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Based in Melbourne, Geoff began contributing to The Roar in 2012, his Monday morning column 'The Wrap' becoming a staple for rugby followers around the globe. He has published two books on rugby; 'A Year in the Life and Death of the Melbourne Rebels' (2024) and 'A World in Conflict; the Global Battle For Rugby Supremacy' (2017), and in Feb 2025, Penguin Random House will release his first crime fiction novel. For further details visit www.geoffparkes.com Meanwhile, his twin goals of achieving a single figure golf handicap and owning a fast racehorse remain tantalisingly out of reach...
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It is characteristic of rugby fans to pay more attention to the future than the present. Sure, losses sting in the moment but the…
After the Chicago White Sox lost the 1919 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds, eight players, including legendary slugger ‘Shoeless’ Joe Jackson, received a…
Given the snow that fell in the lead up to the Wallabies match against Scotland, the visitors must have been delighted to find conditions…
There’s an old saying that 420 days is a long time in rugby, but that awful night in Lyon last year, when Eddie Jones’…
As a rule, there’s usually something a bit off about writers quoting themselves, but in the excitement of the Wallabies’ brilliant 42-37 win over…
Two contributions from match officials in recent days may have gone a long way to help settle what has at times become an acrimonious…
Ask Melbourne Rebels fans mournfully reflecting on the brief history of their franchise to name their favourite players, and you wouldn’t be surprised to…
From the beginning of pre-season in November 2023 year, Geoff Parkes embedded himself into the Melbourne Rebels, intending to provide rugby followers with insight…
There’s an old adage that says ‘you can’t choose your family’. The escalation in the dispute between Rugby Australia and the Melbourne Rebels Rugby…
Publicity around the impending release of Johnny Sexton’s autobiography ‘Obsessed’ certainly raised a storm last week, on a number of fronts. Intended to enhance…
Nobody could accuse the All Blacks and Wallabies of throwing up any surprises in Wellington on Saturday night. As it happens the 33-13 result…
Shortly after appropriate recognition was shown to James Slipper, succeeding George Gregan as the most-capped Wallaby in history, the All Blacks gathered behind a…
Calls last week from UK-based pundits to apply a mercy rule to next year's Lions tour and have the whole thing called off were…
How did it all come to this? In beautiful conditions in Santa Fe, the Wallabies played their best 30 minutes under Joe Schmidt; inventive,…
That’s the beauty of having low expectations. A last-minute 20-19 Wallabies win over Argentina may once have been met with shrugged shoulders and a…
It’s now approaching the 25th anniversary of John Eales holding aloft the William Webb Ellis trophy at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium. This was a period…
Perth and Auckland trying to outdo each other in the rain stakes probably ended up a draw. On the field, however, things were far…
Linking in to Joe Schmidt and Allan Alaalatoa’s press conference on Saturday evening, I was surprised to hear Schmidt open with, “The way we…
The ‘Propaganda Games’ were held in Berlin in 1936. 1968 became the ‘Altitude Games’. 2000 in Sydney will forever be known as the ‘Games…
Speaking at a recent rugby dinner in Melbourne, Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt indicated that he would try not to analyse too much until the…
Cheers Colvin
To be fair, there aren’t many rugby books written these days!
Greatest moments, best games, top stars and biggest villains of 2024 - plus five fearless predictions for 2025
That was a special effort from Campo, after the Wallabies enjoyed a couple of wins under Joe ‘won nothing’ Schmidt, to claim credit for providing motivation…
Greatest moments, best games, top stars and biggest villains of 2024 - plus five fearless predictions for 2025
Nice list, Tony!
All the best to you and your family, and to all the readers and contributors for Xmas and 2025.
The 20 biggest stories in Australian rugby this year - but is a bigger one still about to drop?
PM Marape made it clear yesterday that this deal won’t stop PNG engaging with China.
Given that $60m of the $600m goes straight to the NRL as a “participation fee”, and nearly half of the total is earmarked for infrastructure costs, including the player compound, what is the PNG government left with? The feel good vibe of having a team in the NRL and what else?
Do we really think China can’t top that with a bigger bribe, sorry, bid, whenever they want to?
More dangerous than Afghanistan: NRL’s PNG expansion team doomed to fail as players will snub crime capital
Solid picking Harry. Especially JGP at halfback – that guy deserves every credit for crafting a great career for himself out of very modest beginnings. Terrific player.
That must have been quite some World Rugby pink gin & whiteboard session that came up with Drew as a selector.
Our World 23 of 2024 - and why All Blacks gun doesn't make it
Hi James
It always felt to me that Suaalii would be best placed at 13 and that’s where I think he’ll stay, unless there is another obvious midfield player emerge and then they shift him to the wing and dust off the Folau-style cross-kick strategy. Whatever, I wouldn’t be messing around with Wright at 15, now that he’s properly claimed the spot.
The 2024 Wrap: Rejected Rebels, Schmidt's stability - and why this year was more about 2025
Thanks WB, have a great xmas.
The 2024 Wrap: Rejected Rebels, Schmidt's stability - and why this year was more about 2025
Good shout on the Stone Roses, Chook. Might have to have a diversionary dive back into that!
