From The Couch: Round 19, 2019
From The Couch: Round 19, 2019
Coyne Goes … And So He Should: Mark Coyne stepped down from the Australian Rugby League Commission on Saturday and not before time. It was something he should have had the decency to do the moment he was arrested. No position can be held to a higher standard. These are the keepers of the game. The fact he took so long to resign is an indictment on not only his clear lack of respect for Rugby League. It is an indictment on Peter Beattie, who sought the view and support of clubs before forcing Coyne’s hand. Beattie displayed no leadership and complete hypocrisy during his “canvassing”. He should follow Coyne out the door. Any chance we can get someone who is not a complete muppet to lead the ARLC?
The Greatest Place on Earth: Let there be no doubt in anyone’s mind that the greatest place in Rugby League and therefore on earth is Henson Park. And when Henson Park is full with league lovers enjoying plenty of beers, some outstanding food and the greatest game of all, it is almost literally heaven. The Balmain Choir belting out “Flame Trees” at halftime just made it perfect. I wasn’t lucky enough to be there but got enough video and enough photos to feel like I was if that feeling is what profound jealousy feels like. Those running the club should be incredibly proud for the work they’ve done in making Henson Park the place to be. The official crowd of course was 8972 but it is believed 9500-plus were on hand.
Stitch-up Central: The New Zealand Warriors got stitched up on Saturday against Parramatta as badly as any team this year. This was their #MeToo moment, when referees Chris Sutton and Chris Butler handed the Eels the match on a platter. If the 50-50 calls had hit on Anzac Day, it would have been 26 tails on the trot and the ring would have been a bloodbath. The final call against Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was appalling but it was the consistent anti-Warriors stance in every call that was most galling.
Krillich Needs To Get In His Box: Max Krillich has fallen into the trap that so many footballers of yesteryear have fallen into … being bitter and irrelevant. His ridiculous comments about Cameron Smith just painted the former Kangaroos captain as a relic. Players who played the game deserve plenty of respect for their deeds on the field. Disrespecting one of the greatest of all-time only makes done sound like a moron. Craig Bellamy’s stinging rebuke said it all.
Farah’s Deserved Honour: Robbie Farah is by no stretch a popular player. Most fans of the game cannot cop him. Coaches hate him, especially his own. He is not all that kosher with teammates. He is a tough-as-nails player though who got through 300 games playing with hardness and nous. He was no Cameron Smith but he sat as the next best for a long, long time. He deserved to get to 300 games and his whack to Jason Taylor on the way through would have made it all the more sweeter.
1994 Fullback Power Rankings: The power rankings of the fullbacks from the 1994 season. Only players who played nine or more games were considered.
1-Brett Mullins (Canberra) – The Dally M Fullback of the Year who was at the peak of his powers in ‘94
2-Matt Seers (Norths) – Scored nine tries and led Norths to second on the ladder
3-Matthew Ridge (Manly) – Second top-pointscorer and led the Sea Eagles to the finals
4-Julian O’Neill (Brisbane) – Starting Maroons fullback and led Broncos to the finals before all the major controversies derailed his career
5-Robbie O’Davis (Newcastle) – Only beginning but really emerged as a fullback of the future in ‘94
6-Tim Brasher (Balmain) – Not his best year but was the regular NSW fullback of the era
7-Andrew Leeds (Wests) – Played for perennial strugglers but as reliable as anyone
8-Rod Silva (Easts) – Livewire who was on the outs at Easts but would go on to win a title with the Bulldogs 12 months later
9-David Riolo (Illawarra) – Electric runner who was on the downswing but still had some pace. Loved the headgear.
10-Scott Wilson (Canterbury) – Played in the Grand Final but had an all-time stinker and dumped from the Bulldogs straight after.
11-Rod Maybon (Canberra) – Touted as a Kangaroo bolter but form tailed and only a journeyman after.
12-Dave Watson (Cronulla) – Kiwi international who was only fair in his first season in the premiership.
13-Darrell Trindall (Souths) – Livewire halfback tried as a makeshift custodian with little success.
14-Matt Adamson (Penrith) – Made his mark as a forward, where he played rep footy. Penrith struggled with him at the back.
15-Scott Mahon (Parramatta) – Plodder who was completely forgettable in a 117-game career
16-Michael Gillett (Balmain) – Brasher replacement who played 112 games but mainly in the halves
Injury Update – Prime Minister: Scott Morrison is set to be sidelined for 4-6 weeks with an injured hand due to his over-vigorous singing of ‘Up, Up, Cronulla’ after the Sharks rolled the Cowboys. He is without question Australia’s greatest league loving Prime Minister.
Henry Perenara Correct Video Referral Rate – Round 19: 0/3
2019 Field Goal Update – 27: Blake Green slotted a matchwinner against the Sharks in Round 18 while Daly Cherry-Evans hit a 90th minute matchwinner against the Storm in a game of many field goal attempts, two of which hit the post.
Fun Fact #1: The 1988 Canberra Raiders team had five players who would go on to coach State of Origin: Craig Bellamy, Laurie Daley, Ricky Stuart, Mal Meninga and Kevin Walters.
Fun Fact #2: The 1988 Raiders team had 14 players who played Origin or Test football.
