The Dinosaurs Get Their Way (2018)

Rugby League's dinosaurs have seemingly got their way and put an end to the crackdown by referees on ruck, play-the-ball, marker and offside infringements, which had seen a myriad of penalties blown in the opening four rounds of football.

The reasoning, aside from enforcing the rules, was to try and do something to eliminate grappling and wrestling, holding down in the play the ball and a restriction of fast attacking football.

Phil Gould stated on Channel 9’s 100% Footy, that:

“Referees were given instructions Sunday morning to tone back on it, to just get back to refereeing the important penalties the ones that were obvious.”

(See the video here: http://the81stminute.com/2018/04/referees-told-to-tone-it-back-phil-gould/)

Gould, along with Andrew Johns, Paul Vautin and Brad Fittler have been strongly opposed to the penalty bonanza's, aggressively repeating their disdain on Channel 9 from Round 1.

And while many other former players, commentators and fans have welcomed the crackdown, it appears that the NRL has yielded to the whinging old clowns and decided to pull the pin on the crackdown.

This is very bad for a number of reasons:

1.       Essentially clubs and players have got their way. The game has given control of the game to clubs and players to dictate how the game should be officiated. As the saying goes “the inmates run the asylum.” This is the biggest issue of all and directly attacks the integrity of the game.

2.       A handful of whinging commentators, notably Gould, have far too much authority, somehow, over the game, to have something like this modified to suit his agenda. How and why does he have this much power. It’s clearly wrong.

3.       The argument that the crackdown still made mistakes, notably the one that cost the Wests Tigers the game against Brisbane in Round 3 during Golden Point. While a valid argument, the problem with this perspective is that the alternative (less penalties) means infringements have to be ignored. And no matter which way you cut it, ignoring infringements will not eliminate howlers or game-changing mistakes, but will serve to continue their existence. It will not make the game better in the long term.

4.       The whole purpose of the crackdown has been completely eliminated. Everyone has demanded an end to the wrestling, holding down in tackles and off side markers and edge defenders. But they also don’t want the short term pain of a few rounds worth of games with high penalty counts. So now we’ll go back to the massive eyesore of grappling and wrestling, because some people didn’t like hearing the refs whistle.

5.       It makes it pretty clear that the referees are impacted by the NRL and indirectly media scrutiny. So why bother having referees? If they cannot be trusted and respected for the job they are doing, what’s the point of their existence?

6.       Finally, this enforces a modern day issue in all sport, that bitching and moaning about referees is not only accepted, but it brings results, despite the refs doing the right thing on the vast majority of occasions. Referees are accountable for every decision they make. But players and clubs can complain to avoid accountability of their decisions.

The onus should have been on players and clubs to realise that the refs were cleaning this part of the game up and in turn, they should have changed their play to be rules compliant. That’s how the system works. That was the point of the exercise. Because penalties, everywhere in life, have two purposes:

1.       Enforce the rules/law

2.       Deter you from reoffending

Given that after 4 weeks, penalties were still being given in copious numbers, the only step after this was not backing down, but instead utilising the sin bin far more aggressively.

Also, despite the games being low scoring and high in penalties, it certainly had little impact on ratings. Perhaps seeing even contests, producing unexpected results has been great for the game? 

Not one of the top 5 sides from last year are in the top 5 right now. Furthermore, three of the bottom 5 sides last year are in the top 8, while the other two are placed at 11^th and 12^th. It may only be early days in the 2018 season, but there’s been a lot of transformation on the game which has drawn a lot of interest from fans. Crowd numbers are up, ratings are strong. 

Perhaps this crackdown was working.

Tough 'Tooves' Can Cure NSW's Blues (2017)

Last Sunday, Fox Sports Lara Pitt spoke directly to Phil Gould amidst rumours and speculation that he could be stepping in, as part of a unique trio with Brad Fittler and Andrew Johns, to coach the New South Wales Origin side in 2018.

The most honest and correct statement he made regarding Laurie Daley’s sacking was, “Laurie’s not a professional coach. This is not what he does for a living.”

And that right there hits at 50 percent of the Blues’ issues. He isn’t a professional coach. That is exactly what NSW needs.

This is exactly the same issue that Fittler and Johns have. They may do some assistant coaching on the side – and ‘Freddy’ did coach the Roosters with mixed results a decade ago – but they aren’t full-time professional coaches of football teams.

Fittler and Johns are also very similar to Daley in another aspect. They were all magnificent players, undoubtedly the best of their generation in the world. But they are all laidback characters.

With stories emerging such as Josh Dugan and Blake Ferguson having some drinks before engaging in some less-than-professional interior designing of a hotel room prior to Origin II, coupled with the duo’s pub session and Andrew Fifita reportedly forcing Daley to backflip on his decision to have him start from the bench prior to the decider shows that the players did not respect Daley enough.

