The World of Rugby Thread

[Lewis]

Ryan James forgets the words to the 'Acknowledgement of Country', and Izzy Hoyland off of Neighbours does the anthem. This is a classic already.

[Lewis]

That is the worst bit of refereeing I've ever seen. Ricky Stuart is going to explode.

[Lewis]

Disgraceful.

[Queenslander]

NRLol

[Lewis]

lol at the Roosters fans seething about the Clive Churchill, which happens to be the first one they've got right since 'DCE' also got seethed at by their fans.

[Lewis]

Say what you want about football, but footballers would be kicking right off in these circumstances. Not giving loser speeches praising the opposition. No wonder you couldn't close it out.

[Queenslander]

Cold hearted.

[Lewis]

Ricky Stuart is going to explode.

He's refusing to discuss it, which is pretty lol in itself.

[Lewis]

Passive-aggressive masterclass this.

[Queenslander]

I had not heard about the Rugby League 9s World Cup untill this morning. Im sure that Lebanon will be a cracker!

[niko_cee]

Shed Seven :cool:

[Lewis]

I reckon they book off a list of bands who could be in Manchester at relatively short notice.

[Lewis]

Come on Salford. :cool:

[Baz]

Come on Salford. :cool:

:harold:

[Lewis]

They just got flattened the fannies. Luke Thompson will be the best prop in the NRL three years from now.

[Queenslander]

I just read that Japan v Scotlan may be on.

Edit: we are on!

[hfswjyr]

Other than NZ v South Africa, this game is what has me most excited. There is something very naturally likable about this plucky Japanese team. Are they still the underdogs for this match?

[Queenslander]

Scotland slight favourite. Ill be cheering Japan!

Big shout out to South Africa for kicking the Sunwolves out of Super Rugby.

[Queenslander]

Congratulations NRL you have conquered Tonga.

[Lewis]

If they have then it's probably down to them having nothing to do with it.

[Baz]

https://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/17965086.pictures-big-al-gives-justin-post-match-soaking/ :D

[Lewis]

That first picture is great. Like that fake 9/11 observation deck one.

[Queenslander]

Storm have a had a cracking start to the off season with an all in brawl in Bali. :lol:

https://amp-news-com-au.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/amp.news.com.au/sport/nrl/threatened-with-a-glass-object-braith-anasta-reveals-he-was-with-storm-stars-before-bali-brawl/news-story/b744daaafc7d8f4a52d73709f05969c5?usqp=mq331AQOKAGY AbDN3eHesuLgiQE%3D&amp_js_v=a2&amp_gsa=1#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Famp.news.com.au%2F

[Lewis]

Imagine starting on him.

[Queenslander]

Speaking of poaching Fijians. Lewis.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/rugby-world-cup/storm-winger-suliasi-vunivalu-targeted-for-reunion-with-wallaby-world-cup-hero-marika-koroibete/news-story/89ff81229eca39359583bc99b8327875

[Lewis]

I was going to mention him earlier. Assuming the superstars (James Tedesco etc.) are out of reach now, he's surely the most obvious target in the code.

[Queenslander]

I was going to mention him earlier. Assuming the superstars (James Tedesco etc.) are out of reach now, he's surely the most obvious target in the code.

Happy for more wingers as our system hasnt produced one for 10+ years. I wouldnt mind a couple of props for 6 and 8 for us. Also Id take Kalyn Ponga back in a heart beat.

David Fifita would be good at 12.

[Lewis]

Where did/would Kalyn Ponga play? His defending is appalling so I'm not sure where he works, to say he's always hinting at giving the All Blacks a crack. Damien Cook would have been a good scrum-half poach if he was a bit younger, and it might be worth waving a bit of that loose Israel Folau money at Valentine Holmes before he makes a decision. I'm surprised they haven't ever gone for Daniel Tupou as a wing project.

[Queenslander]

Where did/would Kalyn Ponga play? His defending is appalling so I'm not sure where he works, to say he's always hinting at giving the All Blacks a crack. Damien Cook would have been a good scrum-half poach if he was a bit younger, and it might be worth waving a bit of that loose Israel Folau money at Valentine Holmes before he makes a decision.

Beale has been a disgrace 15 in defence with tackling and kicking. Ponga has to be more of an option with ball in hand?

Id take holmes but Id prefer a couple of forwards with Union back ground.

[Lewis]

I don't think I've ever seen Ponga kick the ball out of his hands. Mitchell Moses would be a good bet there.

[Giggles]

Is this live? How would Tonga normally be ranked?

[Queenslander]

Is this live? How would Tonga normally be ranked?

This current team they have is full of world class players.

[Giggles]

But for a couple of bad errors they’d be strolling this anyway, they’ve GB constantly pinned.

[Giggles]

Ah, it says “Tonga Invitational”. What’s that then?

[Lewis]

There is some sort of pointless dispute between their association and whoever, so they've just put a side together and turned up. That second try was clearly offside, but they've BOTTLED disallowing it.

Lachlan Coote is a fanny who shouldn't be playing.

[Giggles]

He seemed to make up his mind straight away but I thought offside too even on the replay.

[Lewis]

Great Britain haven't offered anything in this. Half the side picks itself, but he's somehow picked the other half completely wrong.

[Lewis]

Sam Burgess having to chuck it is a shitter. I wonder whether it being the shoulder of his ball-carrying arm is what's done it. Either way, fiver on Souths missing the eight next year.

[Queenslander]

ARL has 'bolted the door shut' on Folau. Matt Lodge must be lolling himself to sleep this week.

[Lewis]

That Manly lad stabbing somebody at a 'church dance' has probably set the new standard there, so he's had a great week.

[Queenslander]

Bloody hell I missed that one.

[Lewis]

I'm not sure why they have to ban him. It's not like any club would actually take a punt on him when half of their sponsors would bail overnight if they did.

[Queenslander]

There would be a few violent offenders that I would punt before his named appeared on my list.

