Officialdom Gone Crazy (2013)

Every week, every year, Rugby League officials, coaches, players, commentators and fans alike are left debating dubious officiating from the past weekend's games.

And as the 2013 finals season reaches its second last week, we have again been met with even more confusing refereeing.

But none of it will surpass the try on the seventh tackle to Cronulla against North Queensland in the first week of the finals. But are the referees entirely at fault?

Over the past few years there have been issues and errors regarding the hawkeye technology used in tennis to determine if a ball is in or out, the video review technology and methodology in AFL when determining if a goal has hit a post or not, the hotspot and snickometer technologiy in Cricket used to determine if a player is out or not and of course, the video referee issues in Rugby League.

Prior to all this technology, referees made errors, but they were human errors that we could all deal with. They game wasn't held up to deliberate a decision. All this tehcnology seems to have hampered all sport more than it has improved it. Once play stops to wait for a ruling to be made, momentum for a player or team is lost which does have a major impact on results.

Furthermore, it puts more attention on the officiating of the game. And when you keep heaping pressure on people who already have to deal with more than enough pressure, well, mistakes are going to be more frequent and more costly.

In Rugby League circles, the issue goes further than just the technology. Its the rules around the technology. First we had the ludicrous 'benefit of the doubt' ruling which favoured one team over the other, instead of using a fair system. Now we have a slight modification on that, whereby the on-field referee must make a decision as to whether its a try or not in their view and then it is up to the video ref to confirm. This however is still open to contention, because if the video referee cannot find enough evidence to overrule the on field referee's ruling, then it doesn't get overruled at all. It almost renders the video referee useless.

The other problem is having two referees. These issues combined convey the message that the NRL and the Refereeing Department have no faith in the on field referees.

Throw in constant rule additions and tweaks (shoulder charges, punching) as well as the issue with players diving and intentionally colliding with decoy runners so as to prevent a try under the obstruction rule and wrestling holds to name the most major has left referees with no confidence, under the most intense pressure every week than any referees in the past, with more things to look for, with fans and commentators berating them at every call more aggressively than ever before, you can start to understand that the issue stems much further than just poor refereeing ability.

If you need evidence to show exactly what I mean, then go and watch some NSW Cup footy. You barely notice the referee, which is a true testament to good officiating.

If we want our refereeing to be better, then we need to show faith in the referees and make their jobs easier. Instead of banning shoulder charges, just ban all contact with the head and neck, however its done. If contact with the head is made, then send the player off, or to the sin bin and let the judiciary deal with them. These players should not remain on the field for hitting someone high.

Revert back to one referee on the field.

Video referee's should not be awarding any tries if they cannot prove certainly that a try has been scored.

The NRL should issue a directive to all NRL clubs that wrestling will not be tolerated. Furthermore, let all clubs know that every match will be scrutinised by the match review committee and if any wrestling holds are being used, the players will be suspended.

The NRL needs to stop forcing the on-field referees to continually monitor more and more aspects of the game.

Three Referees (2013)

