The NRL season kicked off [no pun intended. – Ed] this weekend, with Souths beginning their 2015 where they left off last season by belting the Broncos, the Tigers and the Titans had ‘the close one’ and Ricky Stuart’s Raiders took the points at the Shire. Back from Auckland, Wayne Ball headed to the ‘Riff to see if the Panthers could get out of the blocks with some points against the tough-as-nails Bulldogs.
Too Few are Flipping Father Time the Finger
February 21, 2015 by 4 Comments
A fantastic and thought-provoking piece from Jeff Dowsing: Why do we instantly write-off sportspeople when they hit the big 3-0? If you’re good enough, play on, argues Jeff.
Roy Hay: Is It Time for More Cooperation?
February 16, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Some great analysis from Roy Hay and Tony Ward in Monday’s Guardian on how the numbers are telling us that it’s time Australia’s sporting bodies stopped warring and began cooperating for the greater good of fans.
Rugby star follows dairy passion
October 1, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Some professional sportsmen are left floundering and unsure what to do with the rest of their lives when their playing careers are over. But not former NRL star Ian Hindmarsh.
AFL and NRL – weekend results and ladders
May 26, 2014 by Leave a Comment
All the wrap-up from this weekend’s AFL and NRL. Gold Coast are third. Take a photo of it.
The View from Shepparton
September 16, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The Cowboys debacle sums up another inglorious year for the NRL, writes Peter Schumacher.
Almanac Rugby League – NRL Round 1: Broncos v Manly – Eighty minutes of relief
March 9, 2013 by 2 Comments
The second game of the season might have been overshadowed by the ongoing debacle that is the Cronulla Sharks, but the rugby league world will welcome a few hours where the concern is about tries and tackles rather than peptides and plea bargains.
NRL trumps AFL in marketing match
March 3, 2013 by 2 Comments
The AFL and NRL recently unveiled their 2013 promotional commercials and they demonstrate a fascinating contrast in positioning, and how administrators handle their respective strengths and weaknesses.
Almanac Rugby League – The finals for the small-minded
September 14, 2012 by 4 Comments
Your team has missed the finals. Maybe again. Maybe for the first time in years. Either way, it hurts. You can switch off altogether and pretend not to give a damn. But, its rugby league, you love it, and that means there’s still plenty of ways to enjoy the footy over the next few weeks. [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – Return to the Promised Land
September 7, 2012 by 3 Comments
By John Robotham
Storm vs Souths in a qualifying final. My club against the outfit I love to hate. The people’s club, with 104 years of rich history, ranged against an interloper created to fit the needs of a national competition.
Almanac Rugby League – The cursed existence of a Roosters supporter
June 26, 2012 by 1 Comment
All supporters do it tough at times. Its part of the attraction, addiction even, of passionately supporting a sporting team. In a cruel sort of way, we need to experience the dark, heavy feeling of despair that lingers for days after a loss to also truly appreciate that overwhelming, sun-is-shining, birds-are-singing, life-is-good elation that takes hold after a win. But [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – On how to improve the greatest game of all
June 11, 2012 by 3 Comments
When you’ve done life’s hard yards and made it into the grumpy years, you understand with cold and dispiriting certainty that there is no turning back the clock. But that doesn’t mean that in the face of crass, intolerable change – or ‘progress’ as the suits would wish to sell it – you should give [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – The Longest Month
May 1, 2012 by Leave a Comment
For Panthers fans everywhere, April has been a long and heartless month. In the leadup to tonight’s match against Newcastle, Penrith are still yet to score a point on the Rugby League field in the month of April. Not a try or goal; not even a solitary field goal to show for their efforts. A [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – Rabbitoh in the vineyard
April 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment
RABBITOH IN THE VINEYARD – PART 1 NRL RND 5: SOUTH SYDNEY v WESTS TIGERS As one of the thousands of long suffering South Sydney members, I am well accustomed to false dawns, and a general uneasiness whenever the Bunnies go into any match as favourites – whether with the TAB, and / or [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – Panthers Ace Eels
March 25, 2012 by 2 Comments
On the night before Penrith’s clash with Parramatta, I played my weekly tennis match with my friend Michael, a fellow Footy Almanac scribe and devoted Parramatta fan. At the time, I wondered if our match would foreshadow the result of the Parramatta v Penrith clash. The first set was won comfortably by me, which I [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – Reunion Rugby League
March 12, 2012 by 2 Comments
By Pete Abela The last time I went to the footy with Robbo was on the 2nd of July, 1989. The match on that occasion was between South Sydney (who would go on to be minor premiers) and Penrith (who finished second that year, but bombed out of the semis). In those days, the Panthers [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – March: the month of shared hope
March 5, 2012 by Leave a Comment
March is a legitimate contender for my favourite month of the year. In no other month does the concept of hope resonate more strongly. Hope that my tipping competition exploits and ongoing duels with bookmakers will prove victorious over the winter months. Hope that via another skill-based medium, that of fantasy football in its multiple [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – Nine? Nein
February 27, 2012 by 1 Comment
Rugby league’s broadcast right are up for grabs next year and it may be the case that Channel Nine’s 22-year hold on free-to-air league will come to an end. Now, what’s the word I’m searching for here? Schadenfreude? Close, but that’s not quite it. Um, let’s see. Ah yes, I’ve got it. Yippee! As a [Read more]
The Winds of Economic Change
February 10, 2012 by 11 Comments
These are turbulent times in the global economy. Depending on who you listen to, we are still in the midst of the GFC; or, the GFC ended but we are now on the cusp of GFC Mark II; China’s growth is either teetering or marching on; and the European sovereign debt crisis is threatening [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – A costly call
August 29, 2011 by Leave a Comment
I write this feeling like a bitter and twisted man. Hopefully by the end I have come round. The Warriors have had their season ripped apart by the most abhorrent refereeing decision of the year. Sorry if that sounds a bit over emotive but that’s what it feels like for a Warriors fan that will [Read more]
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