[Lewis]

Tonga. :cool:

[ItalAussie]

Anyone with a pulse was cheering for Tonga there.

[Queenslander]

Best result for the game. Hopefully Tonga can go on a run of wins and if the NRL have any decency left they should be organising either a 3 game tour of Tonga or a quad nations style in Tonga.

[Queenslander]

SBW to get shares in Toronto and possibly a Netflix documentary. Fuck me that is the most mental contact to date surely?

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/equity-a-netflix-series-and-7m-toronto-wolfpacks-unprecedented-offer-to-lure-sbw-back-to-league/news-story/a4fdab6f98658a53c21ca88a7a36c1ff

[Lewis]

It's pretty clever from their perspective, and they seem to be one of the few clubs that knows what they're doing across the board, presumably owing to the lack of 'rugby league people' in senior positions. The stake won't ever really be worth that much, but if he goes then other big names will be more inclined to down the line (that David Beckham comparison seems like a good one). I thought Jarryd Hayne was a lock for their first marquee signing, but... Yeah.

[Lewis]

I say that. Their main money man did end up sacking himself for racism not so long ago.

[Queenslander]

Bit rude of Eddie to not come straight back here and coach us.

[Lewis]

How can they effectively write off Saracens' forthcoming season without stripping them of previous titles won with a cheat squad?

[Disco]

Fuck me that's funny, they could almost be relegated off that. Plus we should have two more trophies winging their way down the M5 please.

[Lewis]

This Sonny Bill Williams stuff is great. He's earning more than the entire salary cap, but it's easily the biggest signing in Super League ever.

[Queenslander]

SRU being fined $130 000 is a bit mental.

[Baz]

This Sonny Bill Williams stuff is great. He's earning more than the entire salary cap, but it's easily the biggest signing in Super League ever.

How good is he? We talking Jamie Lyon good or what?

[Queenslander]

How good is he? We talking Jamie Lyon good or what?

Much much better than Jamie Lyon.

[Baz]

:eek:

[Lewis]

He won't be as good as Jamie Lyon was, but he's a miles bigger name.

[Queenslander]

He is still in peak condition.

[Lewis]

Yeah but Lyon was unbelievable in Super League. Easily the best import we've had by an absolute mile.

[Queenslander]

Yeah fair enough. Im going on him still being capable of battering through the middle of field down here.

[Baz]

Fair enough.

How about Kristian Woolf? The new Saints coach.

[Lewis]

He's just coached Tonga to wins over Great Britain and Australia which isn't too shabby. Keiron Cunningham could probably win Super League with this Saints squad though.

[Baz]

Anyone but him. :sick:

[Queenslander]

The NRL may as well give Bali the next team.

https://www.9news.com.au/national/broncos-player-david-fifita-arrested-in-bali-over-alleged-brawl-at-la-favela-nightclub/4e67cdc1-8143-4335-8bc9-79e7cfe55451

[Lewis]

Wayne Bennett has chucked all of his 2017 goodwill away with this Great Britain tour. Shitty NRL-centric squad selection, crap match selection, one-out rubbish on the field... It's alright if we compete, but we haven't, and people were really excited for the Lions coming back. I'm not saying he is, but if he was phoning it in waiting for his contract to expire it would look a lot like how he's gone about it all.

[Queenslander]

Bennett sucks and has stayed in the game far past his used by date.

[Queenslander]

Eddie Jones wants to take over at Souths once Bennett retires.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-2020-eddie-jones-england-rugby-wayne-bennett-south-sydney-rabbitohs/news-story/c97e41a2ca6f9454df508a248701000d

[Queenslander]

What a shocking upset. Lewis you must be seething!

[Lewis]

Nah. Everybody had already written the tour off, so it's nice for them to get their win in front of their mental fans. I reckon they won't renew Bennett's contract now (they still might have done with a decent win today), and he hasn't helped himself on various fronts; but you also look at everything around him and it seems like a bit of an easy option to spare a bunch of wage-stealing twats who ran every other aspect of the tour.

[Ian]

1197453029139779584

[Disco]

Joe Marler is the best.

[Queenslander]

Huge signing for Reds but I am sad the the ARU had to offer him a contract as well.

https://www.rugby.com.au/news/2019/12/03/suliasi-vunivalu

[Lewis]

Does that mean he will be on massive money? You have to wonder what that centralised NRL fund was for if not keeping the star players for developing countries (although you could imagine the moaning if they helped Melbourne out on salary space).

[Queenslander]

He would be on more than he could get in the NRL.

I thought it was for that as well. I would love to know where all this TV money goes it all seems a but suss.

[Lewis]

They should have waited for Latrell 'Latrell' Mitchell. :harold:

[Queenslander]

Would he be good in Union?

[Lewis]

He plays well for twenty minutes a game, so probably.

[Queenslander]

We do love our impact substitutions.

[Lewis]

Rob Burrow could still do a job for Rovers.

[Lewis]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/51143657

:harold:

[Lewis]

That was quick. I read the other day that there isn't a salary cap in the lower division, so presumably they can just send a few of them on a Japanese sabbatical whilst they the decks for coming back up. lol either way.

[Disco]

They'll need to fudge some more rules if they want it to be a single season in the Championship, you're supposed to be able to demonstrate two years of salary cap compliance before you can be promoted. Two trips to Penzance should be punishment enough. Where players go is going to be interesting, either they stay and take smaller contracts to get them under the cap or they go abroad and miss a year or two of international games (plus you have to find someone with enough money left in the budget to actually pay them).

In general though: fucking lol.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Can they loan them up to a spread of Premiership teams?

[Disco]

Some of them probably, not sure if there'll be enough teams who could work such expensive players into their budgets. You aren't going to trim your squad to squeeze them in if they're just loans and nobody is going out of their way to help Saracens at this point.

[Lewis]

In which case won't most of them just agree to reduced salaries and quit while they're not overly behind?

[Disco]

No idea. Depends on how much Sarries are actually going to be able to pay them and how willing some of them are to take a pay cut, there's bound to be a few happy to put 100 points on Jersey every weekend (4 years away from the next world cup).