Shayne: I need to check the grounding for this try please.
Jason: I'm sorry?
Shayne: I want you to check the grounding.
Jason: I didn't quite catch it.
Shayne: I want to check the grounding for a try.
Jason: Ah, um, er, hang on just one moment Shayne, I'll just switch the radio off. [He switches it on; music blaring]Right, now what was it again?
Shayne: What?
Jason: What was it again?
Shayne: I can't hear.
Jason: What?
Shayne: The radio's too loud!
Jason: Yes, very nice, isn't it.
Shayne: Turn off the radio!
Jason: Pardon? I'm sorry, I don't think my hearing aid's working properly. I've only had it a couple of days. Hang on. [He takes it off and adjusts it.] Yes, there we are, it's working now.
Shayne: Is it a try?
Jason: Gee I’m not sure he’s got that down, you should probably send it up here?
Shayne: I have!
Jason: No, no, there’s definitely some doubt there.
Shayne: Can you hear me?
Jason: What?
Shayne: CAN. YOU. HEAR. ME!
Jason: Oh! Penalty try!
Shayne: What?
Jason: You want to award a penalty try.
Shayne: No.
Jason: Oh, well I'll get Alan then, he deals with penalty tries. I only do the basic stuff.
[Alan enters through the door with his arms outstretched feeling for objects]
Alan: [looking at Jason] you want to award a penalty try do you?
Jason: What?
Alan: You want to award a penalty try do you?
Jason: I can't hear what you're saying, Alan.
Alan: I think you need a scrum differential penalty, not a penalty try.
Shayne: No, I want you to check the grounding!
Alan: Who said that? Is there someone else in here?
Jason: What?
Alan: I think there's someone else in here.
Shayne: Yes. It's me. On your loudspeaker.
Alan: Ah! You wanted the penalty try did you?
Shayne: No, I want you to check the grounding for this try.
Alan: Ah, Jason will see to you about that. He'll be here in a minute. [to Jason] Now, you wanted the penalty try, did you?
Jason: Er, What?
Alan: Penalty try?
Jason: Er, I don't understand, Alan. I’m Jason.
Alan: Why didn't you say you were Jason? You know my lenses play up sometimes.
Jason: What?
Alan: [to Shayne] Ah, I do apologise most sincerely for the inconvenience Shayne. Now, you were after a penalty try were you?
Shayne: No, I wanted to have the grounding checked for this try.
Alan: Jason will deal with you, Shayne. I'm dealing with this penalty try over here.
Shayne: Now, Jason, please check the grounding for this try.
Jason: Pardon? I'm sorry, look, I'm worried about Alan. I think he thinks there’s a penalty try.
Shayne: Well, hadn’t you better go and tell him there isn’t?
Jason: No, no, I'd better go and tell him there isn’t a penalty try. [To Alan] Er, Alan!
Alan: Ah, there you are. I thought I'd lost you.
Jason: Er, no, Alan, there’s no penalty try.
Alan: Well, who asked me to check for one then? Don't be silly, let’s have a look at this penalty try.
Jason: What? No, Alan, I’m Jason.
Alan: Why didn't you say you were Jason?
Jason: [looking at his watch] Almost half-time.
Alan: Ah, sorry. [To Shayne] Now then let’s check your penalty try.
Shayne: No, I wanted to check the grounding of this try!
Alan: Ah. [turns to Jason] So you want to award a penalty try?
Shayne: I just want someone to check the grounding of the ball!
Alan: Ah, er, Jason! There are two referee’s here that would like you to check the grounding of the ball for their two tries!
Jason: What? I can't hear you, Alan, I think it must be my hearing aid. Hang on a moment. [He adjusts it.] Aaaah! Too loud, it hurts! [He hits the side of his head repeatedly.] Ah, that's better. Wait a moment, I've knocked my contacts out. [He begins searching on the floor]
Shayne: Please, for the love of all that’s sacred, can someone check the grounding of this try. Please!
Alan: Three tries now Jason. Boy it’s busy out there today.
Jason: Got it!
Alan: [to Shayne] Jason says it’s a try.
Shayne: Thank you!
[Shayne awards try. Crowd boo’s as the replay appears showing the ball was clearly not grounded].

The 1973 Grand Final (2013)

Having won their maiden premiership in 1972, Manly became the benchmark and the team to beat in 1973. The relative newcomers to the competition, Cronulla, took up that challenge, literally.

Manly were afforded the first week off in the new finals structure, as they finished the regular season as minor premiers. Cronulla defeated third placed neighbours St.George 18-0 on the first day of the finals, earning them a second chance and a match against Manly.

Newtown defeated Canterbury 13-2 the day after, which saw the Berries drop out of the race.

In the second week of the finals, Manly defeated Cronulla 14-4 to book their spot in the Grand Final and forcing Cronulla into a sudden death match the following week.

St.George and Newtown played out at 12 all draw, which lead to a rematch just two days later, which Newtown won 8-5.

