State Of The Origins has come and gone people.
Paul Callen, captain of the New Zealand Blues and his hip pocket team mate from the Cumunulla Sharks, Dave Carney, were unable to overcome the power of the mighty team from somewhere else that they were playing against.
There were some big talking points obviously, which I'll dissect for you now.
The Inglis try - Somehow referees can now read thought processes by players and they somehow read Farah's mind saying "I will try and kick the ball loose" and then after that incident, they read Inglis' mind saying "I do not want to touch the ball yet" when it hit his forearm, going forward before he scored the try.
Now thats technology.
The Cronky Bird tackle - Cronk landed on his back. If thats a spear tackle, then the game may as well stop being played now, because as soon as you land on your back. Penalty. This isn't even using the old "show more lenience in origin" belief either. That was a good strong legal tackle.
The Flying MJ incident - Jennings, mate, you're an idiot. You should have walked up slowly at first, pushed a few people and then started swinging when you got closer. I believe Jennings deserved his ten in the bin, but at the same time, Scott's action is what started the whole incident, so Queensland should have been penalised. The refs ended up telling all the kids "Starting fights is cool, but running in to finish them is bad."
The Hodges Mule Kick - I've not heard much about this but there was an incident where Robbie Farah had tackled Justin Hodges, once complete, Farah was sitting on the ground behind Hodges, who was about to play the ball. Hodges kicked back and hit Farah in the face with his boot, unprovoked, unneccessary and unnoticed by the refs.
Now, how did they determine that Hodges blatantly clear kick to Farah's mush was 'unintentional' but Farah's boot brushing the ball as Inglis went to score a try was considered 'intentional'. These two incidents clearly were the wrong way around.
New South Wales clearly copped the wrong end of some refereeing blunders. Whether it would have helped the Blues get a win, who knows, but thats what you want in Origin, uncertainty over who will win. You want players to determine the games result, not the most basic of refereeing errors made by two kids with whistles.
So Captain Callen, David and his boys have all retreated back to New Zealand.
But they'll be back!
Thursday, 14 June 2012
Mad Monday - Gallen the modern Beetson (2012)
Paul Gallen has become somewhat of a cult hero ever since his performances in Origin last year. But after having studied archival footage, read books, news articles and comments about Arthur Beetson, I have come to the conclusion, that Gallen is a modern day Beetson.
Big call I know and one to incite a lot of anger amongst fans. And I would also like to point out that I'm saying this in full respect to both players.
Both men, personality wise have been known as being outspoken, controversial in their earlier days, and getting better with age, going against the trend of most forwards.
Then there are the little things on the field. This year has seen Gallen master the use of the hit and spin, a practice perfected by Beetson so much so that he became even harder than usual to stop.
The ability to turn 180 degrees in a tackle or hit up to allow easy passage for an offload, the positional skills of a centre when attacking the opponents try line, the ball skills of a five-eighth, the unselfishness of the play, the determination, the workload, the ticker, the toughness, the willingness to do the dirty work, the hard yards when no else would.
Most importantly, they inspire those around them not so much with words, but by their actions. They were feared, not just for their strength, but their relentlessness and their skill.
It's never easy to compare two players from vastly different era's, but by studying the small things that are relevant to both of their games; you can see just how similar they have become.
Beetson will always be regarded more highly and rightfully so. He was the man to reignite, transform and take the ball-playing forward role to a new height that changed the way future forwards played the game, although none ever managed to match him.
Until Gallen.
Last series saw the legend of Gallen in origin being born. This year he will show everyone that last year was no fluke and if anything, he is better this year.
And although Artie will be cheering on the Queenslander's as he always has, a part of him would be happy to see Gallen carrying on his form, because it's essentially a reminder of the way Beetson played.
It also shows that what Beetson did as a player wasn't just ahead of its time, it was revolutionary and it has taken until now to finally see a player performing at a similar level to that of Beetson.
That’s how good Gallen is.
That’s how good Beetson was.
Big call I know and one to incite a lot of anger amongst fans. And I would also like to point out that I'm saying this in full respect to both players.
