What an NRL Round in prospect with several clubs playing mini-Grand Finals to stay alive in the competition. Then, on Sunday, two clashes of the heavyweights which may well be genuine Grand Final previews. Ian Hauser explains. (And don’t forget, live NRL footy on free to air TV four times a week from now to the finals!)
Almanac Rugby League – NRL Round 20: Getting Edgy
August 1, 2019 by 1 Comment
With a number of do-or-die matches on offer in the NRL this weekend, Ian Hauser explains why fans of several clubs will be on edge about their prospects..
Almanac Rugby League – NRL Round 19: ‘How can I be sure?’
July 24, 2019 by Leave a Comment
Just when he thought that the NRL’s finalists for 2019 had been sorted out, Ian Hauser found that it wasn’t quite so cut and dried after all. He’s been thinking that a song from 1967 when he was a Year 10 schoolboy sums it all up – ‘How can I be sure?’
Almanac Rugby League – NRL Round 18: First on-field female referee after 111 years!
July 18, 2019 by Leave a Comment
History will be made in the NRL tonight – for the first time in it’s 111 year history, there will be a female on-field referee! Congratulations, Belinda Sharpe! Ian Hauser also casts his eye over Round 18 and nominates his winners.
Almanac Rugby League – NRL Round 17: Action aplenty!
July 15, 2019 by Leave a Comment
The odd upset, a draw, a send-off, personal milestones, and a coach sacked – there was action aplenty in the NRL’s Round 17. Here’s Ian Hauser’s take on what it all means.
Almanac Rugby League – NRL Round 17 Preview
July 11, 2019 by Leave a Comment
After a better tipping effort in last weekend’s NRL Round, Ian Hauser previews Round 17 and chooses his winners for Round 17.
Almanac Rugby League – State of Origin III: Back-to-back Blues
July 11, 2019 by 1 Comment
Now that is what you call a game at State of Origin level! The NSW Blues and the Queensland Maroons put on a game worthy of ‘decider’ status with the result in doubt until the very last play of the match. We’ve got it covered.
Almanac Rugby League – State of Origin III and the NRL Round 16
July 9, 2019 by 2 Comments
Come tomorrow night, it’s ‘Decider Time’ in this year’s State of Origin series. Ian Hauser previews the big game and reflects on the weekend’s NRL clashes.
Almanac Rugby League – NRL Round 16 Preview
July 4, 2019 by Leave a Comment
With his tipping credentials in tatters after last weekend, our resident rugby league man tries yet again. How can anyone in their right mind tip NZ Warriors playing away?
Almanac Rugby League – State of Origin III: Team News
July 2, 2019 by Leave a Comment
State rugby league coaches Freddy Fittler (NSW) and Kevin Walters (Queensland) have announced their squads for Origin III in Sydney next Wednesday night. They’re both playing guessing games to some extent.
Almanac Rugby League – NRL Round 15: There is movement on the ladder
July 1, 2019 by Leave a Comment
Aficionado maybe, tipster not! Ian Hauser runs his eye over the weekend’s NRL results to try to glean what it all means and finds some support for his ‘moving month’ theory.
Almanac Rugby League – NRL Round 15: Is it moving time on the ladder?
June 27, 2019 by Leave a Comment
Our rugby league man, Ian Hauser, thinks we’ve reached ‘moving month’ in the NRL with lots at stake this weekend for teams at all levels on the ladder. He tells us why.
Almanac Rugby League – State of Origin 2: A downpour of rain and tries
June 26, 2019 by Leave a Comment
With a format that, in theory, could prove repetitive, State of Origin continues to deliver the drama and quality to capture the imagination of much of the nation. Sean Mortell reports on the dominant Blues effort in Perth.
Almanac Rugby League – The Big Weekend’s Wash-up
June 24, 2019 by Leave a Comment
Rugby League aficionado Ian Hauser runs his eye over a big weekend in rugby league. There was a lot to like, but is it possible to have too much top level footy packed into three days?
Almanac Rugby League – State of Origin x 2 plus International footy
June 20, 2019 by 6 Comments
With a HUGE weekend of rugby league in store, Ian Hauser casts his eye over all five matches to try to pick a few winners. Not surprisingly, geography plays a significant part in some of his choices.
Almanac Rugby League – State of Origin I: New personnel, same result.
June 7, 2019 by Leave a Comment
Sean Mortell is a Melbourne lad but has always kept an eye on rugby league so that he always recognised the big names of Queensland’s decade of dominance. But what now with so many unfamiliar faces in the maroon? Read his description of a Game 1 of the 2019 State of Origin series which showed that Kevvy Walters has put together another fine team.
Almanac Rugby League – NRL Round 6: winnowing time?
April 18, 2019 by Leave a Comment
Round 6 of the NRL looks likely to separate the wheat from the chaff, an autumnal winnowing to reveal the substance of the real contenders and blow away the pretence of the hollow wannabes.
Almanac Rugby League – Farewell Greg Inglis
April 18, 2019 by 1 Comment
‘The word “great” tends to be overused in rugby league, but I believe the word is strongly applicable to Greg Inglis.’ So says rugby league author and historian Liam Hauser as he looks back on the career of club, Origin and Test star Gregory Paul Inglis.
A Weekend in Sport
There was a lot to appreciate about the weekend’s multiple sports offerings. Ian Hauser provides his take on some of the amazing contests and looks for lessons from it all.