[Disco]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/51169248

I like the terminology of 'the goalposts have moved'. They didn't move, they simply didn't stop cheating once they were found out. I didn't realise the club were given a choice of opening their books or relegation, and chose relegation. It could easily be some legal reason but it could also mean there's more dirt to come out and they reckoned they'd be relegated anyway.

Either way, lol.

[Lewis]

They've done well to hang onto their titles.

[niko_cee]

That seems totally mental to me.

[Disco]

I'm sure I read somewhere that there was no provision for it in the rules but it does seem a bit odd. The club have taken the last couple off their website themselves though.

[Lewis]

This report makes their cheating seem a bit more smalltime than I had expected. The Melbourne Storm were rolling at something like 125% of the salary cap, where as these chumps have been paying for decorating and image rights.

[Jimmy Floyd]

You expect it from the league ruffians though. This is the gentleman's code.

[Lewis]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx6WGbkBhUw&feature=emb_logo

Baz. :cool:

I said last year that if they didn't win it they should be forcibly shut down, but it really, really should be Warrington's year this year. If Gareth Widdop isn't as decrepit as feared they will have the best halves combination since peak Leeds, and the rest of the side is handy enough.

1. Warrington
2. Wigan
3. Saints
4. Lee Radford FC

Hopefully Huddersfield go down instead of Rovers, and Luke Thompson will win Man of Steel on his way to Australia.

[Lewis]

Israel Folau to Catalans is a top move. Their spine is excellent now, and their owner is a big enough mentalist not to care about any financial hit. Then again, their main sponsors are shady local tourism fronts and whoever makes them weird paprika crisps to sell to said tourists, so they won't do much. The other clubs are FUMING though. Wigan have designated their round six tie 'Pride Round', so hopefully Catalans go full heel and make the reverse fixture 'Drug Cheat Round' or 'Assault Forcing an Opponent to Retire Round'.

Super League having the two biggest names in rugby/religious fundamentalism. :cool:

[Pleb]

Losing to France :face:

[Ian]

A pity we barely played for the first hour.

[Lewis]

Another odds-on BOTTLE JOB.

In better news, Wayne Bennett OUT. Shaun Wane IN. :cool:

[Lewis]

lol at this (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/51390591). Let's see if they use those powers next time someone belts their girlfriend.

[Disco]

He's a dick but that is the slipperiest of slopes.

[Lewis]

After all their 'Pride Round' big manning Wigan admitted to having considered signing him, so it will probably die down in about a month.

[Ian]

This weather has been fun so far.

[niko_cee]

This is quite entertaining, although England have been absolute shite.

Sounds like it might have been even madder weather had they played it tomorrow.

[Queenslander]

SBW had a good first game. His offloading game is unstoppable when in top form.

[Lewis]

1228752327529652224

Still got it (unlike that Castleford fan who got her rainbow flag taken off her lol).

[niko_cee]

This Rowan Baxter stuff sounds fairly horrifying. I mean, what the fuck?

Got to love this comment though


"How the fire actually occurred has not been ascertained at the moment so for us to call it a murder-suicide or a tragic accident, it's inappropriate at this stage," Detective Inspector Mark Thompson said.

"I've seen some horrific scenes - this is up there with some of the best of them."

:cab:

[Ian]

Yeah even by the standards of this sort of thing it's a fucking grim story.

Driving along, suddenly sets them all on fire then gets out of the car and knifes himself to death. Christ.

[Lewis]

1230980067146203137

Finish.

[Queenslander]

Yeah even by the standards of this sort of thing it's a fucking grim story.

Driving along, suddenly sets them all on fire then gets out of the car and knifes himself to death. Christ.

This happened one suburb over from me. Im at East Brisbane and Camp Hill is to the east of me. All the local mothers groups on fb are sick to read as you could imagine the wine mums try and out clout each other.

The murders could not have occurred in a more vanilla part of Australia.

[Queenslander]

I guess a combination of CTE and good old fashioned Australian domestic violence would do it.

The fitness industry down here has its fair share of nut cases walking around.

Everything is ok untill its not...

[Queenslander]

https://youtu.be/7zayp7wVW4s

Funny how this maniac can play for Brisbane but Folau's words are too dangerous.

[Queenslander]

Brumbies ended a 7 year hoodoo in NZ by beating Gatlands Chief. To be fair though the Brumbies are a solid outfit this year.

[Baz]

Are we expecting Sydney Roosters to batter Saints tonight?

[Queenslander]

Probably.

[Queenslander]

Watching the All Stars game and i have to ask does Adam Blair have a weapon for the haka?

[Queenslander]

Ben Te'o is playing awful for the Sunwolves. Like dog shit

[Lewis]

Watching the All Stars game and i have to ask does Adam Blair have a weapon for the haka?

If the war dances are anything to go off, you can see why one side got wiped out and the other held their own. Even Kalyn Ponga looked scared of their effort and he was in it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Frogsters have gone off too early here, prepare for the crash to earth.

[niko_cee]

Wales getting done out of a penalty try for the (not-at-all-intencional monsieur) knock-on in the corner was equal parts funny and galling.

Having to rely on the Irish or, god forbid, the jocks to thwart them is a bit of a worry.

[Lewis]

Saints are giving a decent account of themselves. lol at the Roosters thinking they can big man their forwards out of it, as if either of them play with any concern for their health.

[Queenslander]

If the war dances are anything to go off, you can see why one side got wiped out and the other held their own. Even Kalyn Ponga looked scared of their effort and he was in it.

At least the Gold Coast Stadium was at capacity for once.

[Queenslander]

Burleigh Bears beat the Gold Coast Titans 18 - 16. Lol

[Boydy]

Ireland have been fucking awful so far.

[Lewis]

They are just getting bashed to bits.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Can see the same happening to them in the land of cheese. Le grand slam awaits.