The following week, Cronulla accounted for a weary Newtown side 20-11, to advance to their maiden Grand Final.

Cronulla’s British import and captain-coach turned in one of his best ever performances in the Sharks victory over Newtown the week before, while fellow British import Cliff Watson and fellow forward Ken Maddison had been in dominant form for the entire season.

The side had also unearthed exciting teenage prospects Steve Rogers and Rick Bourke as well as sporting young test player Greg Pierce. They were an experienced, skilful and very talented squad.

Manly were a star studded outfit, containing experienced test players Fred Jones, Bill Bradstreet, Ken Irvine, Englishman Malcolm Reilly, Ray Branighan, Graham Eadie, John O’Neill and the most notable of all, Bob Fulton.

All across the park the Manly side was all class. Their attack was the best in the competition without doubt and their defence was equally impressive.

Monday, September 10 Grand Final week began with Cronulla teenage centre Steve Rogers being cleared to play after succumbing to a suspected broken cheekbone in the previous match against Newtown. He’d spent the night after the game in hospital getting scans and treatment. Rogers was literally worried sick that there would be bad news which would rule him out of the Grand Final. When he received the good news, his captain-coach Tommy Bishop said “He’s much more chirpy now. It’s the best news we could have had today. I can tell you we were all worried.”

While Rogers was convalescing, the Sharks held a light training run in which Warren Fisher was announced to be fit, having overcome a troublesome ankle injury and Greg Allen was over his bout of the flu which had sapped his energy in the match against Newtown. Cliff Watson was still in some small amount of doubt but Bishop was adamant that he’d be fit to play.

Manly, who had the luxury of a week off before the grand final, were all fresh and fully fit, including centre Ray Branighan, who had not played in the finals due to an injury sustained in their last round clash against Balmain. Their only concern lay with John O’Neill who had some slight discomfort in his ankle after training but Manly coach Ron Willey felt confident that he’d be fine come game day.

Willey also stated that he felt Cronulla were disappointing performers in their victory on the weekend against Newtown, paying particular attention to their second half performance, saying “This failure in the second half is a real pattern with Cronulla – I’ve watched their last four games and they appear to lose the scrums in the second half.”

Tuesday, September 11 Cronulla selectors announce that the club doctor has given Cliff Watson the all-clear to play in the grand final. They also reveal that experienced winger Ray Corcoran has been given the all clear to play after he displaced a bone in his foot early in the season which required a pin to be implanted into his instep. The Sharks selectors are looking at dropping Steve Edmonds and Greg Allen from the side that beat Newtown on the weekend.

Wednesday, September 12 Tommy Bishop reveals that a meeting the previous night lead to an agreement between Manly, Cronulla and Grand Final referee Keith Page, whereby both sides would have a 45 minute meeting on game day prior to kick off with Page to discuss issues in scrums. Cronulla held a rigorous 90 minute training session the previous night, later stating that no injury concerns were evident at the club. Manly coach Ron Willey held a shortened training session, saying he was happy with what he saw from his chargers. John O’Neill still carrying an injury to his ankle will take a pain killing injection before kick-off. Ray Branighan looked very fit and is expected to play for the first time in 34 days in the Grand Final.

Thursday, September 13 Both teams run light training sessions and officially declare all players will be fit and available for selection.

Friday, September 14 Tommy Bishop reveals that he had a pep talk with his players at training the previous night and spoke about the importance of having a killer instinct and playing for the full eighty minutes. Cliff Watson’s back injury had officially been declared fully healed. Willey held another light training session after which he said of Cronulla “I really can’t see them beating us. Certainly they deserve to be in the grand final because they are a good team and well coached. But they are not yet up to the standard of the Manly side.”

Saturday, September 15 Game day. The NSWRL reveals that a television audience of more than 2 million will tune in to watch the Grand Final, with the game being telecast live by ABC to all states bar Western Australia and Northern Territory. The game will also mark an end to the stellar career of Ken Irvine.