Both men, personality wise have been known as being outspoken, controversial in their earlier days, and getting better with age, going against the trend of most forwards.
Then there are the little things on the field. This year has seen Gallen master the use of the hit and spin, a practice perfected by Beetson so much so that he became even harder than usual to stop.
The ability to turn 180 degrees in a tackle or hit up to allow easy passage for an offload, the positional skills of a centre when attacking the opponents try line, the ball skills of a five-eighth, the unselfishness of the play, the determination, the workload, the ticker, the toughness, the willingness to do the dirty work, the hard yards when no else would.
Most importantly, they inspire those around them not so much with words, but by their actions. They were feared, not just for their strength, but their relentlessness and their skill.
It's never easy to compare two players from vastly different era's, but by studying the small things that are relevant to both of their games; you can see just how similar they have become.
Beetson will always be regarded more highly and rightfully so. He was the man to reignite, transform and take the ball-playing forward role to a new height that changed the way future forwards played the game, although none ever managed to match him.
Until Gallen.
Last series saw the legend of Gallen in origin being born. This year he will show everyone that last year was no fluke and if anything, he is better this year.
And although Artie will be cheering on the Queenslander's as he always has, a part of him would be happy to see Gallen carrying on his form, because it's essentially a reminder of the way Beetson played.
It also shows that what Beetson did as a player wasn't just ahead of its time, it was revolutionary and it has taken until now to finally see a player performing at a similar level to that of Beetson.
That’s how good Gallen is.
That’s how good Beetson was.
Mad Monday - Picking Favourites (2012)
Every year in the lead up to the first State of Origin game, fans, commentators, coaches, player past and present, dogs, cats and who knows what else all throw in their two bobs worth of opinion of who should be selected for the two sides.
The last decade has seen this become more heavily focused on the New South Wales squad, and for good reason, they've been outclassed for nigh on a decade by the Queenslanders.
The most contentious argument of player selection surrounds form vs incumbency. Should out of form players who played Origin the previous year be the obvious first up choice for the current year? It’s a romantic concept to show loyalty to a player, but professional Rugby League is no place for Mills and Boon. Loyalty doesn't win you games.
Last night Ricky Stuart named his New South Wales Origin side for Game 1 of the series. In his squad were 7 players from teams not in the top 8. The two highest ranked Sydney clubs on the premiership table (Cronulla and Manly) provide 6 players, while the clearly 4 worst teams in the competition (Parramatta, Gold Coast, Penrith and Tigers) contribute 5 players.
It is about time that this romanticism is ended and players are picked on form. New South Wales is trying to create some sort of loyalty based culture at origin level because they've seen it apparently work so well for Queensland.
Here's the thing though, Queensland have very rarely picked an out of form player, the fact that their squads remain largely unchanged over the years is evidence that the players they pick are elite, their form and ability sees the side pick itself.
Blues team management stupidly thinks its loyalty Queensland is showing to its players. Idiots.
A one man team won't make its way to the top of the ladder; it’s a team of good players in form that see themselves at the top of the table.
So I hereby present my two bobs worth. A NSW team with players from teams in the top 8 only.
1 - B.Stewart
2 - B.Morris
3 - J.Morris
4 - M.King
5 - N.Merritt
6 - T.Carney
7 - J.Robson
8 - B.Gibbs
9 - I.DeGois
10 - A.Watmough
11 - T.Williams
12 - G.Stewart
13 - P.Gallen (c)
14 - B.Creagh
15 - M.Weyman
16 - T.Sims
17 - J.Reynolds
Players in successful teams are much more likely to be in a winning frame of mind, confident and in good form then players in teams performing badly.
This year the vast majority of Queensland’s origin players will come from 3 of the 4 teams in the top 4.
They will all be confident, in top form and ready to win.
Instead Stuart has opted to go with 7 blokes playing in teams that are putting in inept performances pretty much every week and losing much more than winning (or winning unconvincingly).