The 2024 Wrap: Rejected Rebels, Schmidt's stability - and why this year was more about 2025
One thing about music mate is that’s there’s always arguments raging about who the GOAT is.
Impossible and pointless because of eras, genres etc… but it still doesn’t stop it happening.
It feels like in 2024, rugby kind of came of age, with a just as silly GOAT argument taking root. Looking forward to seeing where that all heads over the course of the 6N…
The 2024 Wrap: Rejected Rebels, Schmidt's stability - and why this year was more about 2025
Yes, good shout for Main JN, and all the best for him.
Thanks for your contributions all the way through.
The 2024 Wrap: Rejected Rebels, Schmidt's stability - and why this year was more about 2025
I’m locked in for two shows, Tony. One in Melbourne and then in Castlemaine.
Thanks as always for your terrific pointers.
The 2024 Wrap: Rejected Rebels, Schmidt's stability - and why this year was more about 2025
Cheers Old School. Enjoy Xmas and happy reading.
The 2024 Wrap: Rejected Rebels, Schmidt's stability - and why this year was more about 2025
Cheers Bliksem and good point about Twiggy.
The 2024 Wrap: Rejected Rebels, Schmidt's stability - and why this year was more about 2025
I think there are some frustrations common to NZ and Aus Joe, around staleness, one-sidedness, the relative success of the NRL, and that now, since 2015, it no longer delivers World Cup success. And the diminishing broadcasting deals and media coverage seem to amplify this.
But there are also some key differences – a whole lot more provinces in NZ, now pushing back against being made 2nd class citizens versus Australia not having 5 new constructs imposed above the provinces, but the provinces themselves essentially being the high-performance layer (setting aside the imbalance that exists between NSW + QLD and everyone else). So that feeds into problems around NZ and AUS being partners but having different needs.
There are always inherent tensions and trade-offs. Hence I recognise the good intent and potential value of what Peter Horne is pursuing. But I think it would be wrong to assume that Australia’s decline at international level is as a result of there being 5 competing franchises. It may be a factor, but more likely just one of many, including things like alignment of club competitions, inadequate coaching pathways, domestic rugby politics, leadership deficiencies and so on.
At the end of the day, it really comes down to making a choice between what is the best thing for Wallabies success versus how can we have a better, more engaging and (potentially) tribal professional competition. I’d like to think that we could do both, but it seems like it has to be one or the other.
The 2024 Wrap: Rejected Rebels, Schmidt's stability - and why this year was more about 2025
Very tempting, mate.
And my golf club is reciprocal with Hong Kong GC as well…
The 2024 Wrap: Rejected Rebels, Schmidt's stability - and why this year was more about 2025
Tupou Vaai is one of those guys who plays a lot bigger than he looks, mz.
Probably put Jeremy Williams into that category now, as well.
The 2024 Wrap: Rejected Rebels, Schmidt's stability - and why this year was more about 2025
Always appreciate your input, Jez. Not sure when or how but it would be good to organise a beer one day!
The 2024 Wrap: Rejected Rebels, Schmidt's stability - and why this year was more about 2025
Rugby Australia is dropping a new 5 year strategic plan tomorrow Dionysus, so I guess we’ll have a chance to find out.
I’m not holding my breath for there to be anything more than your final sentence.
The 2024 Wrap: Rejected Rebels, Schmidt's stability - and why this year was more about 2025
All of rugby is full of sick and sorry balance sheets and negative cash flows, Jimmy.
That doesn’t mean that clubs are necessarily being mismanaged, it means that the financial model for the professional game is broken. And in this case, a court may well determine that undertakings relied upon for the ongoing operation of the club were gone back on.
The 2024 Wrap: Rejected Rebels, Schmidt's stability - and why this year was more about 2025
Very kind KW. Have a great Xmas.
The 2024 Wrap: Rejected Rebels, Schmidt's stability - and why this year was more about 2025
All the best to you and your family to, BF. Thanks for tuning in every week.
The 2024 Wrap: Rejected Rebels, Schmidt's stability - and why this year was more about 2025
There are a few things in the pipeline, Captain.
First priority is to make sure there is enough progression and high quality rugby for the better kids, and women players, rather than just have a few handpicked ones sent off to other states.
Hopefully after that we’ll see a pathway emerge for an elite professional team, via one of the overseas competitions.
The 2024 Wrap: Rejected Rebels, Schmidt's stability - and why this year was more about 2025
Thanks for the post Phil, and great to see Paul Kelly still so active and prolific.
About to headline a national tour with Jason Isbell as support – Isbell is huge in the US, but 2nd fiddle here…
The 2024 Wrap: Rejected Rebels, Schmidt's stability - and why this year was more about 2025
Cheers KwA. Have a great Xmas.
The 2024 Wrap: Rejected Rebels, Schmidt's stability - and why this year was more about 2025
Strong post ATW. Judge people and organisations by their actions, not words.
Greatest moments, best games, top stars and biggest villains of 2024 - plus five fearless predictions for 2025