After an exhilarating Week 1 of NRL Finals, Ian Hauser explains why he thinks Canberra has what it takes to fight back in Week 2 while the Panthers will stay alive to fight another day.
NRL Finals, Week 1 – Can Canberra or the Roosters defy history?
September 11, 2025 by 1 Comment
Can Canberra defy history or will their huge loss in Round 27 simply become a footnote in the annals of NRL finals?
Almanac Rugby League – The 26th Annual Tom Brock Lecture: Stories of PNG Rugby League
September 4, 2025 by 1 Comment
Patrick Skene had his first rugby league story published on The Footy Almanac in 2014. This week he presented the 26th Annual Tom Brock Lecture in Sydney, speaking about the history of rugby league in Papua New Guinea and their entry into the NRL in 2028.
NRL Round 27 – Permutations and Combinations (aka Snakes and Ladders)
September 4, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Ian Hauser revisits a childhood favourite, Snakes and Ladders, as he sorts out what might happen in the NRL’s Round 27.
NRL Round 26 and NRLW Round 9: Is resting players before finals ethical?
August 28, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Is it ethical to rest players leading into the finals? Penrith has taken it to the extreme in this weekend’s NRL Round 26.
NRL Round 25 and NRLW Round 8 – Obstructions and audacity
August 21, 2025 by 1 Comment
Ian Hauser is ‘just wild about Harry’ after the Melbourne captain’s stunning try to post a win over the Panthers. Meanwhile, the obstruction rule continues to cause confusion – and a bit of hypocrisy!
NRL Round 24 (Indigenous Round) and NRLW Round 7 – Hamming it up or just strung out?
August 14, 2025 by 1 Comment
Ian Hauser got lucky with ‘the toss of the coin’ last week. Looking at this weekend’s NRL Round 24, he reverted to the same methodology to try to find this weekend’s winners in a few games.
NRL Round 23 and NRLW Round 6 – A lecture, a loss and a disgrace: another week in rugby league
August 7, 2025 by 2 Comments
It’s been a mixed bag for rugby league this week – the loss of one of the greats brought about a huge outpouring of appreciation while an errant trainer on the field demeaned the notion of fair play. There’s also a great opportunity coming up with this year’s Tom Brock Lecture. It’s all happening!
NRL Round 22 and NRLW Round 5 – If it’s August, then finals can’t be far away
July 31, 2025 by 1 Comment
We’re into August, so the battle for places in the NRL and NRLW finals next month is starting to heat up. Ian Hauser offers his thoughts on this weekend’s clashes in both competitions.
Almanac Rugby League – NRL Round 21 and NRLW Round 4: Nothing much seems to have changed
July 24, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Rugby league editor Ian Hauser returns from his travels in Europe and tries to work out what’s going on in the NRL these days. Round 20 results suggest that there are still no certainties in this year’s competition.
Almanac Travel: Not so much ‘la dolce vita’ as ‘la vita educativa’ (Part 5)
July 23, 2025 by Leave a Comment
In the final part of his travels in Europe tales, Ian Hauser offers what he thinks makes for good accommodation as well as where he found good food and good coffee. He finishes with a collection of observations derived from his recent experiences.
Almanac Travel: Not so much ‘la dolce vita’ as ‘la vita educativa’ (Part 4]
July 17, 2025 by 2 Comments
Ian Hauser continues his series about recent travel experiences in Europe. This time the focus is cruising.
Almanac Travel: Not so much ‘la dolce vita’ as ‘la vita educativa’ (Part 3)
July 3, 2025 by 3 Comments
IJH offers a few new insights into European travel in Part 3 of his series.
Almanac Travel: On the road in Europe – not so much ‘la dolce vita’ but ‘la vita educativa’ (Part 2)
June 19, 2025 by 8 Comments
Ian Hauser continues his series on travel in Europe, this time with an eclectic collection under the heading of ‘cultural experiences’.
Almanac Travel: On the road in Europe – not so much ‘la dolce vita’ but ‘la vita educativa’ (Part 1)
June 12, 2025 by 3 Comments
Rambling around Europe, IJH and his wife have been visiting, among other things, a multitude of churches, as is their wont. Ian offers his thoughts on several that left an impression.
NRL Round 9 – Women’s State of Origin and NRL Magic Round
May 1, 2025 by 4 Comments
There’s a huge weekend of footy in Brisbane ahead with Game 1 of the women’s State of Origin series tonight, to be followed by Magic Round over the rest of the weekend.
NRL Round 8 – Better, but the upsets continue
April 24, 2025 by 1 Comment
Tipping 6/8 in the NRL wasn’t a bad effort last week – especially using the ‘toss the coin’ method. Let’s see if it can work again this week.
NRL Round 7: It’s coin tossing time in Round 7
April 17, 2025 by 4 Comments
When you’re on a bad tipping streak, perhaps it’s time to get out a coin to toss. That’s the advice from Ian Hauser this week.
NRL Round 6: Is Trump to blame for chaotic results in the NRL?
April 10, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Surely someone is to blame for the ongoing chaos in NRL results. Could it be Donald Trump, after all he seems to be an expert at the genre.
2025 NRL, Round 5: The upsets continue, tipping is a nightmare!
April 3, 2025 by Leave a Comment
After tipping two from eight last weekend, Ian Hauser thinks the only way is up. Famous last words?
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