wins in a row on Sunday afternoon at the Sydney Cricket Ground with a thrilling 13-12 win over the Wests Tigers. Like so many times before Soward’s boot was the difference.

Tries to Daniel Vidot, Brett Morris and Matt Cooper gave the Dragons a 12-0 lead before a late surge from the Tigers.

The old Dragons would have found a way to lose but after two victories St George Illawarra held their ground and are now 3-3 after six round.

“I always felt we were controlling the game but it was an ugly win,” Price said after the game.

“We have an 11 day turn around now to get ready for ANZAC Day and that will be one hell of a game.”

Just like that we have yet another ANZAC blockbuster between two old rivals.

The Dragons will start underdogs against Sonny Bill Williams and the Sydney Roosters.

We will know after that eighty minutes of football if St George Illawarra really have put those dark old days behind them.

‘Melbourne Storm Will Not Make The Grand Final’ Published on theroar.com.au 16/4/13

Knowing the inevitable backlash that comes with writing a piece such as this one, the necessary precautions have been taken as Melbourne Storm fans prepare to wage war on this dreamer from poor old Sydney.

It might be wishful thinking and a little hard to understand after seeing the first six rounds of the Telstra premiership, but Craig Bellamy’s Storm will not make the 2013 grand final.

Bunkered down in an undisclosed location somewhere in Sydney equipped with hardhat, shoulder pads better suited to Mark McGaw and my trusty dachshund cross Chihuahua ‘Pogo’ keeping lookout, I’ll surge on.

You can already hear the Storm fans marching up the Hume Highway chanting and beating their chests.

How can anyone doubt Melbourne this early in the season?

Here comes the argument.

It is easy for Sydneysiders to count out the Storm, especially with the rise of foundation clubs South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Sydney Roosters. They are the toast of this town and both are on an irresistible upward spiral.

The Roosters have spent millions of dollars for instant results and we are definitely seeing the talent of young coach Trent Robinson who has instilled confidence in the tricolours in a very short amount of time.

It isn’t all Sonny Bill Williams either. Every single one of them is doing their job.

Whether it be Mitchell Pearce and James Maloney in the halves, the hard yakka of their engine room or the slick finishing of their backline.

But its their defensive efforts so far in 2013 that would have other sides looking over their shoulders. These guys are the real deal whether you like it or not.

The Roosters needed an emphatic victory over the Canterbury Bulldogs to prove to many they were a genuine force. Their next challenge is the St George Illawarra Dragons on ANZAC Day.

Then there is the Rabbitohs.

They might have lost the battle on Saturday night 17-10 to the Storm at ANZ Stadium, but you sense that this was only the dress rehearsal. These teams meet later in the year and will probably clash again in the playoffs.

It has been widely documented that the way to beat Melbourne is straight through the guts. Nobody plays better through the middle than South Sydney and despite the loss last weekend, the Rabbitohs would be licking their lips at playing the Storm again.

Then you have to take into account the toll that this season has on a successful side like Melbourne. Already they’ve played trials, a World Club Challenge on the other side of the planet and six testing games of NRL football.

No rest for the wicked either as Melbourne’s Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk, Billy Slater, Kevin Proctor and Jesse Bromwich turn out in the ANZAC Test on Friday in Canberra.

Mahe Fonua, Junior Sa’u and Ryan Hoffman will play representative football on the weekend too.

So its not like the Storm really get a holiday this weekend.

Don’t forget the dreaded State of Origin window either.

Up to seven players could be involved in this year’s series with the Storm playing Cronulla, Brisbane and Canterbury and trips to Leichhardt and the Gold Coast in this period.

Their run to the playoffs includes away matches at Canberra, Newcastle and Brookvale and a re-match with Rabbitohs.

Even before the finals, Melbourne’s key personnel could have played up to 22 games of rugby league. That is a whole lot of football without even considering the torture of the playoffs.

It might be months and months away but what a showdown we have in Round 26 between the Rabbitohs and the Roosters at ANZ Stadium.

Could that game be a scrap for the NRL minor premiership?

70,000 fans packing into the Olympic stadium to see the fiercest of rivals go to battle for the top spot in rugby league is a mouth-watering prospect.

No Melbourne on grand final day?

It was worth a try.

Let the bombardment begin.

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‘Ricky Stuart Should Play Lazy Hayne at Lock’ Published on theroar.com.au 4/4/13

Apparently Jarryd Hayne is lazy. People believe his work rate is below average and he refuses to interject himself into matches despite being far and away the best player in a horrible Parramatta Eels side.

You cannot argue with any of that.

So what the hell does coach Ricky Stuart do with his most prized possession?

Despite a sensational 2009 season that saw him capture the Dally M Medal, and a handful of impressive appearances in State of Origin, Hayne has floundered just when his team has needed him most.

The erosion of the Eels in recent years has added to the pressure on Hayne.

Former coaches have tried throwing him into five-eighth and force him to create the plays. But even with Hayne in a playmaking role, Parramatta struggled.

If Hayne could pass to Hayne, maybe the Eels would be okay.

Unfortunately, as good as he could be, Hayne can’t be the playmaker in this Eels side.

But he also can’t sit at fullback and watch from a distance as his side gets annihilated week after week.

Where do you play him?

What could you possibly do to keep him involved in the game and get every last drop of energy out of their captain?

This might be from left field, but why not throw him into the forward pack at lock?

Everyone forgets that 2009 was four long years ago. Maybe he isn’t the player he once was.

At 6 foot 2 and 100 kilograms, he is definitely big enough. Nobody is saying he has to take the first run every set, but by playing him in the pack you force him to be a part of the game.

Whether it be in attack or defence, Hayne would always be around the ruck, and allowing him to roam the paddock without having to return the ball from fullback would conserve some energy.

At the end of the day Hayne needs to be a ball runner in this Parramatta side. At lock he can still play his natural game, but at least you are throwing the game back in his face.