[Queenslander]

I would happily welcome Ardie Savea to Brisbane.


https://coupler.foxsports.com.au/api/v1/article/amp/rugby/100-per-cent-i-want-to-play-rugby-league-all-blacks-star-eyeing-sensational-nrl-switch/news-story/307707973019857330d70e42119937f1

[Lewis]

It sounds like he wants to win something. Super League offers two years of salary cap dispensation for luring union players over. Nobody is really in a position to take any sort of advantage of it (Luther Burrell isn't particularly good), but NRL teams could go to town with something similar.

[Queenslander]

Brisbane could off him a backended deal involving real estate and race horses. I reckon he would be a gun old school lock.

[Lewis]

I always thought Greg Inglis should have been doing that once his knee started failing. With that in mind, they would probably run him into the ground at full-back.

[Queenslander]

It will be interesting to see how Latrell keeps the weight off.

Michael Hancock is my first memory of an outside back moving to the back row when he tubbed up and slowed down.

[Lewis]

That lad is an idiot. Left-centre at the Roosters must be the sweetest job in the sport, and they were offering him eight-hundred grand a year (so probably a million with third party scams). Jack Bird should be playing thirteen at the Broncos, but he seems to fancy himself in the halves. No son.

[Queenslander]

This Wayde Rushton has a bit of Kodder Nasser about him. And Latrell has a bit of Quade Cooper about him when he demanded 1 year contracts from the Reds.

We should be taking both Bird and Boyd out the back so they can be put down. Brisbane could could easily solve the halves problem with that cap space freed up.

[Lewis]

Darius Boyd bringing all of the lols to life and forgetting how to play rugby without Wayne Bennett around was the story of the season. They could have had a crack at Valentine Holmes without these plebs on their payroll.

[Queenslander]

Bennett really did a number on the cap before he was pushed out the door. Eg their is this absolute gun 18 year old fly half at the Brumbies who we missed out on because Australian Rugby has a huge warchest atm for signing this current Golden generation of QLD colt rugby players that started with Brad Thorn 5 years ago.

Darius Boyd wont be remembered as a good bloke once he fucks off.

I do remember reading we have a couple of budget Tongans and Somoans who wont be eligble untill halfway through the season because they arent in the top 30 squad.

[Lewis]

Who is this Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (cheers Google) that killed the nines for North Queensland the other week? Apparently they got him from union for pennies.

[Queenslander]

I think he is a League junior? Almost zero Union players from NQ.


Izaia Perese is the Broncos bloke who is ridiculous. Would have been a huge loss for the Reds if we didnt already have a production line of Fiji and Fijian/Australian wingers at the Reds and more playing for peanuts in the Brisbane Club comp. And that doesnt include Leagues QLD Cup.

Honestly if anyone up your way needs a winger I reckon could sort something out...

[Queenslander]

This is one of the budget wingers.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/02/06/brisbane-broncos-fijian-recruit-ilikena-vudogo-following-semi-radradra-path/

[Queenslander]

Budget Tongan

https://www.broncos.com.au/teams/telstra-premiership/brisbane-broncos/fanitesi-niu/

[niko_cee]

Rugby's a complete lost cause in a world where that's a red card. Might as well just pack it in.

[Lewis]

That's never a red card.

[Lewis]

That was forward as well.

[niko_cee]

I thought it looked it but it was one of those ;back of the hand' jobs evidently.

The knock-on advantage was pretty lol as well.

[Lewis]

Scotland must be wondering how they can lose this.

[Jimmy Floyd]

France have chucked in the utterly needless red card a bit earlier than usual here, which could throw the Scottish losing instinct off and make them accidentally win.

[Offshore Toon]

Scotland playing the 'Fuge anthem at half time. Win or lose, Scots are the best.

[The Merse]

Rugby's a complete lost cause in a world where that's a red card. Might as well just pack it in.

I understand it being considered contentious in some circles, but bollocks is it outside of the realm of what would be a red for the whole time I’ve been watching and formerly playing, rugby. Turns his head away, making no attempt to wrap, showing poor and dangerous technique in the tackle attempt and directly endangering the player making contact with the head. Context of North diving gives little mitigation when considering all that. Only tin foil hat Eddie-lite types are contriving to make the conversation anything more than whether it was a yellow or a red, which obviously made no difference at that point anyway.

[Lewis]

He was pulling himself out of it as the walking concussion started to go down. Had he flapped his arms out to 'wrap' him he would have rubbed his face out.

[Disco]

They're very hot on contact to the head, which makes it all the more ridiculous that Parkes stayed on for a far more blatant hit on Tuilagi earlier in the game.

[niko_cee]

I understand it being considered contentious in some circles, but bollocks is it outside of the realm of what would be a red for the whole time I’ve been watching and formerly playing, rugby. Turns his head away, making no attempt to wrap, showing poor and dangerous technique in the tackle attempt and directly endangering the player making contact with the head. Context of North diving gives little mitigation when considering all that. Only tin foil hat Eddie-lite types are contriving to make the conversation anything more than whether it was a yellow or a red, which obviously made no difference at that point anyway.

The stupidity of it is that it's a gamebreaking situation (although in the end it wasn't owing to time) and there is literally nothing the defending player can do other than not tackle the guy he thinks is going to score a try. If you say he has to wait and see if the first tackle is made, he can't. Professional sport is built on assuming someone is going to fuck up, he has to make that tackle on the assumption that North breaks the first. As it transpires he stumbles into him. If the sport is that bothered about contact to the head why isn't everyone wearing a boxing head guard? It's a nonsense, it's a dangerous contact sport. Without those things, it's nothing. Maybe they'll have to make it so you have an NFL style ejection rather than a game-ending red card if they genuinely want to police contact with the head out of the game fairly.

[Queenslander]

The World Cup had fair few of these red cards.

[The Merse]

The stupidity of it is that it's a gamebreaking situation (although in the end it wasn't owing to time) and there is literally nothing the defending player can do other than not tackle the guy he thinks is going to score a try. If you say he has to wait and see if the first tackle is made, he can't. Professional sport is built on assuming someone is going to fuck up, he has to make that tackle on the assumption that North breaks the first.