The Game

54,022 packed into the SCG, some of whom had spent the night sleeping outside the ground. The players ran out onto the field where they were forced to wait in the cold wind while longer than anticipated pre-match presentations took place. Former test player Ferris Ashton believed that this extended build up, which lasted an extra 20 minutes, may have contributed to what happened after kick-off. Cliff Watson was looking more fired up than usual and the long wait only served to intensify his eagerness and aggression.

From the outset, the game was played in the middle and a fierce battle was fought between both teams forward packs.

On the third tackle of Manly’s first set, John O’Neill charged into the Cronulla defence and was met by Maddison, Bowen and Wellman. While they grappled with the Manly forward, Maddison took a swing at O’Neill’s head while Bowen whacked his arm into his still mildly injured back. O’Neill got some revenge shortly after when he hit Wellman late after the play-the ball, leading to the first of many heated exchanges in the game.

On the next tackle, Manly lock Mal Reilly injured his hip when Ron Turner stuck his leg out in attempt to charge down Reilly’s kick. Turners boot caught Reilly in his side. Reilly hobbled off the field 6 minutes later and the medics treated him for a bruised kidney injury, before giving him three pain killing injections. Reilly hobbled back onto the field, but he had minimal involvement and had to come off due to the severe pain with 15 minutes remaining in the half. John Bucknall, who had just played in Manly’s Reserve Grade grand final winning side, came on as Reilly’s replacement.

Play continued and Cliff Watson was tackled by Terry Randall and Peter Peters. After the tackle was completed, Tommy Bishop took a jab at Peters, who showed no interest. The next tackle saw Maddison hit the ball up only to be grassed by another great strong tackle by Peters. Bishop then started swinging at Randall which led to a fight before both players were singled out by referee Page.

Bishop’s incessant pestering of Randall eventually lead to Randall chasing Bishop, who ran behind his own forwards for protection while Randall chased him around the field, almost oblivious to the game taking place. At one point, the touch judge ran onto the field and a penalty was to be given, while the officials discussed the matter, Bishop and Randall, standing near the referee started another scuffle.

Opposing big men John O’Neill and Cliff Watson had a number of heavy clashes which soon lead to the pair trading blows.

There were some great tackles made which also lead to scuffles and brawls. Martin pulled off an impressive hit on the much bigger Watson; Fulton picked up and dumped Maddison and Pierce’s lifting and driving tackle on Hamilton.

Other incidents took place in back play, stomping on hands, king hits, punches, stiff arms, kneeing and elbowing. Both sides were giving as good as they got. The traditional ‘softening-up’ period had gone on for just over 20 minutes before skilful football started being displayed. Bishop was in fine form in attack, darting around, making half breaks and putting team mates into half gaps, but for every opportunity he created, Manly’s Ian Martin was equal to the task in defence.

The first involvement in the game by Fulton saw him drift across field, draw a defender and then he threw a cut out pass to Irvine that put the winger in open space. As Irvine darted for the try line he was brought down just shy by Fisher.

As Cronulla were bringing the ball out of their half, Watson was met in a heavy tackle and while he was on his knees, he was bent back and his face raked by O’Neill. Watson lost the ball and Manly capitalised, sending a short pass to Randall who was met with a blatant swinging arm to the head by Bishop.

Fulton threw a cut out pass to Irvine that put the winger in open space. As he darted for the try line he was brought down just shy by Fisher. Soon after Fisher himself was in space but was brought down by Eadie and a certain try went begging.

28 minutes into the game, Manly were on the attack 30 metres out from Cronulla’s try line, when Fred Jones threw a flick pass back on the inside to Fulton who burst through a gap, running around defenders with sheer acceleration to score. Eadie converted and Manly lead 5-0.

In the following set after play restarted, Fulton was about to be penalised by Page for back chatting, before nearby players alerted the referee to a large brawl that was well underway at the other end of the field. All hell broke loose with fights and scuffles all over the ground. Page eventually halted the violence, called all 26 players together for the second time in the match and gave them all a warning.

