Roar Rookie
Joined December 2020
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Kick-offs have become the subject of discussion in recent months. We are all rightly concerned with the long-term (and short-term) effects of concussion and…
Whether a team takes part in the NRL finals or not more often than not defines whether they’ve had a successful season. Yet the…
State of Origin and Retro Round have come and gone. It’s a time when rugby league days of yore are remembered and for many,…
This is why the second tier of English football deserves your attention. 1. It’s more English than the English Premier LeagueAlthough the English Premier…
Last week I wrote an article explaining my views on how the administrators of rugby union were guilty of trying to fix a game…
There has been a lot of talk recently about the problems with Australian rugby, refereeing and the lack of results. There have always been…
I don’t know, I’d rather Sitili be playing for us than against us. He certainly was good for at least one error every game, but so is Collins. A lot of those errors came from close to the try-line passes that were never really on in the first place. The thing I liked about him was he was speedy and could be a game-breaker. I’m still shaking my head about the decision to let May go, too. Yeah, I think they’ll go ok, but maybe not set the world on fire.
Round 1 Predicted Teams: Roosters - Halves, centres, pack, bench on long list of problem areas for Robinson
No, no and definitely not!
Roosters star reacts to rugby switch 'rumours' - whipped up by his own manager
Great work, Tony! Never got to see Keith Barnes play, but every time I hear a commentator criticise a team for opting for a penalty goal instead of a tap, I remember his immortal words as co-commentator on the Amco Cup: ‘Well, if the points are there for the taking, Ray…’
Golden Boots, Thirsty and Robbo: Remembering the greats who left us in 2024
Oooh! So close!
Canberra’s greatest team of NRL era: Tonguey and Loz are there, but who else makes the cut?
Can we get the A-League and BeIn Sports back, guys?
Billionaire-backed sports streamer buys Foxtel for $3.4 billion as RA enters broadcast deal end game
I’m going from what I saw when they played, nothing else.
Knights' greatest team of NRL era: Joey, Gids, Butts are all there, but who misses out?
Yes, thought it was an entertaining game to watch and had a lot of atmosphere. The pace was unrelenting, too. A pretty good advertisement for the A-League.
Victory fight back to earn derby draw after Kisnorbo's sudden departure
No mention of Brett Mullins? I’d have him there instead of Nicoll-Klokstad. Was still there for a few seasons when the NRL started in 1998.
Canberra’s greatest team of NRL era: Tonguey and Loz are there, but who else makes the cut?
I’d rate Johns the best, then Thurston and Cronk, then Langer.
Knights' greatest team of NRL era: Joey, Gids, Butts are all there, but who misses out?
I really dislike the Premier League, to say the least. In fact, I have no interest in it and will not watch it. As you say, “the sad reality is the financial gulf between promoted sides and Premier League mainstays is often too wide to cross at first attempt“. I’d say way too often. Not even Norwich, who have been up and down more times than my yo-yo in the 1970s and received the multiple parachute payments that go with it, have been able to establish themselves there. My team is in the Championship, which is an entertaining league to watch, and has different champions every year. But after the initial elation of promotion, the realisation soon sets in that it is probably not so much ‘goodbye’ to The Championship, but ‘au-revoir…see you soon’. In the worst scenarios, the drop from the Premier League becomes a freefall (a recent case in point being Luton Town). The top teams are financial behemoths, and worse still, they sit by idly as smaller neigbouring teams with rich history fall by the wayside when a small fraction of some their players’ salary would save them (as the Manchester teams did in the case of Bury). Until the FA does something meaningful to narrow the gulf, there will be little change, and I’ll be happy to watch my team almost make the PL and not run the risk of ending up back in League Two.
Are Southampton heading for long-term pain after manager Russell Martin's sacking?
Well, I don’t want to go THERE, either! 😛
More dangerous than Afghanistan: NRL’s PNG expansion team doomed to fail as players will snub crime capital
The more rule changes you have, the more unforeseen consequences there are. Players can barely keep up since the 6-again rule was brought in, and it has probably gone a long way in resulting in Penrith and Melbourne dominating. When the 10 metre rule was introduced, it eventually resulted in wrestling (not cynical giving away of penalties…that is a myth) because eventually the quick play-the-ball and making the defence backpedal came into the game. The 10 metre rule was meant to encourage more creative play with the more space it gave, but it didn’t eventuate. A return to the 5 metre rule would allow teams to get onside (which is what EVERYONE wants) and stop the need for quick play-the-balls to get a roll-on.