Erm. No. No, those two points run absolutely opposite to what should be assumed in rugby per it's laws.

Firstly, the defensive player has a duty of care. Right - agreed? Fundamental tenet of the game for the past century and one of the first things you learn playing organised ruggers, right?
Secondly, rugby's rules are overwhelmingly outcome based. Again, this has always been the way it's been reffed, even if the examination of those outcomes has much changed.

Now with that in mind, consider that what the defending player can do does not come down to the very moment he did endanger the opponent, it's in the entire run up to it - he's not well placed to make a covering tackle, he leads too high, with his shoulder and back turned and therefore has little scope to execute a tackle in the correct technique - Lewis there is no fucking way he could have wrapped. The correct tackle (if any) in the situation would be aiming under the ball, looking to rip, or wrap on the ball itself preventing placement and supporting the diving players movement to the ground whilst preventing the ball going over the whitewash.

If you watch Rugby Union every week you'll see similar situations managed well by the tackler regularly.
You'll also see reds and yellows with less frequency, but where a similar outcome to that on Saturday occurs. It's pretty consistent.

[The Merse]

They're very hot on contact to the head, which makes it all the more ridiculous that Parkes stayed on for a far more blatant hit on Tuilagi earlier in the game.

To a degree - it was a yellow for sure, but there was a wrap and a duck involved which showed less abandonment of technique. Still a bad one, but not that bad, not that blatant.

Outcome very different too.

[Lewis]

He should have picked him up and walked him under the sticks.

[The Merse]

If he can't make a safe tackle, he shouldn't. That's the game, albeit you expect the laws to break with the oodles of testosterone, adrenaline, pride and cash flying around... So you have the sanctions, for which a card is issued. It's really fucking simple. But I do get your obstinance since you're a fan of the northern neanderthal code.

In other news, Marler must get a few weeks sanction for that... Nowhere near John Hopoate level, but definitely not something the board will be letting go in the current climate.

[Lewis]

He was doing until North fell over and into him. You can't referee these things in slow-motion, even if the game is played in it.

[Manc]

Contesting the red card. :harold:

[Lewis]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/51803131

Expansion (consolidate the one team first lads). :cool:

[Queenslander]

2 NRL blokes are going to have their registration cancelled for meeting up with school girls. Fucking hell we need to burn it down and start again.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/teams/bulldogs/breaking-two-bulldogs-stars-stood-down-investigated-on-eve-of-nrl-season/news-story/5add738d967c7e9725d740935f60e454

[Lewis]

That sounds like a lot of nothing. If it was somebody decent they would have overlooked it, but it's always the chumps who become the examples for the CULTURE and the STANDARDS.

[Lewis]

1238221376475009025

That must be a first, doing a post-match interview to announce you've sacked the coach. Lee Radford is a proper geezer as well.

[Queenslander]

Greedy NRL want to move all games to Brisbane and Townsville for a month. What happened to the warchest? They can fuck right off I reckon.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/more-sports/live-coronavirus-updates-sports-events-cancelled-masters-golf-premier-league/news-story/e5afabb7fd8abf87e0f15ecd87d24c38

[Queenslander]

A bunch of 20 year old Brisbane kids a royally fucking up the Blue Bulls scrum. :drool:

[Lewis]

David Fifita is an absolute freak and clearly not twenty.

[Queenslander]

Gus asking the right questions. No 1 being where is the war chest you bastards?
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2020-coronavirus-covid19-phil-gould-vs-todd-greenberg-peter-vlandys-rugby-league/news-story/20d2db4ac17c052ebfb20fad6843cdbb

[Queenslander]

Play on apparently. Hopefully Greenberg and co get exposed at the end of this and get booted out of the game.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2020-coronavirus-updates-warriors-daly-cherryevans-paul-mcgregor-round-2-manly-dragons-rugby-league/news-story/43f9b7821a50f5bf704a88fa00ff3fb6

[Jimmy Floyd]

If it was the very end then you could see them trying to sneak it in somebow, but round 2? Who do they think they are?

[Queenslander]

I assume they have mismanaged $100s of millions and stopping the season will show how bad it is.

[Queenslander]

Rugby Union has suspended all club rugby around the country so has AFL.

[Queenslander]

And now the NRL is asking the Government for financial support. What a bunch of fucking criminals!

https://7news.com.au/sport/rugby-league/nrl-makes-desperate-plea-to-government-as-it-announces-season-will-go-ahead-c-745711

[Queenslander]

Latest NRL gossip is that they want to move all the teams to a FIFO mining camp near Gladstone.

Where did all the money go?

The Broncos have told the Warriors they have full access to their feeder clubs to keep them in the comp.

[Lewis]

Sticking them all in the same camp would be an amazing Netflix series. It could easily make up the disappeared WARCHEST once the idiocy starts flowing.

lol at them talking about moving State of Origin to December as well as if isn't the most obvious thing to cut altogether.

[Queenslander]

A Netflix series is a great idea Im all aboard now.

[Lewis]

It starts out tracking all the banter and bullshit, but it slowly starts to focus on Daly Cherry-Evans' nice guyness crumbling as he spends his spare time with working class league scummers.

[Queenslander]

:lol:

[Queenslander]

I can see Cam Smith taddling on blokes for trivial reasons.

[Lewis]

Working the director like he does the referee.

[Queenslander]

Another cracker out of the NRL world is that if NRL plays on it has a chance to go global.

These people have worms for brains

[Lewis]

The lack of crowd noise really brings home the sort of impacts you're getting in the game these days. Jesus. Kotoni Staggs is a player, and lol at Latrell 'Latrell' Mitchell having another shitter at full-back.

[Queenslander]

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/broken-and-almost-broke-how-did-it-come-to-this-for-the-nrl-20200321-p54cix.html


"We should have had more cash," ARL chairman Peter V’landys told The Sun-Herald. "People think I’m being over the top, but if anything I’ve underestimated it, I’ve played it down. It’s catastrophic. That’s the only word you could use."