It’s not because they didn’t think he deserved it. It’s because Daley, like Fittler and Johns, comes across as one of the boys. There’s nothing wrong with that in some team environments. But it clearly doesn’t work for the Blues.

However, there is one coach who oozes passion and professionalism, is a full-time coach, played plenty of Origin footy and is looking for a gig.

Geoff Toovey.

Why hasn’t ‘Tooves’ been put forward as a candidate? The intense Manly club legend and former coach spent 2017 coaching the financial basketcase that is the Bradford Bulls, whose relegation to the third-tier competition would render Toovey too expensive to stay on. He wants to be back in Sydney and ideally at an NRL club.

But while he is yet to be picked up by any club, why not line him up to coach the Blues? 

Furthermore, let him have full control of the side. He doesn’t need helpers like Daley did.

The decision to move Bob Fulton on for this series in favour of Peter Sterling would make the role more enticing for Toovey.

Toovey has bled for the Blues. He demands respect from his players and he is a smart tactician. He has all the qualities required to be an Origin coach.

 
And he will provide them a huge injection of the one thing they need the most: passion.

****This article appeared on Commentary Box Sports website on September 1, 2017****

Johns, More Than An Immortal (2007)

As we all know, Andrew Johns announced his retirement from Rugby League this week after further injuring his already fragile neck. The decision has saddened many league folk here and abroad.

The decision has also sparked discussion over whether Johns should be admitted into the Rugby League Immortals club which currently includes Clive Churchill, Reg Gasnier, Bob Fulton, Wally Lewis, Johnny Raper, Graeme Langlands and Arthur Beetson.

However, after reading a few pages of the Newcastle Herald, it seems apparent that being made an immortal is a given. Not surprisingly really.

But I don’t think the Newcastle media and public have over reacted quite enough, as per usual in regards to its own players and how great they are.

There are many other ways to greatly honour the name of Andrew Johns.

I have compiled a timeline of what needs to be done to properly honour the great Andrew Johns.

• Before the next home game for the Knights, The new grandstand at Energy Australia Stadium shall be renamed “The Andrew Johns Stand.”

• By the end of the regular season, the ground itself should be renamed to “The Andrew Johns Energy Australia Stadium.”

• Within the next 2 years, moves should be made by council to have Hunter Street renamed to Johns Street.

• Within the next 4 years, Civic Train Station shall be named “Johns Station”

• In 5 years time, a new suburb shall be created and named “Johns”

• By the year 2020, Newcastle shall be renamed “Johnscastle”

• In 2025, Andrew Johns shall be knighted Sir Andrew Johns.

Now this is where I begin over reacting more than the Novocastrians.

• For the years 2008 til 2025 Andrew Johns shall be voted “Australian of the Year.”

• From this season til eternity (or until another Newcastle player better than Andrew Johns comes along), the Dally M’s will be named the Joey J’s. The best and fairest player in a Grand Final will no longer be awarded the Clive Churchill medal; instead, it will be the Andrew Johns medal. The Golden Boot award for best player in the world will be renamed to The Johns Golden Boot.

• Andrew Johns shall be made Governer-General in 2025 after his knighting.

• The Queen shall be abdicated from her throne, along with her entire family, within 5 years after Johns becomes Governer-General.

• As King of the Commonwealth, Johns shall then be allowed to claim ownership of every country not under his rule at the time of his appointment as King.

• With Johns becoming King of the World, all Rugby Union, American Football, Soccer and AFL competitions will be ended, never to be played again. All players from these codes, and their families will be beheaded in public, so as to prevent more stupid people like these being brought into the world.

• The Earth itself will be renamed Johns.

• All religions will be annulled, all religious texts will be destroyed and all beliefs of higher Gods will be abolished. They will be replaced by the Joey DVD, which will become the holy verses. Newcastle (unfortunately) will become the holy city. Johns will overthrow all current Gods and become the new God of all Gods. The most pure and perfect being ever to grace the planet Johns, and the most perfect, powerful and pure supernatural being ever to Grace the….area that supernatural beings grace.

Hopefully all of this can be put in place prior to the year 2030, so as to do the honourable God Johns justice. Under a Johns rule, the whole world will be able to watch Rugby League and reminisce about the days when Johns was just a mere man who dazzled fellow players on the field.

Many of us will be able to say, “I remember when Johns was just a man like you and me, before his rise to Owner of the Cosmos. I saw him play.”

So, when you look at like this, it’s fairly obvious to see, through a Knight’s fans eyes, that Johns becoming an immortal in the game of Australian Rugby League isn’t an issue to debate. It’s merely the beginning of a precession of events that will promote him to his rightful place in society.

The longer we spend debating about whether he should be inducted or not is detrimental to the overall wellbeing of the planet, and eventually the universe.

So stop considering it people, it’s blatantly obvious he should be made an immortal today.

Let’s get the ball rolling!