More dangerous than Afghanistan: NRL’s PNG expansion team doomed to fail as players will snub crime capital
There may be 10,000 Aussies there, but the statistics are the statistics. It’s dangerous enough for U.S. citizens to be warned by their government simply not to go there.
More dangerous than Afghanistan: NRL’s PNG expansion team doomed to fail as players will snub crime capital
Just saw that Diana Ross video for the first time…she had ONE JOB!…(well, two anyway).
'Gasoline on the fire': The 'transformational' events in Seattle that will change football in the USA forever
Maybe Aussie Rules got the ‘hipsters’ in Sydney and Brisbane.
'Gasoline on the fire': The 'transformational' events in Seattle that will change football in the USA forever
Second tier. 😛 Looking at the ladder, you should just be thankful the A-League doesn’t have promotion/relegation.
'The stadium comes to life': Socceroos hope vibrant Sydney crowd will boost WCQ campaign as Indonesia clash locked in
I’d much rather see a team in Perth (and Adelaide if viable) than any from another country. And as I’ve explained a number of times I am dead against a team from PNG for multiple reasons. No team should have to relocate. We regularly hear the idea that Cronulla should, but they are one of only two teams (the other being the Dolphins) that actually own the stadium they play in. And they’ve worked hard over the years to develop the area around it to make it viable. Sure, there are better NRL grounds (at least 17, actually), but that’s always going to be in their favour. I am wary of expansion, too. TV money funds the game to a large extent, and there is no guarantee the amounts coming in will stay the same in years to come. Where that would put teams like PNG in the future, I don’t know.
Could this expansion model truly nationalise the NRL and grow game overseas?
Don’t forget the island of Tambu! Quinn, Quig, Quell and Quad would by dynamite in the forwards, along with support from Quilter, Quimby and of course, Quick in the backline. Coached by Q.
Could this expansion model truly nationalise the NRL and grow game overseas?
Yes, many of us still scratching our heads over May. I’ve heard some talk (don’t know if it’s true or not) that it had something to do with Mitch Aubusson and Jake Friend getting involved in the coaching staff. I’ve also heard today that they’ve signed young Bulldog prop Isula Seve…don’t know if he’s ready for first grade yet or not, though.
Roosters poach Origin star while taking short-term approach on Teddy's new deal
Good comments. Re: the quality, at its best, I’ve always said (as I closely follow a team in the English Championship) the top 2-3 A-League teams are mid-table Championship level, the rest are probably League One – which isn’t too bad. There’s pretty much no league in the world that compares with the EPL anyway. From what I’m seeing and reading though, the quality ATM could be better. As a football supporter in this country, I believe it is important to take the attitude of supporting the game in general as well as your team, like what I’ve read happens in rugby league in England, which is a fringe sport. By all means be passionate about your team, but treat opposing teams and fans with respect, and appreciate good play from wherever it comes. We all want to see the A-League succeed, and we all want to see the national teams do well.
The lack of atmosphere at A-League games is slowly killing the competition
Maybe. Like a few of the rule changes brought in without consultation though, teams’ rosters were already settled. In itself though, I don’t imagine it would’ve change rosters dramatically. Tactics-wise, there would be more time spent practicing set-ups (you’d hope!). My main concern is player welfare, though I must admit I do enjoy the spectacle of golden point itself…..(when it’s not my team).
Golden point sidelines the spectacle of rugby league - is there a better solution?
They’ve had a full 80 minutes to show their prowess in that area. I’m not really in favour of giving them more time to do it if it’s not necessary. Certainly in a finals game it’s necessary.
Golden point sidelines the spectacle of rugby league - is there a better solution?
The solution is a draw…one point each. Totally fair and breaks the table positions up. No need to work out complicated new ideas of how to make it work. You’ve set out the reasons why it should be ditched, so let’s ditch it. Interesting to read that player welfare has become an issue; I’m taking credit for bringing that up ages ago. ???? Also, having the advantage of having an exceptional kicker is also a reason to get rid of the totally random 2-point field-goal. (But then again, if you asked me which new rules from the last 10-20 years I would ditch, I would say all of them!)
Golden point sidelines the spectacle of rugby league - is there a better solution?
Turned on the TV Sunday morning hoping to get some A-League highlights as I was out the night before. Apparently, the only sport that happened the previous day was tennis.
Adelaide United have got what every A-League club wants - home advantage