[Queenslander]

The lack of crowd noise really brings home the sort of impacts you're getting in the game these days. Jesus. Kotoni Staggs is a player, and lol at Latrell 'Latrell' Mitchell having another shitter at full-back.

I reckon with rookie back rowers coming through TJP could be out of a contract sooner rather than later.

[Lewis]

It's often said here that you can tell who the clever people in the sport are because they don't want anything to do with running it. Anything run by 'rugby league people' is doomed.

[Queenslander]

So much greed. It is why they dont care about the local Leagues clubs fleecing the seniors and addicts of their money every week.

[Lewis]

Speaking of the local leagues clubs, imagine the assets each club would have had they all developed their traditional suburban grounds instead of playing in shithouse stadiums.

[Queenslander]

Redcliffe have gotten pretty far as a Q Cup team. https://images.app.goo.gl/sRf2bwnWpn4K6jAp6

Brookvale should be another boutique stadium like on the Gold Coast or in Melbourne.

League must have had a great deal in place with the NSW government for that shithole of an olympic stadium they want tear down. Lol

It feels like League has been run by Boomers for 20 years where they only care about infinite growth.

[Lewis]

The stadiums policy sums it all up quite nicely actually as showy, unsustainable shit measures.

[Queenslander]

It wont happen but it would interesting if we went back to seperate 80's style Brisbane Rugby League and a NSW Rugby League competition only this time Brisbane isnt poor.

[Lewis]

The Sydney and rest of conferences always strike me as a way of avoiding making any tough decisions on Sydney. They should just blindside everybody one day and chuck St. George out for Graeme Langlands being a nonce.

[Queenslander]

We could take St George as it is the second most popular team in SEQ (so they say). Or they could just move here and they could play out of Suncorp under the name Western Battlers St George Dragons.

[Lewis]

They should maybe look at fourteen teams and promotion/relegation.

[Queenslander]

There would have to be rules to stop the top clubs poaching the 2nd division teams. Promoted teams have at least a season where their team lists are protected from the Roosters.

Id would probably prefer two seperate Leagues that play a 2 game Super Bowl. It would keep the crowds higher.

[Lewis]

How many teams in each? Is there enough talent to go around? Although maybe it's a Catch-22 in terms of needing to expand to generate more. I don't know, but Andrew Johns thinks twelve teams is barely sustainable the drug-addled whopper.

[Queenslander]

The Broncos feeder clubs seem to be full of talent but I couldnt say how many teams we could without diluting it too much. We could have PNG and Fiji leaving 8 teams from QLD?

Move the Storm to North Brisbane as they are just a franchise anyway.

[Queenslander]

State borders have closed RIP NRL and the ARL.

[Queenslander]

Brisbane Lions have been asked to take leave without pay. :(

[Queenslander]

NRL season is over.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/live-nrl-under-threat-from-clubs-pubs-shutdown-as-league-bosses-eye-radical-relocation-plan/news-story/c6db25b29da1747cfa9c25812d88c6c5

[Lewis]

The pay issue seems pretty straightforward to me if they aren't playing. They will all moan like fuck, but ultimately where else are they going to work? You could even make it work for them if you end up having to shorten the season and ditch State of Origin. Call it a recovery period. Alternatively, if they're intending on playing on into December then fair enough moan like shit.

[Queenslander]

Channel 9 wants out of their contract with the NRL.

https://coupler.foxsports.com.au/api/v1/article/amp/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2020-channel-9-wants-contract-with-rugby-league-torn-up/news-story/1a4a22e101204a84606fec03c4cf8597

[Lewis]

What are AFL salaries like compared to league?

[Queenslander]

What are AFL salaries like compared to league?

I actually dont know off the top of my head. I would guess their top earners earn more and the average salary is higher in the NRL due them only having 25 players to pay.

[Lewis]

1243539229285720064

That Mal Reilly incident at 1:47 is something, and then he pops up at the end questioning the referee. :lol:

[Queenslander]

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/i-thought-we-were-all-in-it-together-wests-tigers-star-joey-leilua-slams-nrl-ceo-todd-greenbergs-25-per-cent-pay-cut/news-story/ef6dbd73121569ba342bbffcdfd35bdb



Wests Tigers centre BJ Leilua has questioned why NRL CEO Todd Greenberg is only taking a 25 per cent pay cut when the 480 NRL players have been forced to take a 75 per cent cut.

Stunned.

[Queenslander]

What we knew all along.



The Nine Network has accused the NRL of mismanagement ahead of the league’s plans to resume its competition that was halted by the coronavirus.
The Nine Network has launched a scathing attack on the NRL, accusing the league of mismanagement and breaking its lucrative broadcast deal.

The statement comes on the same day league central is expected to announce plans to resume its competition halted by the coronavirus.

It’s understood the network is furious with being left out of discussions on what the season would look like should it recommence.

The free-to-air broadcaster took aim at NRL’s financial management, which has left clubs and players facing uncertain futures.

“At Nine we had hoped to work with the NRL on a solution to the issues facing rugby league in 2020, brought on so starkly by COVID-19,” the statement read.

“But this health crisis in our community has highlighted the mismanagement of the code over many years.”

The comments also come after weeks of speculation surrounding the future of current NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg.

Greenberg is currently in the final year of his contract.


Advertisement
“Nine has invested hundreds of millions in this game over decades and we now find they have profoundly wasted those funds with very little to fall back on to support the clubs, the players and supporters,” the statement continued.

“In the past the NRL have had problems and we’ve bailed them out many times, including a $50m loan to support clubs when the last contract was signed.

“It would now appear that much of that has been squandered by a bloated head office completely ignoring the needs of the clubs, players and supporters


https://www.theroar.com.au/2020/04/09/nine-blasts-nrl-management-in-extraordinary-statement/

[Lewis]

Fox did a top twenty players of the NRL era that was a right shambles. The whole game is coming apart at the seams.