Just as the half was coming to a close, Manly were awarded a penalty and they opted to take a shot at goal. Eadie’s attempt sailed wide, but after Fisher caught the ball, he lost it as he began running upfield.

At halftime Fisher was helped off the field by Bishop and was replaced after it was found he had broken his rib and it had pierced his lung. Fisher was immediately taken to hospital.

Rick Bourke replaced the hospitalised Fisher and in the second half he and Bishop formed a solid combination, which saw the Cronulla attack start to show its effectiveness. A scrum penalty against Mayes gave Cronulla their first points of the game when Rogers kicked the goal to make the score 5-2.

Manly quickly went on the attack when Branighan put Eadie into space. As Eadie ran downfield he had Fulton on his outside, but he threw a cut out pass to Irvine which went to ground and Fulton put his hands on his head rueing a lost opportunity.

In the 58^th minute, Martin put Eadie into open space again. He threw a two handed lobbed pass over the top of the outstretched arms of the Cronulla defence, which was collected by Fulton who ran 20 metres around Bourke and down the sideline, before colliding with Rogers’ cover tackle but still managing to score in the corner. Eadie’s conversion attempt was unsuccessful and Manly lead 8-2 with just 20 minutes remaining.

Cronulla hit back in the 71^st minute when Maguire was 10 metres from the Manly try line, gave a deft short pass to a flying Bourke, who hit a small gap at speed and dived off over for a try near the posts. Rogers slotted the goal to cut Manly’s lead to just one point with 17 minutes left.

Both sides battled hard for field position, neither side giving an inch. But with 3 minutes left, Cronulla were penalised after a scrum collapse and Eadie kicked an easy penalty goal to make the score 10-7 to Manly.

Bishop ran a planned play with Maddison in a last ditch attempt to score a try, but the pass went to ground and was dived on by Branighan. As the dejected Bishop turned to run back onside, he was given a slap on the back by Fulton signifying that the game was over. Manly winning their second title 10-7.

After the match, Bishop stated “That Fulton – he was great. He was the difference. I thought we were the better team in overall play but Fulton was just too classy.”

Manly captain Fred Jones said of the game “That’s the toughest match I’ve ever played in.”

Manly-Warringah Sea-Eagles

1 – Graham Eadie

2 – Ken Irvine

3 – Ray Branighan

4 – Bob Fulton

5 – Max Brown

6 – Ian Martin

7 – Johnny Mayes

13 – Bill Hamilton

12 – Fred Jones

11 – John O’Neill

10 – Peter Peters

9 – Terry Randall

8 – Malcolm Reilly

14 – John Bucknall (replaced Reilly)

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

1 – Warren Fisher

2 – Ray Corcoran

3 – Steve Rogers

4 – Eric Archer

5 – Bob Wear

6 – Chris Wellman

7 – Tommy Bishop

13 – Cliff Watson

12 – Ron Turner

11 – Grahame Bowen

10 – Ken Maddison

9 – John Maguire

8 – Greg Pierce

19 – Rick Bourke (replaced Fisher)

Referee: Keith Page

Crowd: 52,044

Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground

Date: Saturday, September 15, 1973

Manly 10 (Fulton 2 tries, Eadie 2 goals from 6 attempts)

Cronulla 7 (Bourke try, Rogers 2 goals from 5 attempts)

****This article appeared on www.steelesports.com website****

Player Wel(un)fare? (2013)

Last night I attended the top of the table clash between Melbourne and Souths at AAMI Park in Melbourne.

I sat just two rows away from the sideline. In the second half, Dylan Farrell (Souths), Andrew Everingham (Souths) and Sisi Waqa (Melbourne) contested a kick into the Melbourne in-goal.

Farrell stumbled just as the other two went to leap for the ball, as he fell the side of his head collided heavily into team mate Everingham's knee, knocking him out.

What transpired is of greatest concern.

As Farrell lay on the ground in the Storm in-goal, briefly unconcious, play continued. As he started to come to, the Souths trainer treating him, attempted to get Farrell back on his feet. Farrell took 3 or 4 unsteady steps, lost his balance and collapsed to the ground again, still in the Storm-in goal, but within less than a metre of the sideline.