Its high time players in good form and in good performing teams get selected instead of the same tired old names that get brought up every year who have clearly been playing like crap.
Criticise me now, but my words will seem almost prophetic after NSW lose Origin 1 and look set to make umpteen changes once again.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
The last decade has seen this become more heavily focused on the New South Wales squad, and for good reason, they've been outclassed for nigh on a decade by the Queenslanders.
The most contentious argument of player selection surrounds form vs incumbency. Should out of form players who played Origin the previous year be the obvious first up choice for the current year? It’s a romantic concept to show loyalty to a player, but professional Rugby League is no place for Mills and Boon. Loyalty doesn't win you games.
Last night Ricky Stuart named his New South Wales Origin side for Game 1 of the series. In his squad were 7 players from teams not in the top 8. The two highest ranked Sydney clubs on the premiership table (Cronulla and Manly) provide 6 players, while the clearly 4 worst teams in the competition (Parramatta, Gold Coast, Penrith and Tigers) contribute 5 players.
It is about time that this romanticism is ended and players are picked on form. New South Wales is trying to create some sort of loyalty based culture at origin level because they've seen it apparently work so well for Queensland.
Here's the thing though, Queensland have very rarely picked an out of form player, the fact that their squads remain largely unchanged over the years is evidence that the players they pick are elite, their form and ability sees the side pick itself.
Blues team management stupidly thinks its loyalty Queensland is showing to its players. Idiots.
A one man team won't make its way to the top of the ladder; it’s a team of good players in form that see themselves at the top of the table.
So I hereby present my two bobs worth. A NSW team with players from teams in the top 8 only.
1 - B.Stewart
2 - B.Morris
3 - J.Morris
4 - M.King
5 - N.Merritt
6 - T.Carney
7 - J.Robson
8 - B.Gibbs
9 - I.DeGois
10 - A.Watmough
11 - T.Williams
12 - G.Stewart
13 - P.Gallen (c)
14 - B.Creagh
15 - M.Weyman
16 - T.Sims
17 - J.Reynolds
Players in successful teams are much more likely to be in a winning frame of mind, confident and in good form then players in teams performing badly.
This year the vast majority of Queensland’s origin players will come from 3 of the 4 teams in the top 4.
They will all be confident, in top form and ready to win.
Instead Stuart has opted to go with 7 blokes playing in teams that are putting in inept performances pretty much every week and losing much more than winning (or winning unconvincingly).
Its high time players in good form and in good performing teams get selected instead of the same tired old names that get brought up every year who have clearly been playing like crap.
Criticise me now, but my words will seem almost prophetic after NSW lose Origin 1 and look set to make umpteen changes once again.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Mad Monday - Origin in USA? (2012)
Should we take Origin to the United States?
Short answer. No.
Does the NRL need to do something to promote and advertise the game in the US? YES!
Origin is a unique beast. Its two states in Australia bashing each other in what many pundits believe, sadly in my opinion, to be the pinnacle of Rugby League.
It'd be almost akin to taking the Superbowl and playing it at Eric Weissel Oval in Wagga Wagga.
It won't have the impact that the games administrators in the US believe it will. A revolution doesn't happen from watching one game, especially when the rival code is loved and highly respected by all and sundry in that same country.
What the US needs is a regular fixture, that does have importance in the Rugby League World, not just exhibition and trial games.
Constantly playing meaningless games there does nothing. It's an advertisement sure, but it just says "We don't honestly think you'll be interested in playing this game at a competitive level, but if you do, that'd be swell!"
There have been dribs and drabs of games played in the US by Australian, British, French and New Zealand sides for many decades now. The fact that the game hasn't taken off as a seriously major rival to Gridiron in that time shows that not enough people in America are taking the game seriously.
And that’s because no one else outside the US has either.
There was a proposal by the US to play a World Club Challenge competition consisting of 8 clubs on their soil. Getting warmer.
The only problem with this is that it will essentially be just a few exhibition and tour games for the NRL and Superleague champions.
Instead of a competition, just have the actual World Club Challenge game played there in its current format.