[Queenslander]

They reckon they will be back by the 28th of May which cant be realistic.

[Queenslander]

Fox did a top twenty players of the NRL era that was a right shambles. The whole game is coming apart at the seams.

How is the Super League coping now we are in April?

[Jimmy Floyd]

I don't understand how you can play rugby (or football, or most things) at any level while the government have social distancing measures in place.

[Queenslander]

I don't understand how you can play rugby (or football, or most things) at any level while the government have social distancing measures in place.

They wont be they are just that fucked that they need keep the idea of restarting in the media in case things loose up.

[Lewis]

I think Super League expects a government bailout somewhere down the line (after all, they would happily have kept playing), but there hasn't been the chimp out about it like the NRL simply because they knew right away that they would have to make some serious financial decisions. The NRL seemingly expected to sail through it, only to then realise that there wasn't a massive WARCHEST after all, and hang on where is my million a year coming from?

Not that this excuses Fox putting Greg Inglis above Brad Fittler and Johnathan Thurston in their top twenty. They left out Jamie Lyon as well the maniacs.

[Queenslander]

Cheif Medical Officer has told the NRL to pull their heads in. Apparently they hadnt even contacted the Govenment about the season restart. Lol

[Lewis]

James Graham said it was news to the players as well.

[Queenslander]

The Queensland Premeir has told the NRL to well and truly get fucked. And they own Lang Park, the Gabba and the Cowboys new stadium.

She said she wont let the Sydney teams cross the border.

[Queenslander]

Our Queensland Premier said their wont be an Origin this year. Lol
https://www.facebook.com/95683517460/posts/10156941724442461/

[Lewis]

Good. There was a Kangaroos tour scheduled for the end of the season, and the chumps were clearly going to ditch that for boring State of Origin.

[Queenslander]

We need seperate State Leagues for 5 years.

The Republic of QLD has enough talent for a State League.

[Queenslander]

Good. There was a Kangaroos tour scheduled for the end of the season, and the chumps were clearly going to ditch that for boring State of Origin.

Blame Sydney.

[Lewis]

I'll order that (https://whatsyourteam.com.au/collections/retro-range/products/wynnum-manly-seagulls-brl-retro-jersey?variant=21185746501711) to wear with the corked hat.

[Queenslander]

I'll order that (https://whatsyourteam.com.au/collections/retro-range/products/wynnum-manly-seagulls-brl-retro-jersey?variant=21185746501711) to wear with the corked hat.

Yes! That is a serious jersey to be wearing around considering the players they have produced!!!

Free milk or beer if you ever enter QLD.

[Lewis]

Get Quade Cooper's name and number on the back.

[Queenslander]

Get Quade Cooper's name and number on the back.

Doesnt have the bottle for the NRL. He is currently contracted to a division 2 team in Japan.

Edit: Damn Q Cup is his level for sure.

[Baz]

Bring back Super League please. Thursdays and Friday nights are the worst.

[Queenslander]

I will lol for a week if they accidently recreate a second competition by forcing non Sydney teams to live in Sydney for 4 months.

Channel 7 Sports presents the Australian Super League. :drool:

[Jimmy Floyd]

These attempts to try and get sport going are absolutely pathetic and will not work. Here's why: https://www.si.com/.amp/mlb/2020/04/10/sports-arent-coming-back-soon?__twitter_impression=true

[Giggles]

Pathetic is probably hunting for a reaction a bit much. You can’t blame people for exhausting avenues to get their business up and running or people for wishing for their normality back.

[niko_cee]

He's just desperate for that to be the narrative.

It isn't and won't be.

I've only read a couple of paragraphs of that but the general tenor seems to be that you can't play sport (of any kind) whilst trying to maintain a zero contact total lockdown. Well no fucking shit. We'll just ignore the fact that that isn't actually happening anywhere. 'Behind closed doors' sport is no less feasible than the continuing operation of large scale warehouses, maybe not as essential, but at some point in the not too distant future some form of lockdown loosening is going to happen. Perhaps the context of that is America which may be different due to the scale of the problem.

[niko_cee]

“If people just decide to let it burn in most areas and we do lose a couple million people it’d probably be over by the fall,” says Binney. “You’d have football. You’d also have two million dead people. And let’s talk about that number. We’re really bad at dealing with big numbers. That is a Super Bowl blown up by terrorists, killing every single person in the building, 24 times in six months. It’s 9/11 every day for 18 months. What freedoms have we given up, what wars have we fought, what blood have we shed, what money have we spent in the interest of stopping one more 9/11? This is 9/11 every day for 18 months.”

:happycry:

There are all sorts of things that are 9/11 everyday FOREVER (probably 9/11 x 10) and yet we still sell supersized big mac meals and let everyone slowly kill themselves with tobacco.

I'm genuinely (well, sort of, maybe not really) concerned that the outcome of all this will be absolutist nutbars embarking on a 'whataboutery' crusade for all the other shit (good) things we used to be allowed to have/do in the name of public health.

First on the block, Adamski's takeaway last night.

[Queenslander]

Easily the most shameful treatment of a CEO I have ever seen. The amount of wife bashers that were constantly abusing her online was disturbing. Without a doubt most wouldnt have seen a second of Union in their lives.

I guess the next CEO will again live in Eastern Sydney.


Raelene Castle was a victim of "abhorrent" social media bullying that meant her position as Rugby Australia chief executive had been discussed for a period of six months, interim chairman Paul McLean has revealed.

McLean admitted to being appalled by what Castle had shown him over the past few months, and hit out at sections of the media who had promoted misinformation, as both external and internal forces brought about her resignation on Thursday evening.

A meeting on Wednesday night "crystalised" the board's thinking before McLean informed Castle on Thursday that she no longer had its support, a position to which she had previously confirmed would result in her walking away from the game.

