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79 Articles

Reflecting on a decade of remarkable growth

LOOKING back over the past decade of rugby league, everyone will have their favourite memories. My top five (in no particular order) are: Johnathan Thurston’s extra-time field goal to win the Cowboys’ first title in 2015; Sam Burgess’ heroics in the Rabbitohs’ drought-breaking grand final win of 2014; the rise of Tonga and their victories over New Zealand, Great Britain and Australia; Darren Lockyer’s match-winning field goal against the Dragons in his final game for the Broncos in 2011; and the Blues’ triumph in torrential rain before a record crowd at Perth’s Optus Stadium in 2019. Historically, the 2010s will be viewed as a period of stability and prosperity for the game in Australia; marked by the establishment of the Australian Rugby League Commission in 2012 and the signing of two bumper…

Reflecting on a decade of remarkable growth

THE NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE 2019 The National Rugby League was formed in 1998, under a partnership arrangement between the Australian Rugby League and Super League/News Limited, to administer the national competition. The Australian Rugby League Commission organises the NRL competition, State of Origin and Australian representative matches and works with the International Rugby League and other Rugby League bodies to foster Rugby League throughout the world. The role of the ARLC is to be the single controlling body and administrator of Rugby League in Australia. It has responsibilities for fostering, developing and funding the game from the junior to the elite levels. The ARLC is comprised of seven independent commissioners. AUSTRALIAN RUGBY LEAGUE COMMISSION The Hon. Peter Beattie AC (Chairman – stood aside October 30), Peter V’landys AM (Chairman – from November 1),…

TEAM OF THE 2010s

CONTRIBUTION across the decade was the major criteria in selecting our Team of the 2010s. Most of the choices were clear cut; Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk, for instance, demanded selection; others were less obvious, such as centre and wing where stand-out selections were thin on the ground. Also, there were players who could be considered unlucky to be overlooked. Sharks veteran Paul Gallen and Storm prop Jesse Bromwich both possessed strong claims, as did Broncos Justin Hodges and Sam Thaiday. Our team has a strong Queensland flavour, reflecting the Maroons’ dominance of State of Origin during the decade of the 2010s and there is also recognition of the growing Pacific influence on the game, with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Jason Taumalolo and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves earning their places. Our Team of the Decade…

TEAM OF THE 2010s

RAPID RISE OF THE NEXT WAVE OF STARS

AFTER years of domination by a nucleus of star players, the game’s regeneration continued in 2019 when a new group of stars began to make a serious impact at all levels. Sure, Cameron Smith was still playing quality football for the Storm and Cooper Cronk continued to impose himself at the Sydney Roosters, but from club to representative level, the emergence of new talent abounded. This new talent was especially evident in our Team of the Year for 2019. Within its ranks there is only one player who made his first appearance in the Team of the Year earlier than the past two seasons. Manly halfback Daly Cherry-Evans earned a recall for the first time since 2013, largely for the part he played in lifting the Sea Eagles into the play-offs after…

RAPID RISE OF THE NEXT WAVE OF STARS

DAMIEN COOK COOK was the catalyst for attacking play that brought crowds to their feet in 2019; building on a breakout season with the Rabbitohs in 2018 and refining his dummy-half play as opposition teams increasingly devised plans to shut him down. Cook reached new standards with the Rabbitohs, ran more often, improved his kicking skills and created more scoring opportunities for team-mates than any other hooker in the game. He carried these improvements through to representative level where his timing and energy were pivotal factors in the Blues’ back-to-back series successes and also to Australia’s victory over New Zealand in October. Cook dazzled from the outset with the Rabbitohs, routinely breaking games open with his judicious ruck running and after tearing the Cowboys to shreds in Magic Round, coach Wayne Bennett…

1993 Players of the Year: Mark Coyne, Brad Mackay, Ricky Stuart, Kerrod Walters, Steve Walters. Team of the Year: Michael Potter (St George); Willie Carne (Brisbane), Mark Coyne (St George), Brad Fittler (Penrith), Noa Nadruku (Canberra); Kevin Walters (Brisbane), Ricky Stuart (Canberra); Ian Roberts (Manly), Steve Walters (Canberra), Glenn Lazarus (Brisbane), Bob Lindner (Illawarra), Paul Sironen (Balmain), Brad Mackay (St George). 1994 Players of the Year: Bradley Clyde, Greg Florimo, Brett Mullins, Dean Pay, Ricky Stuart. Team of the Year: Brett Mullins (Canberra); Rod Wishart (Illawarra), Steve Renouf (Brisbane), Ruben Wiki (Canberra), Sean Hoppe (North Sydney); Greg Florimo (North Sydney), Ricky Stuart (Canberra); John Lomax (Canberra), Steve Walters (Canberra), Ian Roberts (Manly), Dean Pay (Canterbury), Bradley Clyde (Canberra), Brad Fittler (Penrith). 1995 Players of the Year: Laurie Daley, Brad Fittler, Andrew Johns, Gary Larson, Steve Menzies. Team of…

