From The Couch: Round 11

From The Couch: Round 11

Sonny Bill Will Blow if He Is Not Banned For Life As He Should Be: The world has in some ways improved over the last 25 years. In other ways, we have lost our way as a society. One area that fills the latter is our lack of appetite as a society for vindictiveness and retribution. Just look at the modern world of HR. It is impossible just to fire anyone these days no matter what the employee must do. The world now seems to have the Neddy Smith green light that the Dodger dished out so generously. Gone by the wayside too is a backbone to stand up for one’s self. In 2008, Sonny Bill Williams urinated on Rugby League when he walked out on the game under the shadow of darkness to play French rugby union. He should have copped life from the game then and there. Todd Greenberg was the Bulldogs CEO at the time and talked a tough game but ended up copping a settlement and then welcoming him back when he went to NRL HQ. Williams of course walked away again to chase the money like a d-grade actress heading to San Fernando Valley. Now he wants back in. He will be horrendous if he is allowed back. His performances for the Toronto Wolfpack were nothing short embarrassing. He seemed intent on taking the cash and not getting tackled. It didn’t work in Super League and it will not work here. We can all only hope that we never have to find out.  

Green Departure Done Right: Paul Green is North Queensland’s best and only premiership winning coach. It was also time for him to go. His time had come to an end. His message was stale, the club has severely underachieved the last three seasons and despite protestations, he was off with a number of senior players. 

The timing was tremendous for both club and former coach. 

Paul Green will walk into a job in 2021. He will likely be sounded out for the Broncos, a club he was linked to just two years back. The Broncos could mess it up. If they do he will coach either Cronulla or New Zealand. 

The Cowboys also set up as a nice opportunity for a new coach. The club is not in need of a total rebuild. It has some strong building blocks and will appeal. Craig Fitzgibbon and Wayne Bennett should be the top of the priority list. Bennett is a genuine chance and Fitzgibbon would seriously have to consider leaving the Roosters with the talent available. 

Civil War Sums Up Broncos Plight: The unholy civil war at the Broncos sums up exactly why the Broncos are in the predicament they are in. The leadership of the club refuses to admit their mistakes. The front office refuses to answer any difficult questions. The coach looks not only lost and out of his depth but has a list of pre-prepared excuses at the ready. The players sulk and throw the towel in and show more energy snapping back at old boys on social media than they do in toughening up on the field. Money goes to the wrong people. Focus goes to the wrong areas. David Fifita’s departure shows how poorly the list has been managed and how off the club is. Bringing Wayne Bennett back may be the only answer for a club on its knees. 

The Overpaid Moneyguzzlers: News Limited papers fired off a piece this weekend on the Top 100. Here are the most overpriced from the Top 100. 

1.Matt Moylan (19)
2.Dane Gagai (64)
3.Jack Bird (11)
4.Moses Mbye (22)
5.Darius Boyd (35)
6. Kieran Foran (5)
7. Ash Taylor (4)
8.Russell Packer (36)
9. Ben Hunt (2)
10.Shannon Boyd (65)
11.Tevita Pangai Jnr (57)
12.Coen Hess (85)

13.Adam Blair (68)

The Bunker’s Problem Is The Idiots In It: Paul McGregor is right. The problem with The Bunker is not the use of technology. The problem is the idiots who are empowered to make the decisions. They have essentially filled it with a bunch of Henrys. There is no accountability. Yep, Steve Clark and Ben Galea got dumped from the Sunday game today. They were replaced by Jared Maxwell, who has made a series of heinous errors on nearly a weekly basis. There is no accountability just populist attempts at shutting up coaches and the masses. If the NRL is serious about reforming The Bunker, they will start over. They cannot bring in old referees. There is something cultural that completely eradicates logical thinking. They need to bring in specialist video referees. Those who know and understand the rules but have not come up through a system where they believe they are smarter than everyone else in the game. You could create an app and decisions are based on a majority decision and even factoring in self-interest the accuracy rate would be greater. Referees are in the heat of the battle. They make mistakes. There is no excuse for anything but 100% accuracy in The Bunker. 

Welcome Back, Vossy: The finest caller in the game, Andrew Voss, was sadly missing in Round 10 after requiring emergency eye surgery last week. It was incredible to hear him back in action in Round 11, calling the Raiders-Rabbitohs. He did not disappoint, coming out with two pearlers:

“He could have been riding the topweight in Race 1 at Rosehill today: – a gem for those who saw Hugh Bowman’s effort in same.

“The strippers are out in Canberra tonight.”

Welcome back Vossy … Rugby League is better when you are involved. 

2020 Field Goal Update – 12: Sadly we have endured another round without a field goal in a sad indictment on the game 

Fun Fact #1: The Titans are 10-33 in games Bryce Cartwright has played for the club

Fun Fact #2: Bryce Cartwright has scored four tries in 43 games for the Titans

Fun Fact #3: Bryce Cartwright has missed 262 tackles in 112 career games … including 102 in 43 games for the Titans. 

Betting Market of the Week: Sydney clubs offered Bryce Cartwright will:

$1.02: Mostly laugh at home and his agent

$1.04: Suggest border controls mean they cannot talk to him for the next 21 years
$1.20: Talk up what a wonderful area Belmore is and provide a nine-year contract

Rumour Mill: The Canberra Raiders are expected to announce the signing of Ryan James. Sonny Bill Williams is expected to join the Sydney Roosters on a short-term deal in what is a complete blight on the game. Toby Rudolf is going to re-sign with Cronulla. Bryce Cartwright and Curtis Scott have both sickeningly been linked with Canterbury. 

Moronic Coaching Decision of the Week: Moving Anthony Milford to fullback turned out to be another stroke of genius from supercoach Anthony Seibold. Milford ran for 40 metres in a completely guileless display. 

The Coaching Crosshairs: Anthony Seibold was told last week that he has to win five games in his final 10 to keep his job. He now needs to win five of nine. And that may be his best case scenario. Paul Green’s sacking at the Cowboys is likely to have a major domino effect. He was strongly linked to the Broncos two years ago and will certainly be strongly sought after. Green will have options and the Broncos continue to get flogged so they are going to need to move quicker than they perhaps wanted. Seibold is well and truly on the clock. 

Beard Watch: Jared Waerea-Hargreaves is not really known as a beard connoisseur but he is sporting a real hardman beard at the moment. 

Watch It: Long missed is the old City v Country game. This week we go back to 1984 and the City Seconds v Country Seconds. Watch it here.