Do that on a yearly basis, along with all the other exhibition games. It's a step in the right direction.
Next step - hold the World Cup in the USA and Canada. Advertise the pants off it, get some home grown Hollywood types who are league fans like Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe to hype it up, promote it, advertise it, go nuts!
These people have cash and influence. Crowe especially is mad keen to give the game a massive breath of life in America. He can't and won't do it alone, because he'll eventually ask himself 'what's the point of all my hard work if no one is supporting me?'
Prior to a World Cup, get the National US team to take tours of Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands, France, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Lebanon, every bloody where!
The more exposure to the game they get, and the more exposure the game gets to them, the stronger the US will be. The better they perform, the better chance they have of their country taking a keen interest in them and consequently, playing the game.
Short answer. No.
Does the NRL need to do something to promote and advertise the game in the US? YES!
Origin is a unique beast. Its two states in Australia bashing each other in what many pundits believe, sadly in my opinion, to be the pinnacle of Rugby League.
It'd be almost akin to taking the Superbowl and playing it at Eric Weissel Oval in Wagga Wagga.
It won't have the impact that the games administrators in the US believe it will. A revolution doesn't happen from watching one game, especially when the rival code is loved and highly respected by all and sundry in that same country.
What the US needs is a regular fixture, that does have importance in the Rugby League World, not just exhibition and trial games.
Constantly playing meaningless games there does nothing. It's an advertisement sure, but it just says "We don't honestly think you'll be interested in playing this game at a competitive level, but if you do, that'd be swell!"
There have been dribs and drabs of games played in the US by Australian, British, French and New Zealand sides for many decades now. The fact that the game hasn't taken off as a seriously major rival to Gridiron in that time shows that not enough people in America are taking the game seriously.
And that’s because no one else outside the US has either.
There was a proposal by the US to play a World Club Challenge competition consisting of 8 clubs on their soil. Getting warmer.
The only problem with this is that it will essentially be just a few exhibition and tour games for the NRL and Superleague champions.
Instead of a competition, just have the actual World Club Challenge game played there in its current format.
Do that on a yearly basis, along with all the other exhibition games. It's a step in the right direction.
Next step - hold the World Cup in the USA and Canada. Advertise the pants off it, get some home grown Hollywood types who are league fans like Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe to hype it up, promote it, advertise it, go nuts!
These people have cash and influence. Crowe especially is mad keen to give the game a massive breath of life in America. He can't and won't do it alone, because he'll eventually ask himself 'what's the point of all my hard work if no one is supporting me?'
Prior to a World Cup, get the National US team to take tours of Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands, France, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Lebanon, every bloody where!
The more exposure to the game they get, and the more exposure the game gets to them, the stronger the US will be. The better they perform, the better chance they have of their country taking a keen interest in them and consequently, playing the game.
Mad Monday - Overpaid Lazy Players (2012)
With the onset of the NRL's pending TV Rights deal expected to hit somewhere around the $1 billion mark by seasons end, clubs and players have seen fit to start paying ludicrously high sums of money for some players.
But these high wages have come at cost, moreso than financially. Most of these players have turned out to be either struck down by injury, horribly out of form or just plain useless and lazy. It has also meant that other players previously at the club, either fringe first graders or promising juniors, have had to be released to accommodate one player.
While commentators will give their varying excuses for these marquee signings, as they are commonly referred to nowadays, to justify their abysmal performances, fact is that they are paid excessively and appear to be rocking up and doing as little as possible to prevent them from feeling guilty about ripping hundreds of thousands of dollars from their club every year.
Due to the high wages some of these players are paid, it's almost impossible for a coach to drop them, because it would be an admission that he made the wrong decision, a decision the club is stuck with.
On the weekend we actually saw Parramatta coach Stephen kearney send his highly paid halfback Chris Sandow to NSW Cup to help him regain some form. Sandow hasn't been playing too badly for Parramatta, although he has been below his best this year. He has been criticised by former Eel's half legend Peter Sterling for being overweight and unfit.