And you never know, he might even enjoy the rough stuff. Its not like he doesn’t enjoy a confrontation, and if Hayne stands up, his team will follow. It would also be a chance for Hayne to show Eels fans how much he truly wants to lead this club.

Don’t forget that former Canberra Raiders fullback Josh Dugan is still a free agent.

If the Eels could somehow get Dugan before St George Illawarra Dragons or others can, Hayne could be shifted away from the number one jersey.

Playing Hayne at lock isn’t such an unreasonable idea if Dugan showed up at Parramatta Stadium.

The Eels currently have around 20 off-contract players on their books, and despite Corey Norman and Will Hopoate headed to the club, have another ten players looking for renewals in 2014.

There is still time for the Eels to nab Dugan.

But Hayne could still be a success at lock without Dugan.

Where is the harm in throwing him in there and seeing how he reacts when he is knocked around a little?

Lets see how much ticker he really has.

‘The NRL Has More Than Half a Problem’ Published on theroar.com.au 5/4/13

On the back of a record television deal, boom ratings and one of the best sporting products in the land you could say the National Rugby League is in a good place.

Forgetting off-field dramas like ASADA’s ongoing investigation, the NRL action has been fantastic. Fans are turning up and they are loving what they are seeing.

But while the game is growing in leaps and bounds, there has been a worrying decline in quality halfbacks across the competition. Once upon a time we were stacked with legitimate superstars in the number seven jumper.

But 2013 has already shown a drastic shortage in quality pivots.

Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk are streets ahead of the pack and have been for quite some time. Granted Thurston might be wearing number six this year, but he is still the dominant force at the North Queensland Cowboys.

Cronk continues to evolve and works harder at his game than almost anyone else in the game.

Coming in a distant second in a group of three are Daly Cherry-Evans, Mitchell Pearce and young South Sydney Rabbitohs playmaker Adam Reynolds.

You could almost add Shaun Johnson, Peter Wallace and Chris Sandow to that list but recent form suggests they still have a way to go to join the aforementioned men.

So how many legitimate top tier halfbacks is that?

I count eight.

How many NRL sides are there in the competition?

We had a plethora of halfbacks in our mighty game seven short years ago. Almost every team had a number seven they could base their side around. Is there really a lack of quality halfbacks or have Thurston and Cronk raised the bar that high that we expect too much from these guys?

In 2006 there were at least twelve great halfbacks in our game.

Thurston and Cronk were two of them.

The Newcastle Knights had the Immortal Andrew Johns, Craig Gower was still at the Penrith Panthers, Brett Kimmorley was the skipper of the Cronulla Sharks, Manly-Warringah had Matt Orford on their books and Scott Prince was playing his final season at the Wests Tigers.

And don’t forget others.

Canberra Raiders boasted a young Todd Carney, Tim Smith at Parramatta Eels, premiership-winner Brent Sherwin was still calling the shots at the Canterbury Bulldogs, Brett Finch at the Sydney Roosters and the injury-cursed Matt Head was at the St George Illawarra Dragons.

There were twelve superb playmakers in 2006 and remember that it was only a fifteen team competition.

Already this year we have seen plenty of debate over the Dragons and their halfback problems. Coach Steve Price has divided Saints fans over the selection of veteran halfback turn hooker turn halfback Nathan Fein.

Many Bulldogs fans believe Kris Keating is not the right choice at their club while Titans mentor John Cartwright went into the new season without a proven playmaker.

Another team with real problems is the Tigers after sacking youngster Jacob Miller for backrower Braith Anasta.

And don’t forget that the Panthers have just dropped Luke Walsh to the NSW Cup.

Is it just the evolution of the game?

Are sides less reliant on one man these days?

Or are clubs reacting to a serious halfback shortage in the National Rugby League?

‘Out of the Woods and Into The Blue’ Published on theroar.com.au 6/4/13

They were branded rank outsiders and given Buckley’s chance of upsetting the World Champion Melbourne Storm in Monday night football.

Despite the 26-12 loss, the Wests Tigers proved they could match the best side in the National Rugby League. A victory at AAMI Park was not critical in the big scheme of things, but the Tigers can take more out of a loss to the Storm than any win they will have this season.

Leading by six just passed the sixty minute mark, Melbourne went bang and bang again to put the tiring Tigers to bed.

Benji Marshall was good despite a toe injury, Braith Anasta continually went to the line and Robbie Farah outplayed rival Cameron Smith.

But the shining light once again was young prop Aaron Woods.

The Storm forward pack isn’t the most intimidating or the most dangerous in the NRL. Bryan Norrie, Jesse Bromwich and Jason Ryles don’t instil fear the way the likes of James Tamou or Sam Burgess do. Yet when you run out onto AAMI Park for a showdown with Melbourne, you know as an opposing front rower that you need to be at your best.

Woods was by far and away the best forward on the field last night. The scariest part is the way the young bookend goes about his business. He does it with such ease like he is barely out of second gear.

Statistics are sometimes misleading.

A prop in the modern game can run for over 100 metres and go unnoticed. But Woods devours the metres on a weekly basis and looks impressive doing it.

Against the Storm, the Leichhardt native was at it again adding another 152 run metres to his season tally. Not only that, Woods made 40 tackles in a gruelling contest. Oh and you can add three offloads too.

Such was his performance, Woods picked up Triple M’s Man of the Match Award from the losing side. He isn’t just knocking on the door of State of Origin but ripping the house down brick by brick.

Woods must start in the front row for the New South Wales Blues on June 5 at ANZ Stadium.

Week after week Woods delivers. And he doesn’t just churn out the metres. He outplays his opposing props too. In the loss to the Manly Sea Eagles in round four, the Origin hopeful was at it again.

Despite running for over 100 metres again, Woods made 38 tackles and helped restrict Brent Kite, Joe Galuvao, David Gower and Jason King. All were held to under 100 metres.