The Souths trainer then signalled for assistance.

He then dragged Farrell's body off the field so that Souths could bring on a replacement, as they were playing with 12 men.

The ensuing few minutes saw the trainer ask for a stretcher. When assistance arrived, Farrell was also put in a neck brace before being stretchered from the field.

Firstly, this incident is not isolated. Round 16, 2011 saw 22 year old Wests Tigers second rower Simon Dwyer suffer a nerve injury in a freak accident on the field. He too was walked off the field with some very mediocre assistance. Since that day, Dwyer has not played any Rugby League, and he still has not fully recovered after requiring a nerve graft.

By no means am I suggesting that trainers should be doctors, but what I am saying is that the game and its on-field player welfare practices is downright abysmal.

Regarding last nights game, why couldn't Souths run on a 13th player immediately after Farrell's injury if play is not going to be stopped? It would not have given Souths an unfair advantage.

If that is too complicated, then why not stop play and get the injured player off the field first?

Either of these options is an immensely superior concept to the current methods in place.

My father-in-law who attended the game has worked as a medic for the Army and for St Johns Ambulance in England during major sporting events. He was mortified at what he saw last night and said, the best policy when treating someone injured like that is to not move them until you can put a neck brace on them and have a stretcher to put them on.

If our trainers are not getting proper medical or first aid training, then they should not be touching injured players, no matter how severe the injury.

Stop the play, the trainer can assess the situation and contact a ground medic to attend and verify if its safe to assist a player from the field and the best manner in which to do so.

Injuries are not that frequent in the game, especially as they happen on field, so these simple practices should be something that is implemented immediately, because all it takes is one bad mistake to make a treatable injury a life changing one.

Benji Has Left The Building (2013)

Recently Benji Marshall asked for a release from the Wests Tigers.

To most fans of the game, that sentence is unbelievable. They’ve always considered Benji a one-man highlights machine who seemed to love the game and the fame he has earnt himself off the field.

To this Wests Tigers fan, the writing has been on the wall for half a decade.

This decision by Benji, for me, is akin to turning off the life support for a dearly beloved family member who has lived the last few years in absolute agony. You don’t feel sorrow insomuch as you feel relief that the pain and suffering is over.

Because the last 18 months of Benji’s career has been nothing short of woeful. Turmoil within the club has seen half the squad leave, most of whom were good mates of Benji’s.

Then there was the falling out with former Tigers coach Tim Sheens at the end of the 2012 season, whom Benji had looked to as a father figure.

And this year there was the much publicised contract negotiations which eventually broke down. The stalling point was in regards to a handshake deal Benji had made with former CEO Stephen Humphries that was not honoured by new interim CEO Grant Mayer.

Much has been said by Benji and his manager, a lot of it in frustration, a lot of it misguided, all of it overanalysed by journalists trying to find another angle.

Benji said some things that seemed odd, such as:

“I wouldn’t have taken pay-cuts all those years to help the club be under the cap. If it’s about money, why would I do all those things?”

Benji’s last contract extension had a clause in it that if the salary cap was to go up after he signed, then the club would renegotiate his salary. This happened when the Tigers offered him $750,000 for the remaining 2 years on his current contract. Benji though believed he was entitled to a 4 year contract under a handshake agreement he had made with former CEO Stephen Humphries. If money wasn’t an issue, why did he turn down the increased contract?

“If it’s about loyalty, why wouldn’t I have left five years ago, when I had offers from other clubs?” 

Much like this year’s contractual discussions, in 2008 Benji’s contract talks were being mostly aired in the media. During the 2008 World Cup he confided in some of his team mates that he was keen on the leaving Rugby League to pursue a career in Rugby Union. Former NRL boss David Gallop convinced Benji to stay in League after the entire offseason was dogged by ‘Benji to Union’ rumours. If he is loyal, why would he abandon not only his club, mates and fans but the game as well, for another code? The fact he had openly and seriously discussed this option raises doubts about his loyalty.