Another big signing that has underperformed since joining his new club is Adam Blair. Some people have said that he hasn't adjusted to the Tigers style of play.
I say rubbish.
Since when does 'not understanding a style of play' prevent you from making tackles properly, and doing hit-ups? Blair has been woefully out of form and looking completely uninterested in playing.
Then there are the unfortunate incidents regarding marquee players being constantly injured. These unfortunately can't be helped, but maybe its time that salary cap concessions are made to NRL Clubs whose marquee players miss lengthy periods of time due to injury. Now is the perfect time to figure out a concept along these lines before the big salaries start rolling in next season.
With player salaries expected to boom next year, clubs should possibly consider looking at incentive and/or performance based contracts with future high priced signings to ensure the game doesn't suffer as a consequence.
Otherwise, performances by these overpaid players could become regular and our game's standard could drop dramatically as a consequence.
Worse still, it could see loyalty killed off and the focus on grassroots and juniors footy be completely lost by clubs outbidding each other for one player in a vein hope they will bring them premiership glory.
What has happened to the people's game?
But these high wages have come at cost, moreso than financially. Most of these players have turned out to be either struck down by injury, horribly out of form or just plain useless and lazy. It has also meant that other players previously at the club, either fringe first graders or promising juniors, have had to be released to accommodate one player.
While commentators will give their varying excuses for these marquee signings, as they are commonly referred to nowadays, to justify their abysmal performances, fact is that they are paid excessively and appear to be rocking up and doing as little as possible to prevent them from feeling guilty about ripping hundreds of thousands of dollars from their club every year.
Due to the high wages some of these players are paid, it's almost impossible for a coach to drop them, because it would be an admission that he made the wrong decision, a decision the club is stuck with.
On the weekend we actually saw Parramatta coach Stephen kearney send his highly paid halfback Chris Sandow to NSW Cup to help him regain some form. Sandow hasn't been playing too badly for Parramatta, although he has been below his best this year. He has been criticised by former Eel's half legend Peter Sterling for being overweight and unfit.
Another big signing that has underperformed since joining his new club is Adam Blair. Some people have said that he hasn't adjusted to the Tigers style of play.
I say rubbish.
Since when does 'not understanding a style of play' prevent you from making tackles properly, and doing hit-ups? Blair has been woefully out of form and looking completely uninterested in playing.
Then there are the unfortunate incidents regarding marquee players being constantly injured. These unfortunately can't be helped, but maybe its time that salary cap concessions are made to NRL Clubs whose marquee players miss lengthy periods of time due to injury. Now is the perfect time to figure out a concept along these lines before the big salaries start rolling in next season.
With player salaries expected to boom next year, clubs should possibly consider looking at incentive and/or performance based contracts with future high priced signings to ensure the game doesn't suffer as a consequence.
Otherwise, performances by these overpaid players could become regular and our game's standard could drop dramatically as a consequence.
Worse still, it could see loyalty killed off and the focus on grassroots and juniors footy be completely lost by clubs outbidding each other for one player in a vein hope they will bring them premiership glory.
What has happened to the people's game?
Mad Monday - Channel 9 (2012)
All the good Channel Nine had done recently for Rugby League across the nation has been swiftly killed off by their own stupidity.
Back to square one.
Several weeks ago, after years or complaints from viewers across the nation, mostly by League fans outside of New South Wales and Queensland, for not showing NRL and Representative Rugby League at a reasonable hour, Channel Nine just a few weeks ago finally agreed to show all their League content on the Digital Channel GEM at the same time Nationwide as it is shown on Nine's primary channel in NSW and QLD.
A magnificent coup, long and well overdue. Fans rejoiced and rightfully so. Channel Nine for years had constantly told us all how important the rights to Rugby League was, only for of the country to see the game being snubbed for Rugby Union, Cricket, Hey Hey It's Saturday (on Wednesday) and countless number of crap movies no one ever watched because, as Nine's complaints department told me several times, they couldn't compete outside NSW and QLD with AFL.