Fun Fact #3: Canberra’s 1988 team scored more than any Raiders team in their first 12 years of existence including the ’89 and ’90 premiership sides
Betting Market of the Week: The next dastardly way the NRL will do over the Warriors:
$1.60: Appoint Ashley Klein and Henry Perenara to their next game
$2.40: Deduct the team competition points
$2.80: Tinker with the draw to give the Warriors 18 road games
$3.60: Provide special salary cap relief to allow the club to sign Adam Blair for another five years
$5.00: Make Stephen Kearny the Warriors’ coach for life
Rumour Mill: Kevin Walters will be announced as the next coach of the Gold Coast Titans as early as this week. The Warriors and Knights are leading the race for Api Koroisau. St Helens prop Luke Thompson is close to signing with South Sydney. Matt Prior has been linked with a move to Parramatta while Josh Reynolds has been linked with the Warriors.
Random Fact of Rugby League Stupidity: Jacob Saab is the second Saab to play premiership football after Charlie Saab, who played 38 games for Souths, Wests and Cronulla between 1988 and 1993.
Game of the Year Nomination, Round 18: New Zealand – Cronulla, 19 – 18. A cracking game where the Warriors ground out a win when trailing for most of the match.
Game of the Year Nomination, Round 19: Melbourne – Manly, 10 – 11. This game will not get beaten. It had it all and was played at such a remarkable level, it had the feeling of a Grand Final. Truly amazing Rugby League.
Moronic Coaching Decision of the Week: Dean Pay giving Kerrod Holland any sniff of first grade is just utter madness. Holland was given a bath by Joseph Manu.
The Coaching Crosshairs: St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor is well in the crosshairs with the club believed to have made a play for Justin Holbrook. The Saints have committed t McGregor, which means he is well on the hotseat. There is an element in the club unhappy with his coaching and with the Saints in freefall, it would not stun to see him ousted at the end of the season.
Beard Watch: Brad Parker currently holds the title for ‘King of the Redbeards’.
Correspondence Corner: Michael Butterfield, there aren’t too many at Canterbury who would be excited about an Andrew McCullough move.
CTPE, young coaches can’t afford to wait. Remember when David Fairleigh was the next star? Jim Dymock? Waiting is poison without major name recognition. Canterbury are not overly attractive but Top 8 jobs don’t usually come knocking and there is enough history and enough low expectation to succeed.
Knight Vision, Joey has the most talent of any player I’ve ever seen. But I think longevity and success all count and that puts Smith just in front in my humble opinion. And heard a very similar story about Coyne.
Davey_G, very sound assessment of T-Frizzell.
Watch It: This week we travel back to 1990 and watch the vicious incident where Michael Speechley headbutted the fist of the delightful Terry Lamb. It was pleasing to see referee Eddie Ward agree. Watch it here.
I was quite stunned to hear Paul McGregor rebuking Todd Greenberg for not meeting his team about De Belin earlier than he did. Such rubbish. The behaviour of this entire club from Mark Coyne down is a stain on the game. And this is a club that owes the NRL a huge debt for propping it up financially for years.
Warriors – robbed again but I have a slightly different take. For years the club has been selecting the wrong type of player as captain. RTS is a great player, Simon Mannering was also a great player for the club but they are the wrong personality type for captains. Undoubtedly they have great respect, and mana, among their peers but this counts for little when it comes to being a great captain.
Let me explain. I was a relatively high level rugby union ref in New Zealand, I did top club level games which sometimes featured some of the best players of the game. Since moving to Japan several years back I have been reffing rugby league games in Tokyo. A referee needs a strong captain. Someone who comes up to you a handful of times in games and questions the 50/50 calls. Someone who approaches you at the right time to clearly and concisely outline concerns, or just simply get in your head. It keeps you on your toes, it helps control the unconscious bias, or home ground crowd advantage.
I don’t see that from RTS. There were several instances against Para where an articulate well timed comment could have done wonders:
Early in the game Harris-Tavita is pinged for a one on one strip. Adam Blair had dropped off with his arms in the air. RTS – “Sir, that was a 50/50 call. Blair had dropped off. But if that is the standard please keep to it all game”.
Penalty count gets to 6 or 7 to 1. RTS – “Sir, the penalty count is something like 8-1, or maybe higher. Are you telling me we are that bad, and Para are faultless? Last set they were not square for three or four tackles”*
Ken Maumalo goes over untouched in the corner to score – remaining on his feet. Touchie signals try. Ref goes upstairs. RTS – “Sir, Ken has scored untouched, touch judge is right there, you are too. Why are we going upstairs? Why do we go upstairs for all our tries but not Para?”**
Gerard Beale is striped with three, yes three, players on him. RTS – “Sir, you pinged us early in the game for a one on one strip. There were three players on Beale. One on his legs, two up high. That is three. How is that not a penalty? How is it a penalty against us early, but not against Para now?”***
Each and every comment gets into the head of a ref, and keeps him sharp. It keeps him on his toes, and stops him from simply switching on auto pilot.
RTS is simply too nice a bloke to be an effective captain at this level. It needs someone who is close to the action, and can articulate concerns to the ref at the right time. CS9 is a great example.
That being said, I am not sure who we have in our stocks to be that man. Pity, because it is costing us points.
*It does not matter if they were square last set, but all ref’s HATE being called one eyed. You can almost guarantee that this comment will get you a penalty within the next one or two sets.
**I recall reading an article a couple of years back that the Warriors have the most tries sent upstairs, and by quite a margin. Nothing suggests that this would have changed much.
***Game is mostly gone by now and because play continued for almost three of four sets this is a tough situation for a captain. But without doubt the ref would have known he made a howler.
I hope your continued hate towards Jack Wighton continues, he is having a blinder of a season and has proved himself to be a very good 5\8. Humble pie is delicious sometimes, you need to try it
Brad Parker has gone from manly whipping boy to hero this season. His nickname is Hank Scorpio (the Simpsons).