by Paul Connolly “Hope is necessary in every condition,” Samuel ‘Magic’ Johnson once wrote. “The miseries of poverty, sickness, of captivity, of being a Sharks fan, would, without this comfort, be insupportable.” Keen scholars will realise that I added the bit about being a Sharks fan. (After all, there’s about a [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – 2012 Indigenous All Stars Team Named
December 16, 2011 by Leave a Comment
From Peter Hulthen The 2012 Indigenous All Stars team is: 1. Ben Barba (Bulldogs; Goreng Goreng) 2. Jharal Yow Yeh (Broncos; Margany) 3. Greg Inglis (Rabbitohs; Dunghutti) 4. Justin Hodges (Broncos; Indigenous tribes of the Cairns region) 5. Nathan Merritt (Rabbitohs; Wiradjuri) 6. Johnathan Thurston (c) (Cowboys; Gungarri) 7. Chris Sandow (Eels; Bigambul/ Gubbi Gubbi) [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – Artie
December 1, 2011 by 5 Comments
It’s a sad, sad day for lovers of rugby league the world over with the death of Artie Beetson at the all too young age of 66. The achievements, awards, acclamations, will be fully documented in the coming days. Among all the things that will be said and read, perhaps a telling indicator of [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – Four Nations Final
November 21, 2011 by 3 Comments
When the final whistle blew for Australia to defeat England 30 – 8 in the Four Nations final this morning, two thoughts occurred to me. Firstly, Will Evans is a prophet – a week ago he said that the Poms would stay with the Australians for an hour before the Australians got away. Score one [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – Farewell Fit for a Legend
November 21, 2011 by 4 Comments
Darren Lockyer’s farewell cavalcade finally came to a triumphant end at the fitting venue of Elland Road. The hallowed Leeds ground was the scene of arguably Lockyer’s greatest performance – Australia’s 44-4 thrashing of Great Britain in the 2004 Tri-Nations final. Lockyer laid on five tries, scored one himself and kicked six goals as Australia [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – Unpretty Kiwis out of Four Nations
November 14, 2011 by 2 Comments
Getting rid of Foxtel for the summer during the week has already back-fired – no Channel 9 coverage of the England vs. New Zealand clash at Hull means I am forced to trundle down to the local drinking hole at 10am on Sunday morning to catch a replay. The sticky carpet and faint odour of [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – Benji back to form in half-baked victory
November 8, 2011 by 1 Comment
by Will Evans My childhood recollections of seeing my heroes in black and white play at Wembley aren’t great. The Kiwis approached the first Test of the 1993 away series against Great Britain with confidence after pushing Australia earlier in the year and drawing a home series with the Lions one-all the previous season. But, [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – That’s More Like It
November 7, 2011 by 2 Comments
International rugby league got a shot in the arm when Australia played its way into the Four Nations final with a hard-fought 36 – 20 win over England at Wembley Stadium last night. The very competitive Poms pushed the Australians for all but the last 10 minutes, and so next weekend’s New Zealand v England [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – Welcome Wembley return despite curse of the commentators
November 6, 2011 by 2 Comments
Still bristling from Channel 9’s insulting 45 minute highlights package of the Kangaroos vs. Kiwis opener last week, I was somewhat appeased to find the Wembley double-header televised live. My eyes grew heavy sitting through the dour second half of the NZ vs. Wales clash, however, and I left it for the Foxtel IQ to [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – Could the NZ halves please stand up?
November 2, 2011 by Leave a Comment
After watching the opening game of the Four Nations tournament between Australia and New Zealand, I’m left with a puzzle: is Benji Marshall badly out of form, injured or just foxing? I mean, how can someone who is supposed to be one of the two or three best players in the world put in two [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – Another Locky Farewell
October 21, 2011 by Leave a Comment
If you needed any convincing of the truth of Mallory’s theory that international rugby league is, at best, a third tier competition in the league hierarchy, then Sunday’s Trans Tasman Test between Australia and New Zealand clinched the debate. The lead-up, the match itself and the aftermath received token media coverage. The absence of an [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – Another Locky farewell
October 19, 2011 by 1 Comment
If you needed any convincing of the truth of Mallory’s theory that international rugby league is, at best, a third tier competition in the league hierarchy, then Sunday’s Trans Tasman Test between Australia and New Zealand clinched the debate. The lead-up, the match itself and the aftermath received token media coverage. The absence of an [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – Revelling in the glory
October 5, 2011 by Leave a Comment
I’ve been lucky enough to watch Manly play in six grand finals, and even luckier to experience them winning three. I love them all for different reasons, and the Sea Eagles’ 24-10 victory over the New Zealand Warriors is no different. It had all the qualities that we celebrate the game of rugby league for, [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – The first of many
October 5, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Nearly 82,000 people ventured to Homebush from every point on the compass to witness the 2011 NRL showdown between the Sea Eagles and the Warriors. Around the country, BBQs were in full swing, with some fans just about to watch their third League Grand Final for the day having witnessed exciting finales to the undercard [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – A heartbreaking loss
October 4, 2011 by 1 Comment
I was one mouse click away from being in Sydney for Grand Final day but ultimately had enough stuff in my head telling me not to go. I didn’t and right at the bottom of my heart I now think it was the correct decision. I would have been dead set filthy on myself however [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – The near demise of the McIntyre finals system
October 4, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Let me be upfront about this – I don’t like the McIntyre finals system and believe it to be inherently flawed. The potential (as occurred this season) for the opening week finals matches involving sides three to six to be rendered all but moot by the top two sides winning their games is highly irritating. [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – You may not like the teams but you had to like the game they played
October 4, 2011 by 4 Comments
Many-Warringah Sea Eagles 24 d. New Zealand Warriors 10 JJ Leahy If you support a team in any sporting competition, over time you will inevitably develop a pecking order of the other participants from your next favoured to your most disliked. For most supporters of teams other than this years grand [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – What happened to Gus Gould’s hair?
September 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment
I’m in Brisbane for the weekend visiting family. It’s the first chance I’ve had in many a year to watch a Friday night game live on television. It’s also the first chance I’ve had to watch Channel Nine’s pregame ‘entertainment” too. Mercy me. So let’s start with the (actual) white elephant on the commentary panel: [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – The Year of The Seagulls
September 27, 2011 by 7 Comments
Queensland Cup Rugby League Grand Final 2011 Wynnum Manly Seagulls 16 d Tweed Heads Seagulls 10 by JJ Leahy The Queensland Cup is one of two Rugby League competitions that sit at a level below the National Rugby League. The other is its New South Wales counterpart. It is contested by five clubs from Brisbane [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – The highs and lows of a Preliminary Final
September 26, 2011 by 3 Comments
Oh, the highs and the lows of preliminary finals weekend. They’ll hit your harder than Brad Izzard on a cold day and they’ll stick with you until you breathe your last. There is something enduring about it, something special, something that separates it from Grand Final weekend, giving it a unique feel, an individual aura. [Read more]
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