So instead of showing the NRL live, they showed rubbish movies and crap American sitcoms with as much humour as 3 week old ham.
They also informed me on a number of occasions that League wouldn't be shown earlier in Victoria because it didn't rate well, which is hard to argue with considering all League content was screened at 11:57pm at the earliest, as there is a clause saying all League related programs must commence airing prior to midnight on the day of broadcast.
So after years of anguish, angst, animosity and being absolutely ignored, Channel Nine finally does the noble thing and gives League fans nationwide live coverage of their beloved game.
Until last weekend.
Back to square one.
The NRL scheduled all clubs to have a week off, and just three games were scheduled for the week. The Australia vs New Zealand Test Match on Friday night. The NYC Under 20's Origin game between NSW and QLD on Saturday night, and the City vs Country game on Sunday night.
Fox Sports showed the Saturday game live. Channel Nine in their wisdom, couldn't even televise the test match live nationwide.
Both the Friday and Sunday games were delayed telecasts.
When no other games were on, with no reason why they couldn't show the games live, they decided to shaft the game and its fans once again.
Back to square one.
We can no longer entrust this network to support Rugby League. They constantly whore the game to advertise its B-Grade programs but do nothing for the game in return.
The NRL needs to be tough on the next TV Rights deal, here are some suggestions:
* 1 live game every Friday night. The second game must be shown directly after the live game. Nationwide.
* 1 live game every Sunday.
* All Origin games will be shown live.
* All Test matches involving Australia, or played in Australia, are to be played live.
* City vs Country will be shown live.
* All Finals matches will be shown live.
* On Grand Final day, NSW Cup, NYC and NRL Grand Finals will be played live.
Every game will also include pre and post match broadcasts.
For every minute the games are delayed, Channel 9 will pay the NRL a fine of $1 million. That's motivation to show the games on time.
Let’s be honest, the game gives Nine its highest ratings every year and even provides the highest ratings of nearly all programs for the year, every year.
The Origin coverage and even the pathetic Footy Show have won several Logies over the years.
The game is doing more for Channel 9 than 9 is doing for the game.
That needs to change now, because we fans sure as hell don't want to be going....
...back to square one.
Back to square one.
Several weeks ago, after years or complaints from viewers across the nation, mostly by League fans outside of New South Wales and Queensland, for not showing NRL and Representative Rugby League at a reasonable hour, Channel Nine just a few weeks ago finally agreed to show all their League content on the Digital Channel GEM at the same time Nationwide as it is shown on Nine's primary channel in NSW and QLD.
A magnificent coup, long and well overdue. Fans rejoiced and rightfully so. Channel Nine for years had constantly told us all how important the rights to Rugby League was, only for of the country to see the game being snubbed for Rugby Union, Cricket, Hey Hey It's Saturday (on Wednesday) and countless number of crap movies no one ever watched because, as Nine's complaints department told me several times, they couldn't compete outside NSW and QLD with AFL.
So instead of showing the NRL live, they showed rubbish movies and crap American sitcoms with as much humour as 3 week old ham.
They also informed me on a number of occasions that League wouldn't be shown earlier in Victoria because it didn't rate well, which is hard to argue with considering all League content was screened at 11:57pm at the earliest, as there is a clause saying all League related programs must commence airing prior to midnight on the day of broadcast.
So after years of anguish, angst, animosity and being absolutely ignored, Channel Nine finally does the noble thing and gives League fans nationwide live coverage of their beloved game.
Until last weekend.
Back to square one.
The NRL scheduled all clubs to have a week off, and just three games were scheduled for the week. The Australia vs New Zealand Test Match on Friday night. The NYC Under 20's Origin game between NSW and QLD on Saturday night, and the City vs Country game on Sunday night.
Fox Sports showed the Saturday game live. Channel Nine in their wisdom, couldn't even televise the test match live nationwide.
Both the Friday and Sunday games were delayed telecasts.
When no other games were on, with no reason why they couldn't show the games live, they decided to shaft the game and its fans once again.
Back to square one.
