From The Couch: Preliminary Final Weekend

Free Billy: Billy Slater should not be suspended. He shouldn’t have been penalised. He shouldn’t have been charged. He shouldn’t have been forced to endure the sleepless nights he no doubt has since last Friday with the absurd notion that he could miss his fairytale farewell because of the idiocy of Rugby League officialdom.

Let’s take away the fact that Billy Slater is one of the true greats of the game, a genuine superstar beloved by many, a player truly deserving of a farewell on par with Mal and Baa and Royce and those that walked out lifting the trophy. It isn’t important in the argument.

What is important is this. The shoulder charge rule – against better judgment or common sense – was introduced to stop front-on hits that led with the shoulder. Even though a rule against high contact existed and this additional rule was totally unnecessary and totally reactionary to a few isolated incidents, there can be no argument that the spirit in which it was introduced was not to prevent cover defence where first contact was with the shoulder.

That is what we have here. A simple cover tackle where Slater was moving at high speed, Feki looked to step back inside and contact was made. There should have been no charge. It would be a travesty and an indictment on those that run the game if Slater was to be ousted.

If he is out, justice does not exist in Rugby League.

Farewell To The Grand Old Girl: It is hard to grasp that Rugby League will be no more at the Sydney Football Stadium. After kicking off in 1988 with St George and Eastern Suburbs, the ground hosted its final match 31 years later, a gripping 12-4 Roosters win over arch-rivals South Sydney. Over 31 seasons, the SFS hosted 724 games of Rugby League including 11 Grand Finals, 13 Origins, five World Cup matches and 14 Tests, as well as numerous World Sevens. I’m not sure if the feeling was the same when the Sydney Sports Ground closed its doors in 1986 but the loss of a great stadium, a house of memories and of feeling and of the love of the game that flows deep within is about as sad as it gets in sport. There will be a brighter and shinier stadium with all the new amenities and bells and whistles and memories will be created but it won’t be the same. It never is. You can never replicate the feeling of seeing a big-time footy stadium for the first time when you were a kid and that was the first one I’d seen, travelling up from Orange to watch Jason Taylor kick a field goal to beat the Broncos in a semi in the early 1990s. I would have been to the ground for probably 80-100 games since and it never disappointed. Farewell SFS, you’ll long live in the heart.

A Drop Goal For The Ages: Regular readers of this column know that there is no more precious happening than that of the meaningless field goal. And there has arguably been no better one this century than that slotted by Hemel Stags fullback Louis Sheriff. Down 16-0 to Bradford, Sheriff slotted a one-pointer to put the Stags down 16-1. The Bulls extended their lead to 52-1 before, sadly, Hemel scored a try in the final minute of the game to go down 52-7. It was Sheriff’s first field goal.

Full Credit To The Boys: If anyone is looking for a great Rugby League podcast to listen to, get the podcast machine rolling to Full Credit To The Boys. This week’s episode was no doubt stunk up by the guest but Former Legend and Sid Punts run a loose game that is highly entertaining.

2018 Field Goal Update – 40: No field goals this weekend with only one shot launched.

Fun Fact #1: Immortal Arthur Beetson, future Immortal Cameron Smith, internationals Greg Pierce, Issac Luke, Luke Ricketson, Steve Roach, Carl Webb, John Lomax, Jim Serdaris and Peter Ryan have all missed Grand Finals through suspension.

Fun Fact #2: The Sydney Football Stadium hosted 11 Grand Finals – only three different Sydney teams lifted the trophy at the ground – Canterbury, Penrith and Manly.

Fun Fact #3: Six grounds have hosted the premiership decider: The SCG, SFS, Stadium Australia, Sydney Sports Ground, Sydney Agricultural Ground and QEII.

Betting Market of the Week: Gerard Sutton will be appointed as senior referee in the NRL Grand Final:

$1,001: No
$1.0001: Yes

Rumour Mill: Issac Luke is all but out at the Warriors with the club resigned to the fact a one-year deal won’t get it done. The Knights seem to be favourites. Nathan Peats may well find himself in strife after a recent Instagram story that did not paint him in a very good light. Newcastle recruit Jesse Ramien is looking to pull out of making a move to the Knights after football manager Darren Mooney was moved on. Cameron Munster is said to be looking to get out of Melbourne but the smart money is that he will stay with the Storm.

Key Stat for a Player Who Should Not Be in First Grade: Hymel Hunt was named on the bench in all three of South Sydney’s final and did not play a single minute.

Game of the Year Nomination, Finals Week 3: Sydney Roosters – South Sydney, 12 – 4.

The Coaching Crosshairs: Manly are preparing to replace Trent Barrett. While no official word has come down on if the Sea Eagles will punt Barrett or not, they are ready to pay him out with Neil Henry the favourite to replace him. John Cartwright is also in contention.

Moronic Coaching Decision of the Week: Shane Flanagan deserves significant criticism for his reshuffle once Sosaia Feki got hurt that virtually consigned the Sharks to defeat against the Storm. Kurt Capewell is not a winger. He lacks the speed, size and agility to play there and that was exposed in both attack and defence. Flanagan had options. He could have blown up the team and moved Holmes back to the wing, Moylan to fullback and Joseph Paulo to the halves. The less dramatic alternative would have just been to play Ricky Leutele on the wing and move Kurt Capewell to the centres. Either would have been better than the move Flanagan pulled.

Beard Watch: The last Grand Final to be refereed by a bearded official was the 1994 decider where Greg McCallum

Correspondence Corner: Davey G, I very much care who wins … I’m heavy on the Storm at $7. Billy should not be banned.

Mike Butterfield, Gerard Sutton has been a very poor official for a very long time.

Robbie, Hunt went missing and is their highest paid player. No argument.

Gaz, spot on about that Joey try.

Jason, Ben Hunt was very good against the Broncos and was their best player over the first six weeks of the season.

Watch It: It has been 30 years since Terry Lamb’s infamous hit on Ellery Hanley that may or may not have been deliberate and may or may not have helped turn the game. Watch it here while listening to Roy and HG’s call.