But Woods and the Tigers have more immediate issues like a showdown with the St George Illawarra Dragons next weekend at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Wests were gallant but will need to be good again in round six against the resurgent Dragons in a showdown that celebrates the 50th anniversary of the 1963 grand final between the Saints and the mighty Western Suburbs Magpies.

‘Panthers legend Mark Geyer wants Issac John in the Halves’ Published on theroar.com.au

It has been nine long years since both the Penrith Panthers and Newcastle Knights made the semi-finals.

Panthers fans will remember 2003 as the year they snared the premiership against the might of Brad Fittler’s Sydney Roosters.

Many believed a golden era was about to follow.

The Knights, who had won the title two years earlier, were still a force and made the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season.

That golden era never came for either side.

But while both sides have struggled on and off the field in recent years, at least the Knights can say they are on their way back.

Panthers fans will argue that having Nathan Tinkler looking after your franchise isn’t going to hurt, and that’s definitely true. But how have the Panthers fallen so far?

While other teams find themselves in blockbuster round six encounters, the fifteenth placed Panthers travel to Hunter Stadium to face the fourth placed Knights.

Newcastle are improving on a weekly basis, the same can not be said of the bumbling Panthers. Despite a promising first up performance against the Canberra Raiders, Penrith have been average since.

They haven’t been that bad but they haven’t been that good either. They’ve just been making up the numbers.

Halfback Luke Walsh has polarised opinion in Sydney’s west ever since joining the club from the Knights in 2009. After a poor start to the season he was finally dropped.

Some feel he is still their best option and some feel he has had enough chances in the number seven jersey.

For the second week running, Blake Austin and Tom Humble have been named in the halves despite a 30-0 drubbing at the hands of the North Queensland Cowboys last weekend.

That’s the problem for coach Ivan Cleary.

How many other options does he have?

Panthers legend Mark Geyer has told The Roar that he believes Walsh’s time was up, and the likes of Austin and talented youngster Issac John are the future of the club.

“The sacking of [Luke] Walsh was inevitable,” Geyer said.

“I think Blake Austin has to definitely be in the starting 13 [every week].

“I would like to also see Issac John get a run too.”

Kiwi fans will remember John as yet another teenage sensation that slipped through their fingers. After a recent stint in the English Super League at the Wakefield-Trinity Wildcats, John signed with the Panthers in February.

Whether Humble, Austin or John are long term options in the halves for the Panthers is anyone’s guess. To be brutally fair, they probably aren’t.

But Penrith need to find something and do it in a hurry.

Coach Cleary might have named the same squad that went down to the Cowboys last weekend but expect changes in the lead up to Saturday afternoon’s clash.

John has been named to partner Walsh in the halves for the highflying Windsor Wolves.

 

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‘Hayne Can Learn From Sonny’ Published on footysocial.com.au 27/3/13

With the ink still fresh on a deal that will see him at the Parramatta Eels until the end of 2015, Jarryd Hayne must now set his sights on a return to form and a clash with Sonny Bill Williams and his Sydney Roosters on Monday night.

Hayne started the season with a bang and a hat-trick of tries against the New Zealand Warriors in round one. Since then, Hayne has been disappointing to say the least.

The Eels have lost two in a row and need their captain to fire or risk a Roosters avalanche at Allianz Stadium. And don’t think Williams wont star, the backrower is close to a breakout performance.

Williams has been impressive defensively, so expect a rise in his offensive work rate in the coming weeks. That is bad news for Parramatta with the big Kiwi already amassing 83 tackles and 280 run metres.

Hayne and Williams are both undoubtedly stars of the game. But would you have imagined four months ago that all the pressure is on Hayne going into this game?

While SBW is going about his business, and with far less media scrutiny, Hayne’s Eels continue to misfire. Coach Ricky Stuart has given his fullback the added responsibility of captaincy in 2013. Whether this was a good move remains to be seen.

Eels fans still remember season 2009 like it was yesterday.

Hayne and his plane (or was it a train?) dragged Parramatta all the way to grand final day and a showdown with the Melbourne Storm. If the Storm were found out for cheating earlier and the Eels played someone else that day, and won, how much more pressure would be on Hayne today?

Some people can handle pressure and some cant.

Jarryd Hayne desperately needs to break the shackles and tear the Roosters apart. It doesn’t necessarily have to be against the Roosters but sooner rather than later the skipper needs to start performing.

Not just a hat-trick every once and a while. He needs to be working furiously for his team. Right now, the only way out of this quagmire is another Dally M-esque season from Hayne.

Can Hayne learn anything from SBW? Sure he can.

He might have been out of the game for five long years, but Williams has already proven why he is such a professional. His coach and his teammates weren’t expecting miracles upon his return. For what he is capable of right now, he has still worked as hard anyone on the field.

Those one percent plays coaches speak about?

Perhaps Hayne can sit down and watch a tape of Williams in action.

There is more to the game than the “big play”.

‘Barba Set For Brutal Return Against Souths’ Published on theroar.com.au 28/3/13

You can hear Bankstown rocking from here. The prodigal son Ben Barba returns from rugby league purgatory for a date with the high-flying South Sydney Rabbitohs on Friday afternoon at ANZ Stadium.

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs supporters will tell you their season really starts this weekend. After a hiatus that saw the 2012 Dally M Medallist miss the first three weeks of the new season due to ongoing personal issues, the little wizard is back to face Souths.

But nobody said it was going to be easy. Barba is still working through his demons, the club has said as much. Whether his teammates admit it or not, the pressure on him to perform from the first minute will be there.

If the Mackay-native could not handle the pressure first time around, how will he cope on Friday against the Rabbitohs?

Souths might be undefeated after three rounds of the new season, but coach Michael Maguire is a ruthless tactician and his players know they haven’t been at their best.

Already this year he has dropped captain Michael Crocker to the bench and recently punted Roy Asotasi from their clash with the Penrith Panthers, not to mention Nathan Merritt’s axing for missing training before the Charity Shield.

His chargers are desperate to perform for their mentor.

So what will Maguire do about Barba’s return?