"One of my greatest concerns with Raelene was her welfare and how she was on a daily basis because a lesser person would have thrown the towel in ages ago, quite simply," McLean told reporters on a conference call on Friday.

https://www.espn.com.au/rugby/story/_/id/29090871/raelene-castle-victim-abhorrent-bullying-paul-mclean-says

[Queenslander]

Best team of all time.

Steve Roach is funniest sideline man Ive ever heard.

Lewis

This team made Wayne Bennett


https://youtu.be/mJshwkHiCzo


https://youtu.be/t6ulfu_1WyA

[Lewis]

He's a right headache as a pundit these days, so he must have lost his mind.

Those nineties Brisbane teams were obscene. Do people tend to rate that one or the 1997/1998 winners as the better side?

[Queenslander]

He's a right headache as a pundit these days, so he must have lost his mind.

Those nineties Brisbane teams were obscene. Do people tend to rate that one or the 1997/1998 winners as the better side?



I reckon the 98 team looks the best on paper. That forward pack is enormous. Also Craig Bellamy was the Assistant coach.



BRONCOS: Darren Lockyer, Michael De Vere, Steve Renouf, Darren Smith, Wendell Sailor, Kevin Walters, Allan Langer (c), Shane Webcke, Phillip Lee, Andrew Gee, Gorden Tallis, Brad Thorn, Tonie Carroll. Reserves: Michael Hancock, John Plath, Kevin Campion, Petero Civoniceva

[Lewis]

The third party agreements on that lot must have been astonishing.

[Queenslander]

The third party agreements on that lot must have been astonishing.

Without a doubt.

Property and race horses for everyone.

[Lewis]

They will have been paying overs, but it might actually not have been all that bent. The salary cap at the time allowed for the inflated legacy contracts from Super League, and they soon lost a few big players to union and our Super League (Steve Renouf was shit hot for Wigan, who will have been paying him loads). I bet the halves were getting extras, but there was probably no need to be dodgy across the board.

[Queenslander]

The Origin and Kangaroos money would also have been a lot as well.

Im trying to think of when the salary cap became an issue.

[Lewis]

It seems that punishment for breaching it only came in in 2000, and the NRL website has a partial list (https://www.nrl.com/news/2010/04/22/history-of-nrl-salary-cap-breaches/) of all the breaches. Nobbling Canterbury in 2002 looks like the point it became serious, since they will have been happy to turn a blind eye to stuff like Newcastle bumping certain people up.

[Queenslander]

2002 Roosters were very suss.

Brett Mullins though :drool:

ROOSTERS
1. Luke Phillips - Gone
2. Brett Mullins - Gone
3. Shannon Hegarty - Gone
4. Justin Hodges - Gone
5. Anthony Minichiello
6. Brad Fittler (capt) - Gone
7. Craig Wing
8. Jason Cayless - Gone
9. Simon Bonetti - Gone
10. Peter Cusack - Gone
14. Adrian Morley - Gone
12. Craig Fitzgibbon
13. Luke Ricketson - Gone

11. Bryan Fletcher - Gone
15. Andrew Lomu - Gone
16. Chris Flannery
17. Michael Crocker - Gone

[Lewis]

Adrian Morley would have played for free. :cool:

[Queenslander]

God he was scary. :cool:

[Queenslander]

:lol:


Latrell Mitchell, Josh Addo-Carr charged with firearms offences, NRL hands out hefty fines

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-28/nrl-fines-players-for-breaking-coronavirus-restrictions/12193882

[Queenslander]

No bloody way the NRL goes ahead this year.


The Daily Telegraphreports that Deputy Premier John Barilaro has warned that the NSW Government could shut down the season restart if another player breaches guidelines.

“This is the warning shot,” Barilaro told The Daily Telegraph.

“When the game gets going again, no player can breach the rules.

“Once the NRL competition is up and running, players must understand their actions could have broader ramifications for the entire game.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/live-nrl-cops-warning-shot-over-wayward-stars-as-20round-season-is-locked-in/news-story/ef16d1d70b6e49e3832613aa21f472aa

[Lewis]

Paul 'Kenty' Kent calling them out for 'playing the culture card' surprised me. He's right, but they usually tiptoe right around that.

[Queenslander]

Oooffff

Just read Paul Kents spray.

https://coupler.foxsports.com.au/api/v1/article/amp/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2020-paul-kent-sprays-latrell-mitchell-josh-addocarr-nathan-cleary-social-distancing-covid19-coronavirus/news-story/a0295e74c6e5ff6c3cd8d7634652b785

[Queenslander]

Paul 'Kenty' Kent calling them out for 'playing the culture card' surprised me. He's right, but they usually tiptoe right around that.

They just have to ban them for this season.

[Lewis]

They were probably going to until Nathan Cleary's lie fell to bits. :lol:

[Queenslander]

Yeah what a chancer :D

[Queenslander]

Dave Alred has been at Ballymore this whole time during lockdown. If he can turn one of those blokes into Johnny Mk2 Ill pass the hat around for statue outside Suncorp.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_cPvg6Fn9I/?igshid=1xf2yn1o5kt2h

[Queenslander]

:cool:

https://i.ibb.co/KLHNSJb/FB-IMG-1588298987845.jpg (https://ibb.co/z7w8DzQ)

[Queenslander]

Latest update on the NRL is players refusing to get the flu vaccine.

No jab no play.

No surprise the God bothering Samoans being the loudest about it.

[niko_cee]

I'd imagine there's a strong anti-vax sentiment in the 'Islander' community, seeing as they seem to be pretty batshit by every other conceivable standard.

[Queenslander]

I'd imagine there's a strong anti-vax sentiment in the 'Islander' community, seeing as they seem to be pretty batshit by every other conceivable standard.

The batshit infuencer wags in Sydney are also having opinions.

[niko_cee]

Yeah, I'd imagine it's a bit of a perfect storm.

BilL GAtEs iS TryINg TO pOISoN eVReYoNE!

What's the logic behind compulsory flu jabs though - so flu symptoms don't become confused with coronavirus symptoms?