These seem very hypocritical and contradictory things to say, no doubt, but the thing is, I believe him when he said:

“I’m not a money-hungry, disloyal person with no integrity. If anything, I feel I’m the opposite.”

For some reason, Benji’s manager, Martin Tauber, felt it was the NRL’s fault for not doing enough to keep Benji in the game. Given that the sole purpose of existence for a player manager, in my view, is to parasitically leech money off players who work hard, like Benji, to do tasks they otherwise could do themselves, it seems apparent that a lot of what was said by Benji was actually Tauber's words. Player Managers do whatever they can to drive up the price of their player with no care in the world for the club or the game, only in their commission.

Tauber’s slight at the NRL was that of a man whose negotiation techniques are woeful and saw him get outplayed at his own game. For those who don’t know, Tauber was the man who had Tim Moltzen sign a contract with the Dragons while he was still contracted to the Tigers. That entire debacle was also played out in the middle and looked entirely like Tauber doing his level best to start a bidding war on Moltzen. He failed on that occasion as well.

I think Benji is quite simply bored and has lost the ability to motivate himself to keep playing. And for good reason, he’s achieved everything the game can to a Kiwi player, an NRL Premiership, representing your country, winning a World Cup, captaining your country, winning a Four Nations and earning the Golden Boot award for being the best player in the world. 

Sadly, Benji will be remembered by some for these recent antics in the media.

But I don’t hate him.

How could I?

He’s Benji Marshall.

Fixing the NRL Salary Cap (2013)

The absurdity of the second tier salary cap has reared its head quite emphatically in the past week due to the circumstances that have prevented talented Penrith rookie Fullback Matt Moylan not being allowed to play because his match payments would exceed the club’s second tier salary cap and thus, put the Panthers over the cap.

With the number of players seeking massively increased salaries with the cap increase, it means there is a very real potential that a team could be hit as hard by injuries as Penrith have been this year and they will have to choose between fielding less than 17 players on game day, playing an injured player, or exceeding the salary cap.

This situation should never take place.

Basically speaking, the NRL salary cap covers the top 25 players at each club. The NYC squads have their own cap as well. The second tier cap is used to cover those who play in the NRL, on match payments only, and who aren’t members of the NRL and NYC squads.

This leads to a number of issues, some of which have been fleetingly discussed over the years but with no action.

*It forces NRL clubs to use NYC players to cover injuries in the NRL, instead of older players in feeder clubs or other competitions. This has often been criticised as it can lead to greater injuries, especially long term, to the younger players. A lot of these players aren’t up to NRL standard at the time either, which is why the NYC is in place.

This is a major reason why a genuine Reserve Grade competition must be reinstated, as a stepping stone between NYC and NRL. Instead of a second tier salary cap, have a reserve grade cap. Three grades worth of players should be able to cover injuries without any concerns.

*Since 2007, there have been just 5 instances out of 96, where a team has used 25 players or less in a year (2013 not included). These were Souths (2012) 25 players, Manly (2012) 24 players, Manly (2011) 25 players, Manly (2010) 24 players and New Zealand Warriors (2007) 23 players.

This is a breakdown of the number of players a squad used in a season for the years 2007-2012 (inclusive):

23 players – 1

24 players – 2

25 players – 2

26 players – 8

27 players – 13

28 players – 18

29 players – 16

30 players – 10

31 players – 10

32 players – 5

33 players – 6

34 players – 1

36 players – 2

37 players – 1

38 players – 1

With this data it is clear to see that having an NRL squad of 25 is too small as it is very rare that a club uses 25 players or less.

If the NRL squad size was increased from 25 players to 30 and the salary cap increased by $880,000 it would almost abolish the sort of crazy circumstances that prevent young talented players like Matt Moylan from being forced to miss playing in the NRL due to some accounting by-law.

Reinstating a genuine reserve grade competition, of which every club must have a side (as they do in the NYC) would completely prevent this sort of absurdity from happening ever again.