We can no longer entrust this network to support Rugby League. They constantly whore the game to advertise its B-Grade programs but do nothing for the game in return.
The NRL needs to be tough on the next TV Rights deal, here are some suggestions:
* 1 live game every Friday night. The second game must be shown directly after the live game. Nationwide.
* 1 live game every Sunday.
* All Origin games will be shown live.
* All Test matches involving Australia, or played in Australia, are to be played live.
* City vs Country will be shown live.
* All Finals matches will be shown live.
* On Grand Final day, NSW Cup, NYC and NRL Grand Finals will be played live.
Every game will also include pre and post match broadcasts.
For every minute the games are delayed, Channel 9 will pay the NRL a fine of $1 million. That's motivation to show the games on time.
Let’s be honest, the game gives Nine its highest ratings every year and even provides the highest ratings of nearly all programs for the year, every year.
The Origin coverage and even the pathetic Footy Show have won several Logies over the years.
The game is doing more for Channel 9 than 9 is doing for the game.
That needs to change now, because we fans sure as hell don't want to be going....
...back to square one.
Mad Monday - Fixing International Fixtures in Australia (2012)
There's something wrong in the game today if International fixtures are not greeted with more fervour and fanfare than interstate clashes.
Since 2002, Australia has played 50 tests - 27 of them against New Zealand.
Go to any other decade in time prior to the Superleague war and you'll find Australia playing regularly against other nations. It is this very issue that has seen the Australian International Calendar becoming mundane and secondary to State of Origin.
If we are going to have a representative weekend, why have it between players who we see every weekend? Why not get people excited and give them something new and interesting other than the same tired schedule which is slowly starting to bore people.
People really embrace and love the All-Stars concept at the start of the year. Its great, it's a fresh idea and it works.
So here's my suggestions (all games are to be televised Live.):
Friday - Double Header in Country NSW
NSW - City vs Country - With NRL players in both sides.
NSW - City Firsts vs Country Firsts - City eligible players from NSW Cup vs Players from Country RL.
Saturday - Double Header in Country QLD
QLD - City vs Country - with NRL players in both sides.
QLD - City Firsts vs Country Firsts - City eligible players from QLD Cup vs Players from Country RL.
Sunday - Double Header
Oceania vs Europe - It would be a great quality game for all spectators and we would get to see players from other countries as well.
USA vs Lebanon (or any such equivalent) - Have this as an official match.
Here is now an opportunity for the NRL to showcase the game to the world, and to bring the world into the NRL. This would be a massive advertisement for the game everywhere.
It would also make for a much more exciting weekend of rep football than just watching NRL players playing against each other in different coloured jumpers one weekend.
Since 2002, Australia has played 50 tests - 27 of them against New Zealand.
Go to any other decade in time prior to the Superleague war and you'll find Australia playing regularly against other nations. It is this very issue that has seen the Australian International Calendar becoming mundane and secondary to State of Origin.
If we are going to have a representative weekend, why have it between players who we see every weekend? Why not get people excited and give them something new and interesting other than the same tired schedule which is slowly starting to bore people.
People really embrace and love the All-Stars concept at the start of the year. Its great, it's a fresh idea and it works.
So here's my suggestions (all games are to be televised Live.):
Friday - Double Header in Country NSW
NSW - City vs Country - With NRL players in both sides.
NSW - City Firsts vs Country Firsts - City eligible players from NSW Cup vs Players from Country RL.
Saturday - Double Header in Country QLD
QLD - City vs Country - with NRL players in both sides.
QLD - City Firsts vs Country Firsts - City eligible players from QLD Cup vs Players from Country RL.
Sunday - Double Header
Oceania vs Europe - It would be a great quality game for all spectators and we would get to see players from other countries as well.
USA vs Lebanon (or any such equivalent) - Have this as an official match.
Here is now an opportunity for the NRL to showcase the game to the world, and to bring the world into the NRL. This would be a massive advertisement for the game everywhere.
It would also make for a much more exciting weekend of rep football than just watching NRL players playing against each other in different coloured jumpers one weekend.
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