It is fantastic the fullback is back playing football. If the game can help him as a person, then even Maguire will tell you it’s good to have Barba playing again. But that’s where the niceties end.

If you were in Maguire’s shoes, what would you be telling your players?

You would be pulling Sam Burgess and Michael Crocker aside and telling them at any and every chance they got, make sure Barba ends up on the deck. Remind him he is back in the top grade.

You’d tell Adam Reynolds and John Sutton to put the ball as high in the air as possible and introduce Barba to the monstrous frame of Greg Inglis.

The Rabbitohs, within the boundaries of the rules, need to intimidate the little fullback as much as humanly possible. Canterbury players will be there, backing up their champion, but its worth it in the scheme of things?

Once Barba crosses that white line, all bets are off. Souths are obliged by the rules of battle to do everything in their power to put Barba as far off his game as possible.

“Ben is presenting himself well at training,” Bulldogs captain Michael Ennis told The Daily Telegraph.

“He has been humble. He has our support. We are there for him. Footy clubs are good places – there is a support there in times of need.

“It was a major experience he fronted in his life. He has come back with a real hunger to be where he wants to be.”

For all his hunger and determination to better himself on the paddock in 2013, Barba still needs to run out onto ANZ Stadium on Friday and not let the occasion get the better of him.

He still needs to put on his boots, he still needs to run down that tunnel and he still needs to be able to cop whatever the Rabbitohs throw at him.

Barba will find the form that saw him conquer the rugby league world last year.

But if its this Friday or a month from now is anyone’s guess. Either way, expect one hell of a welcoming committee from Maguire’s Rabbitohs.

‘Inglis Will Surpass Slater As Greatest Ever Fullback’ Published on theroar.com.au 29/3/13

When Greg Inglis made his National Rugby League debut in season 2005, Billy Slater was the undisputed fullback of the Melbourne Storm. But even back then, there was a consensus Inglis could supersede Slater.

In the same year, and in a desperately close finals match against the Brisbane Broncos, Slater was helped from the field with a leg injury. Within five minutes of replacing the incumbent, Inglis scored the match-winning try.

Within 12 months the boy from Bowraville was playing State of Origin and for the good of the Storm, Inglis was shifted to the centres. Such is his natural talent, he made the most of it and ended up representing Australia at the end of 2006.

Despite shifting from centre to five-eighth and back again over the next few years, Inglis continued his devastating rise to the top. Even with limited ball, he became the most damaging outside back in the NRL.

Imagine if he was never moved?

What would we be saying about Inglis today if he had played fullback his entire career?

Since South Sydney Rabbitohs coach Michael Maguire unleashed Inglis on the Penrith Panthers in March last year, the fullback position has taken on a whole new meaning.

The speed and power of the man instils fear in any player coming his way, whether they have the ball or not. And any player who tells you otherwise is flat out lying.

Comparing Slater, a possible future Immortal, and the Rabbitohs’ custodian is almost unfair. It’s unfair to Slater because Inglis has time on his side and, most alarmingly for opposition teams, the fact Inglis is still improving.

If he is this destructive now, where will he be in two years?

Slater turns 30 in June and nobody is saying he is finished – that’s ludicrous. But Billy has less games ahead than behind and the wear and tear of playing the way he does will eventually catch up to him.

On the other hand, Inglis doesn’t turn 27 until January next year. If he can stay fit and the Rabbitohs continue to support their most prized asset, the sky is the limit for both Inglis and his team.

All those games sitting out in the centres and at five-eighth for the Storm might just help Inglis’ longevity in the game.

Ironically, Slater’s domination of the fullback position in Melbourne has kept Inglis fresh.

Already this year Inglis has run a staggering 547 metres at an average of 182 a game, while Slater has 413 at an average of 137. This is almost an unthinkable statement when you consider what Slater has already accomplished in the game, but wouldn’t you rather be kicking the ball to Slater?

Nobody has worked harder at their game than Slater. He is a consummate professional and continues to try and push the boundaries of what players can do on the field.

He has not only made being a fullback an art form, he has made it almost impossible to ever think someone can replace him as the best fullback in the world.

But then there is Inglis.

6 foot 4 tall and 109 kilograms of sheer rugby league excellence. When Inglis accepts his place in the game and understands how destructive he is, there will be no stopping him.

When it’s all said and done, Inglis will topple Slater as the king of all fullbacks.

‘Referees Are Officially Spearing The Game’ Published on theroar.com.au 1/4/13

While the start of the 2013 NRL season has been nothing short of gripping, the lingering smell of Bill Harrigan and his former regime seeps through the floorboards of Rugby League Central.

We all thought Daniel Anderson would finally rid us of the over-thinking and over-complicating of Harrigan and his cronies. To some degree, Anderson has done a reasonable job of simplifying the game. But still, we sit four weeks into the new season complaining about the rules.

Who ever thought that this new obstruction rule would be a good idea?

Players are going to do whatever they are told, and that includes taking falls when the opposition are about the cross their try line. Over the past few years we have seen a dramatic spike in players staying down after being slapped across the face hoping for a penalty. Now players have another loophole.

What happens on grand final day, with the game on the line and the scores tied with a few minutes to go? With one side attacking the line, thirteen defenders suddenly crash to the floor waving their arms frantically like some European soccer player.

Thursday night in Gosford, Wests Tigers fullback Tim Moltzen was denied a try when Jamie Lyon fell to the Bluetongue Stadium turf. Wests captain Robbie Farah was ropeable post match.

“It’s shit,” Farah said of the rule. “Players are using it as a cop-out. You’ve got players in the defensive line just getting hit and then straight away putting their hands up, using it as a cop-out.

“They’re trying to make it a black and white rule but you can’t. I thought we were making progress at the start of the year. We just seem to have gone backwards.”

But the ongoing battle between the referees department and seemingly everyone else has overshadowed another problem with the modern official. There is a question that festers inside the common Joe.