It would also mean more advertising space for sponsors, more games to televise, more games on game day, better value for money for fans, fans at games for longer, less long term and severe injuries to the young talent coming through the NYC system and a stronger NRL competition.

Everyone wins.

An Interview With Rebecca Wilson (2013)

Rebecca Wilson is known by rugby league fans as a nefarious opinion writer, whose works fall on the creative side of the writing art form.

In an effort to allow her to reveal her true feelings towards the game and to explain herself, she didn’t agree to this interview.

This is an interview with Rebecca Wilson, but it is a case of art imitating life. I have carried out this interview using the very techniques that have been tried and tested by Rebecca herself.

Hello Rebecca, bad to meet you.
RW: I’m happy to be here.
First of all I have to ask, Rebecca, do you hate Rugby League?
RW: No. I’m a fan of the game. I just do not like the players or the fans.
Thank you for being so honest. May I ask a personal question?
RW: Sure.
Have you ever done something wrong like breaking the law, maybe something immoral or other similar things that you knew was wrong, while you have been in your current profession?
RW: I’m sure we all have done things that we know were wrong.
Did you get harangued in the media and by the population for all of these wrongs?
RW: Why should I?
Because you hold an important position in the media where you can persuade people to alter their opinions on a subject, as you have access to sources.
RW: What is a sources?
Inside information. People with intimate knowledge of an incident that may not be in the public domain.
RW: Is that what they are?
Well yes. What did you think they were?
RW: Stuff I made up for my column.
You mean ideas.
RW: No, I mean sources.
So, why are you so compelled to lay the boot into rugby league ad-nauseum, despite your own admittedly similar wrong-doings?
RW: Because it is a cash cow.
Is that cow related to you?
RW: Who?
Rhetorical question, sorry. Moving on, what would rugby league need to do to see you write positive articles about it all the time, highlighting the dearth of good work that goes on by players and clubs, unnoticed?
RW: Integrity and accountability would be a good start.
Would you be inclined to meet them halfway in that quest?
RW: Are there suggestions that I have no integrity or accountability?
Calling them suggestions would be naïve if I were to be completely honest with you.
RW: I believe I have no semblance of integrity or accountability. Never have. Never will.
Okay. Let’s change the tone a bit. Do you know much about rugby league, the game, not the rumours and gossip?
RW: I’m of the belief I do.
Which team do you support?
RW: The Cronulla ASADA Essendon’s.
That’s not a team.
RW: Yes it is. I almost comically, became one of their cheerleaders.
Really? Who got the cheerleader roles instead of you then?
RW: Kate Lundy and Jason Clare.
Figures. Rebecca, what do you consider to be the one great gift you have that separates you from the vast amount of writing talent in this country who are unable to get a cushy gig like you have?
RW: I must say, with great glee, I can start a witch-hunt better than anybody.
And that’s something you’re proud of?
RW: As far as a good witch-hunt is concerned, I am the messiah.
Do you consider yourself to be unique in your field?
RW: Because I’m a woman?
No, because you write gossip and hearsay and pass it off as fact. You have quite a bad reputation for publishing stories that haven’t been verified.
RW: I have colleagues who produce the very same dreadfully, almost comically bad, stuff that I do, like Phil Rothfield.
I can’t argue with you there. It’s just remarkable that they all manage to work for the same paper don’t you think?
RW: There are rogues in the ranks of the media, I admit.
Rogues is being generous isn’t it Rebecca?
RW: Yes it is.
Okay, penultimate question, using 5 words, how would you describe the ethics of the newspaper you work for?
RW: Circling wolves, judge and jury.
And finally, using 5 words, how would you describe yourself?
RW: highly paid, bad, without substance.
Rebecca Wilson, thanks for wasting my time.
RW: I have to bolt to the can, apparently it is full of sources for my next story.
Okay, bye bye.


All words attributed to Rebecca Wilson are taken from her following articles:

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1226650177032

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1226619397056

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1226640003412

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1226635006210

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1226598496568