When and what classifies a send-off in the National Rugby League?

Friday afternoon at a rocking ANZ Stadium, the South Sydney Rabbitohs downed the Canterbury Bulldogs. But the game won’t be remembered for the wonderful crowd or a gruelling battle between two top sides.

This afternoon will be remembered for a shocking Krisnan Inu spear tackle on superstar Souths fullback Greg Inglis. If this isn’t a sending-off offence, what ever will be?

Inglis was already heading to ground when Inu latched onto him and hooked his arm between Inglis’ legs. What makes things even worst for Inu was a second movement to get a better hold on Inglis’ leg.

The Canterbury centre was always in control of the tackle and could have bailed at any moment. Instead he lifted Inglis into the air and speared him into ANZ Stadium.

That’s not an easy thing to do considering how big the Rabbitoh is. To lift a six-foot-three, 110-kilogram man into the air and pile-drive him headfirst takes a whole lot of effort.

Souths fans at the venue went into meltdown and most Bulldogs fans at the ground sensed something dramatic was unfolding in front of them. The replays continued and the crowd became increasingly restless.

Inu was going to be sent off.

And then, nothing.

Referee Shayne Hayne nonchalantly crossed his arms and placed the tackle on report. Did he ever really consider sending Inu off? What would have happened if Inglis was injured and the Rabbitohs lost their most dangerous attacking weapon? Inu stays on the paddock and Inglis is out for the match? Or even worst, seriously injured?

The obstruction rule might be a work in progress. But helping eliminate foul play by, heaven forbid, implementing the rules can be fixed in an instant.

‘2013 Roosters Side Better Than 2010 Grand Final Side’ Published on theroar.com.au 2/4/13

After seventy minutes and leading 38-0, most modern day sides would have shut up shop. Not the Sydney Roosters.

A James Maloney chip kick kept the avalanche rolling with the tricolours eventually hitting the magical 50 mark.

Granted the hapless Parramatta Eels did not put up much of a fight. But you can only play what is in front of you and the Roosters cashed in on Monday night.

After four rounds and with a record of 3-1, the Roosters are now firming as a legitimate premiership threat. Young coach Trent Robinson has this side hell bent on entertaining their fans.

But Robinson would be a whole lot happier with their efforts in defence so far in 2013. The best sides have a pride in their defensive line and Sydney definitely have that.

In fact the Roosters have not conceded a point in 166 minutes of rugby league. How a side is defending is the great indicator and Robinson’s men are slowly but surely headed toward September footy.

The 50-0 drubbing of Parramatta has overshadowed an even better performance a week earlier in a gutsy 8-0 victory over the Brisbane Broncos. But Monday was all about the glamour and flash that has made the Roosters club famous.

There were signs at Allianz Stadium last night reminiscent of the 2010 Roosters. It might be early days, but you could sense something special brewing at Allianz last night.

And have no doubt, this version of the Roosters is a far better side than the one that went down to the St George Illawarra Dragons in the 2010 decider.

They may have lost Todd Carney to the Cronulla Sharks, but the Roosters now have a man that plays in a very similar fashion. James Maloney’s running and kicking game compliments Mitchell Pearce perfectly.

Braith Anasta and Kane Linnett are gone but have been replaced by Boyd Cordner and superstar Michael Jennings.

Young wingers Daniel Tupou and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck have talent BJ Leilua and Sam Perrett could only dream of. These youngsters are future internationals with Tupou regarded as the next Israel Folau while Tuivasa-Sheck is being groomed as a long term fullback of the club when captain Anthony Minichiello eventually retires.

Then there is Jake Friend and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. Both have become better players since 2010 and are the cornerstone of an impressive engine room.

But Monday was all about one man.

Sonny Bill Williams stood out in a side that didn’t have a bad player. His first half performance was masterful as the big backrower injected himself at will against the awful Eels.

He was in everything and his time in rugby union has seemingly made him an even better all-round player. His presence alone makes him invaluable to this team. He instils a confidence which has soothed an evolving squad.

That 2010 belief is back and it’s there for everyone to see.

The next stop for the Roosters is a Sunday night clash with the Raiders in Canberra. Another big performance in the nation’s capital sets up the blockbuster Sydney derby of 2013 when SBW takes on his old side, the Bulldogs, at the SFS.

Bring it on!

‘T-Rex Needs To Find His Bite At Bulldogs’ Published on theroar.com.au 3/4/13

Ask Manly Sea Eagles fans about the loss of Tony ‘T-Rex’ Williams. The general consensus is they were glad to see the back of him when left for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.

When he did take the offer to head to Belmore to play under former coach Des Hasler, many believed the giant forward would continue the devastating form that saw him represent New South Wales and Australia over the past two years.

But Williams has not fired. Not even a spark.

After four rounds of the 2013 season the six foot four, 120 kilogram giant has played with little intent.

Williams needed to stand up for his new club from the get-go with the likes of Sam Kasiano, James Graham and Frank Pritchard missing from the pack. Yet he refused to put his giant frame on the line.

Ever seen one of those cartoons where the mighty elephant is scared witless of a little mouse?

This isn’t all Williams’ fault though.

When he first left the Parramatta Eels for Manly, he was offered a whole bunch of money to head over the bridge. A pretty fair deal for someone who had only played a handful of games at the Eels.

Then he linked up with Canterbury at the end of last season, reportedly for as much as $600,000 a year.

How hard has he really ever had to work?

Last Friday at ANZ Stadium was the perfect time for Williams to start earning his contract. In front of 50,000 people and the high-flying South Sydney Rabbitohs, Williams was still a no-show.

The Bulldogs were facing one of the most intimidating forward packs in the game and they had to do it without Kasiano and Graham.

But where was Williams?

If this guy really is a sleeping giant, someone needs to get him off the Stilnox.

But it is only April after all. This is hibernation season for blokes like Williams. Representative season is still months away, so don’t expect too much from T-Rex just yet.

It’s like clockwork really. Put your house on a Williams resurgence leading into the State of Origin series.

But what about the Bulldogs? What about their fans?

The 80-minute experiment clearly hasn’t worked because Williams simply isn’t that kind of player. Surely Canterbury fans would rather see 20 minutes of destruction than 80 minutes of pussyfooting around.

Friday night Canterbury hosts the Eagles in yet another Sydney blockbuster at ANZ Stadium. Coming up against his former club, you would be hoping Williams is ready to unleash.

But don’t bet on it.

If Williams needs to be benched then so be it. But for right now, the Tongan-born giant has received yet another reprieve and will start from the backrow against Manly.

Somewhere down the line though, Williams has to be relegated to the pine. In the long run, it’s for the good of the team.

“I think it’s going to be tough for him going to a new side,” Manly centre Steve Matai told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“It’s not going to happen straight away for him but we all know what he is capable of. I think that’s the most dangerous thing about him.

“He’s only building, it’s only his first year there. He will be better for it next year. You just expect him to get the ball and run at 100 miles per hour. But there’s a lot of different things to it.

“The coach might want him as a ball-player or a decoy. He does go out to play hard. I don’t think he goes out there to have a bludge.”

Could have fooled us, Steve.

 

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‘Are Rugby League Fans Taking A Stand?’  Published on theroar.com.au 19/3/13

While the entertainment on-field has been scintillating after the first two rounds of the new National Rugby League season, the on-going drugs scandal has kept many fans away.

But realistically ASADA’s investigation is only half the problem. Soaring ticket prices and poor scheduling has many families staying away.

It might be a television ratings monster, but does rugby league do enough to get the supporters through the turnstiles?

Thursday football means another night of NRL and there is nothing wrong with that. But do supporters, with another workday ahead of them, really want to be getting home so late?

Rivalry matches like Parramatta Eels versus Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs should be given a Sunday afternoon timeslot and allow all fans a chance to get to the match.

Sydneysiders do not need much of a reason to stay home and battling that dreaded Sydney traffic is nobody’s idea of a good time. Why would the fans show up?

There was a sense of inevitability in the air at WIN Stadium on Friday night as the St George-Illawarra Dragons fumbled their way to a loss against the Brisbane Broncos.

Dragons fans are quickly becoming restless with their team and a crowd of only 13,156 showed up. No doubt this was a disappointing result for the club considering it was their first home match of the season.

It seems their crowds are going to get worse before they get better.

The Gold Coast Titans have been in trouble for some time. Since their inception in 2007, crowds at Robina have dropped dramatically and time and time again supporters have complained about ridiculous pricing inside the arena.

12,267 was given as the official crowd number on Sunday but you can bet your bottom dollar there wasn’t that many there. The place was empty.

Out at Campbelltown, a surprisingly small crowd watched the Wests Tigers in their first home match of the year. Only 9,175 fans saw the Tigers down fellow Western Sydney side the Penrith Panthers.

You can hardly call the Tigers a Western Sydney side though, with the side based at Concord and playing a meagre four games a year at Campbelltown.

Are the local fans making a stand?

The price of a general admission ticket at A-League side the Western Sydney Wanderers is an acceptable $20. But the price spikes by $10 at a Tigers NRL game and a family ticket (two adults and two children) can cost as much as $130.

A junior ticket to a GWS Giants AFL match is as low as $6.

$30 is hardly value for money.

And then there is the ratings winner they call Monday Night Football. It might do well for Fox Sports, but only the hardy and most avid fans ever dare head to the match live.

The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles have seven Monday night matches in 2013 and have every right to be dirty on the NRL.

There is no doubt Manly are going to lose out financially with this scheduling. Perhaps the Eagles can ask the NRL to cover the difference at the end of the year.

A rocking crowd of 14,128 “packed” ANZ Stadium to watch South Sydney and the Cronulla Sharks for MNF. It was a terrible look at the ground and looked even worse on TV.

If Monday Night Football really is about TV ratings, why not take MNF to the bush on a weekly basis?

Give back to the fans? Perish the thought.

‘Are The Sharks The Hunters or Hunted?’ Published on theroar.com.au 20/3/13 

After two short rounds of the 2013 National Rugby League season, the New Zealand Warriors have been nothing short of disappointing.

But if ever there was a time to get the Cronulla Sharks, Sunday is it.

Despite a late surge against the Sydney Roosters at Eden Park on Saturday night, the Warriors are yet to snare a victory.

It is not quite panic stations, but Matt Elliott’s young team must start finding that winning feeling before it’s too late.

After a disastrous trip to Parramatta in round one and a first up loss in Auckland, the Warriors will take any advantage they can get. This team has every chance of a boil over on Sunday at Sharks Stadium.

While the ASADA scandal rolls on, you can’t blame the Sharks if they fall short in round three. Without their coach and a number of the staff, Cronulla have been involved in two gruelling contests.

An emotional victory against the Gold Coast in round one was followed by a narrow loss to the South Sydney Rabbitohs at ANZ Stadium. The very nature of Cronulla’s style can also be their biggest enemy.

For a team to play such a simplistic rugged style can only harm them when say, the Warriors come to town, and the favourites tag is placed squarely on the Sharkies.

The intensity drops slightly and wham, Warriors secure the upset.

It was also evident on Monday night that speed around the ruck hurts Cronulla more than most. If the Warriors pack can match the Sharks, their little men can cause all sorts of problems for the Sharks.

We are yet to see Shaun Johnson or Kevin Locke unleash.

For the Warriors to be a threat moving forward these talented youngsters need to stand up and be counted.

Johnson has already been labelled the next Benji Marshall. But for whatever reason, the dynamic playmaker is yet to take that next step. This is his team and he needs to take charge and lead the way.

Paul Gallen’s Sharks have an uncanny knack of turning a game of football into an old fashioned scrap. They like to get down and dirty and outlast their opposition. They did it to the Titans in round one and almost did the same to the Rabbitohs.

If the Warriors can keep the tempo high on a fast track, they are every chance of beating Cronulla, who can be excused for not being at their best yet again. And don’t ever doubt the Monday night curse.

“We will make sure it’s not easy for them [Sharks], either,” Elliott told The New Zealand Herald.

“There are no easy games in the NRL. With that baseline effort and the attitude the boys displayed, I am not optimistic, I am confident we will turn this around.”

The Auckland-based club needed to show some fight last weekend and now they need to show the rest of the NRL that they can still play.

Unbelievably the Warriors have lost ten consecutive matches and must break the drought on Sunday afternoon.

The Sharks have won their last two encounters but New Zealand won the two prior to that.

A Warriors victory can kick start their season with upcoming home matches against North Queensland Cowboys and South Sydney Rabbitohs before a trip to Newcastle to face Wayne Bennett’s Knights.

Whether this team has the desperation to win away from home is still to be seen.

‘The Last Thing Reynolds Boys Need Is State of Origin’ Published on theroar.com.au 22/3/13

Last year I was fortunate enough to have Canterbury Bulldogs five-eighth Josh Reynolds on my radio program at a park football match in Sydney’s southwest.

It was not scheduled and nobody knew the fiery playmaker would even be at the match. But like good siblings do, Reynolds was there supporting his younger brother.

Reynolds was good enough to come on and have a chat about his meteoric rise under new coach Des Hasler. Even when the power went out for a few minutes, the Bulldog hung around and answered all our questions.

When you think Josh Reynolds, you think of a player who will never back down and always support his teammates. The kind of guy you want on the paddock with you when the chips are down.

Since his debut, Reynolds has gained somewhat of a reputation as a niggler. Is it any wonder that the day he was out in Liverpool watching his brother play, that brother was sent off for fighting?

We have only had two weeks of the new National Rugby League season, yet the media has already started the State of Origin hype and the seemingly endless journey to find New South Wales’ halves combination that finally ends Queensland’s dominance.

Does Mitchell Pearce get another chance or is it time for Adam Reynolds?

Can Todd Carney hold onto the number six jersey or will Josh Reynolds be the next bloke thrown into the deep end against the might of the Maroons?

But this isn’t a pro-Reynolds story. To play both Reynolds boys is a sin Blues selectors simply can’t commit. For the sake of both their futures, please don’t pick them this year.

Now that isn’t to say the Blues can’t win with Pearce and Carney at the helm. NSW coach Laurie Daley was right in supporting the incumbents. How close were the Blues in 2012?

Whether you like them or not, Pearce and Carney have to be New South Wales’ six and seven for Game One on the fifth of June at ANZ Stadium.

Adam Reynolds might be the reigning NRL Rookie of the Year, but is that enough justification to hand him the toughest job in the rugby league world?

The diminutive playmaker is still evolving.

Prior to season 2012, Canterbury pivot Josh Reynolds was playing reserve grade. This is only his second full season.

These young men aren’t ready to carry the burden of leading the Blues. Although Bulldogs legend Steve Mortimer seems to disagree.

“I am a big fan of Josh Reynolds and from what I’ve seen from him, there is a definite opportunity for him to go further in the game through representative football,” Mortimer told The Sydney Morning Herald.

“He is a catalyst in attack. Just like Thurston is for the Cowboys and Cronk is for the Storm, Reynolds is that catalyst for the Bulldogs. I do honestly believe with the players around him at Origin level, he’ll mature into one of the key players for us in a Blues jersey.”

For the time being, Carney/Pearce still sounds a whole lot better than Reynolds/Reynolds. The former Roosters teammates have played Origin together and they know what kind of speed you need to play Origin at.

Have they got the Blues over the line yet? Obviously not. But what happens if the two Reynolds are picked and struggle with the occasion? What then?

How long are they scarred for? Would the risk of a repeat in Game Two see Carney and Pearce back anyway?

The Blues need to win Game One or the series is over. It is that simple.

Do we need to throw two rookies to the lions for the sake of it?

Have Peter Wallace or Terry Campese ever been the same after their brief stays in the Origin arena?

Everyone needs to chill and let the future unfold as it always seems to do.

‘Robinson A Bolter For New South Wales’ Published on theroar.com.au 25/3/13

The Canberra Raiders have put aside three weeks of hell to slay the St George Illawarra Dragons 30-17 in Sunday night football.

With Reece Robinson returning to 2012 form, the Raiders are now asking ‘Josh who?’.

It was not a perfect performance or anything coach David Furner can get too excited about just yet. But the Raiders will take any kind of victory and they now leave the hapless Saints winless after three rounds.

Canberra made a stand prior to round two and sacked troubled fullback Josh Dugan. Many thought the Raiders would fire up against the Gold Coast last weekend. But it never happened.

The resurrection might have been a week late, but the Raiders are finally smiling again and it is all because of their new star fullback in Robinson.

The stylish custodian was involved in everything for the home side at Canberra Stadium and finished the match with a brace of tries.

The icing on the cake was a slashing break late in the piece to set up his centre Jarrod Croker.

He may have come via Brisbane and the North Sydney Bears, but Robinson has now finally found a home in Canberra.

The utility back has been a mainstay of the Raiders backline since debuting for the club three years ago. It may have took him some time to settle in, but now the fans and his colleagues are seeing what the classy kid can do.

Dugan missed plenty of season 2012 through injury, but was barely missed as Robinson helped guide Canberra to the second week of the playoffs. In 24 appearances last season, the talented fullback crossed for 17 tries.

The majority of them came when Dugan was missing.

A hat trick of tries against the NRL All Stars in February can’t be ignored. He has proved he can excel against the very best in the game. Robinson has all the tools to step up to the representative arena.

Which begs the question, is the silky number one a bolter for the New South Wales Blues?

Akuila Uate’s early season form suggests the Fijian flyer may secure one wing spot.

If the side was picked today, of course.

But with Brett Morris’ Dragons on skid row and Jarryd Hayne struggling at the Parramatta Eels, the other spot is certainly up for grabs.

Michael Gordon and Nathan Merritt have both started well for their respective clubs, but it is nothing to what Robinson has been producing on a weekly basis for the past twelve months.

Fullback for the Blues isn’t a certainty either.

If Robinson can continue the form that has made him a cult hero in the nation’s capital, who’s to say the he won’t pull on the famous sky blue jersey?

He’s safe under the high ball, has speed to burn and has that finishing quality that all great players possess.

If Blues coach Laurie Daley is looking for that fresh spark, Robinson is his man.

‘Trigger-Happy Eels Splurge on Norman’ Published on theroar.com.au 26/3/13

After recently losing out on the signature of exciting backrower Josh Papalii, the Parramatta Eels have hit the panic button and forked out on young Brisbane Broncos utility Corey Norman.

The three-year deal reportedly worth up to $1.5 million is a ludicrous amount for a kid who has been scratchy at best for the Broncos.

When will Parramatta ever learn?

Norman has been moved to fullback by current coach Anthony Griffin in an attempt to spark Brisbane’s misfiring backline. But a move to the Eels will ensure the youngster returns to his preferred position at five-eighth.

Even prior to new coach Ricky Stuart’s arrival, Parramatta have been mediocre at best when it comes to their recruitment and retention. When will the people involved in these decisions be held accountable?

Buying players for the sake of buying players is a gross misuse of funds and Norman’s signing is yet another example of how desperate this club has become.

Is Norman’s acquisition a good move? Sure.

Is he worth over $1.2 million? No way.

Chris Sandow is already on a deal worth around $550,000 a season and fans are yet to see the little halfback live up to his price tag. Now Norman will join the side from 2014.

You can’t knock a club for wanting to attract big name players and if it means spending some money, then by all means, go for it.

But when those players are Sandow and Norman, questions need to be asked.

How many other players will they lose over the next 12 months because so much of the salary cap is taken up by these men?

In 2011 the Eels headed to retirement homes across the land and picked up Chris Hicks, Paul Whatuira, Chris Walker and Carl Webb. They played a combined total of 21 games that season.

All the while losing Feleti Mateo, Krisnan Inu, Kris Keating and Jonathon Wright.

They followed that up last season by grabbing Ben Roberts, Taulima Tautai, Sandow and the Tonga brothers, Willie and Esi.

Who has been making these decisions?

“Corey has all the attributes to have a successful career in the NRL,” coach Stuart said at a press conference on Monday afternoon.

“He is big and confident, has all the skills and has served a good apprenticeship under some pretty decent playmakers up in Brisbane.

“We can’t wait to get him down here and make him a part of our team and culture.”

The Eels were right to chase Papalii. The destructive forward is the kind of player that can help create the right kind of culture at a club.

It is yet to be seen whether Norman is even capable of performing on a weekly basis.

Now that Norman has turned his back on the Broncos, you have to wonder how many more games he will get under Griffin at Brisbane.

With the side struggling and in the mix for free agent Josh Dugan, the Broncos are well within their rights to send Norman back to the Queensland Cup for the rest of the season.

If the losses continue to pile up and Dugan is lured north, Norman may find himself playing lower grades for the remainder of 2013.

Even if Dugan doesn’t sign with the Broncos, coach Griffin still may decide to banish the utility.

Veteran Scott Prince is no certainty to see out 2013, after a slow start to the season at number six. But whether Griffin wants to play the Parramatta-bound Norman is up to Griffin and Griffin alone.

‘Tigers To Find Out Just How Manly They Are’ Published on theroar.com.au 27/3/13

After a disastrous first up performance against the Newcastle Knights to begin their 2013 campaign, the Wests Tigers have rebounded with wins over the Penrith Panthers and the Parramatta Eels.

But how much can you really take out of these first three games?

The Knights had a glut of possession in round one and rightfully put the Tigers to the sword.

In rounds two and three, their opposition simply did not show up. But you can only play what is in front of you and to Wests’ credit, they took the competition points on both occasions.

Thursday night the Tigers head up the F3 Freeway for a clash with rivals, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. If the Tigers want to know where they really sit so far in 2013, a clash with Manly is the perfect yardstick.

Manly have always been the Tigers’ yardstick. Through good times and bad, Wests usually know how well they are travelling after facing the Eagles.

Tigers’ fans have enjoyed a pretty entertaining couple of weeks but the aggression and brutality that Manly plays with could very easily bring Benji Marshall and company crashing back to earth.

A golden-point victory in round one last season against the Cronulla Sharks had the Tigers roaring. The following week the Eagles beat them 22-18 in a gruelling encounter. This was the beginning of a five match losing streak that would eventually see the Tigers miss the playoffs.

In 2011, Manly were sitting pretty in second place heading into their round 21 clash with the seventh placed Tigers who were fighting to stay afloat heading towards the finals.

Wests were looking for their third straight win but knew a stern test lay ahead of them against the eventual premiers.

The Tigers won that night by a mere two points. But it was almost like they had to prove themselves against the Sea Eagles who thrive on the contest.

This was the third victory of a nine match win streak that took the Tigers all the way to the second week of the playoffs.

A win is a win and the Tigers will be content with victories against Parramatta and Penrith over the passed two weeks.

But if Wests want to beat Manly on Thursday night, they need 17 stars, not just Marshall and Robbie Farah.

Farah and Marshall are improving each week. Farah leads the NRL in tackles, try assists and line break assists while Marshall leads the competition in points.

The players themselves know that Thursday is a true litmus test. Whether Marshall and Farah shine is elementary.

The game will be won and lost in the middle. If Aaron Woods, destined for State of Origin this year, can have another big performance, Wests are a hope. When the young prop leads the rest follow.

It’s only early, but the signs have been good over the passed two weeks. But a clash with Manly puts everything in perspective.

Win or lose Thursday night, we will know exactly where the Tigers sit after going to battle with the Sea Eagles.