PLAYER MOVEMENT

HEADING into the final week of November, the ‘watch this space’ sign in the NRL player market was almost ready to be retired. Wests Tigers were hopeful of landing the prized signature of Latrell Mitchell, who had also “toured the facilities” in Townsville after indicating an interest in playing for the Cowboys. But the major target for North Queensland was Valentine Holmes, who officially signed a huge six-year deal with the club. Holmes was signed to the New York Jets’ practice squad after failing to win a place on the NFL outfit’s active roster but walked away from the code to return to rugby league for the Cowboys. The Canberra Raiders were hopeful of completing a deal with talented Melbourne Storm centre Curtis Scott; Cronulla prop Matt Prior was edging close to…

PLAYER MOVEMENT

KEN McCROHON 1932-September 30, 2018 Born in the northern NSW tablelands town of Tingha, McCrohon played his early football with Armidale and represented Country Seconds against City and Northern Division against Puig Aubert’s touring French side in 1951 before heading to Brisbane’s Western Suburbs in 1954. He helped Wests to a 35-18 grand final victory over Brothers in his first season and in 1956 played the first of seven interstate matches for Queensland. He was Australia’s fullback in the first Test against the touring New Zealand side of 1956 but despite Australia’s 12-9 victory in a tryless match at the SCG, McCrohon lost his place to goal-kicking ace Gordon Clifford for the second. After a stint as player-coach with Kempsey, McCrohon was signed by Redcliffe as playercoach and helped guide the Dolphins…

RETIRING CLASS OF 2019

Cooper Cronk Sydney Roosters (2018-19), Melbourne (2004-19) First grade games: 372 Honours: 38 Tests Australia; 22 games Queensland; 1 game NRL All Stars; Dally M Medal (2013, 2016); Golden Boot Award (2016); Dally M Halfback of the Year (2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016); Clive Churchill Medal (2012); RLIF Halfback of the Year (2012) Cooper Cronk achieved more than even he could have imagined. Through the junior ranks, Cronk was never the most skilful on the team and would often miss out on representative teams. So if you told a 20-year-old Cronk that he’d go on to play 371 NRL games, 38 Tests and 22 Origins, he simply wouldn’t have believed you. He also played in a staggering nine grand finals and finished his career with historic back-to-back premierships with the Roosters. He’s a lock…

RETIRING CLASS OF 2019

State of Origin

GAME 1: QUEENSLAND 18, NSW 14 Maroons stun confident Blues A SUFFOCATING display of pressure football allowed the Maroons to overturn an 8-0 deficit and take the opening honours in the 2019 series after a frantic contest at Suncorp Stadium. The Maroons failed to take their chances in the first half but returned full of intent at the change of ends and amped up the pressure on the Blues with relentless defence. The crushing pressure exposed the Blues’ inexperience, forced them into error both with the ball and in defence and despite a late NSW retort, the Maroons’ determination lifted them to a famous win. The Blues might have had the advantage at the break, but the eight-point lead was anything but convincing. They scored their only try when James Tedesco disrupted the Maroons’…

State of Origin

Women’s State of Origin

GAME 1: NSW 14, QUEENSLAND 4 Blues battle back for another title NEW South Wales fought back from a half-time deficit to beat Queensland 14-4 to retain the women’s State of Origin shield. In front of a crowd of 10,515 at North Sydney Oval, the Blues were outplayed in the first half but came storming back in the final 30 minutes, with star five-eighth Kirra Dibb putting on a show. The home side scored three tries to one to ensure the shield remained south of the border. The Maroons held a 4-0 at the break with back-rower Tazmin Gray scoring the lone try of the first half. Queensland had a number of opportunities to increase their advantage but the Blues defence held strong. Tallisha Harden had a great chance to bag an Origin try for Queensland…

Women’s State of Origin

Oceania Cup: AUSTRALIA 26, NEW ZEALAND 4 New-look Roos cruise to victory AN Australian side featuring five players on debut overpowered the Kiwis’ forwards before their speed men took over in an historic Test match in Wollongong. Mal Meninga’s team underwent significant change from the side beaten 26-24 at Mt Smart Stadium in 2018, with eight new faces including Test newcomers Jack Wighton, Josh Addo-Carr, Nick Cotric, Payne Haas and Paul Vaughan. Meninga’s side reflected New South Wales’ two-year dominance of State of Origin, with 12 Blues in the line-up and only a handful of Maroons. It was the lowest representation of Queensland players since 2006. Their Kiwi opposition featured a mix of youth and experience and included Test newcomers Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (Canberra), Braden Hamlin-Uele (Cronulla), Zane Tetevano (Sydney Roosters) and Corey Harawira-Naera (Canterbury). It…

Junior Roos unleash on French

THE future of rugby league in Australia is bright after the Junior Kangaroos embarrassed France in a 62-4 romp at WIN Stadium. Fielding an ‘Australia A’ team of NRL stars after the Junior Kangaroos age limit was increased from 20 to 23, the home side ran riot with a dozen tries. South Sydney winger Campbell Graham bagged a hat-trick while man of the match Victor Radley, Zac Lomax and Ryan Papenhuyzen collected doubles in the curtainraiser to the Trans-Tasman Test. Lomax also booted five goals to finish the game with a massive individual haul of 18 points. Brian Kelly, David Fifita and Corey Horsburgh also bagged four pointers to emphasise the dominance of the young Australians. Kalyn Ponga had the chance to play in the halves again after his experiment at five-eighth for the…

Kumuls add to GB woes

GREAT Britain’s horror tour came to an end with a shock 28-10 loss to PNG in Port Moresby. After losing to Tonga then going down in back-to-back Tests to New Zealand, this was the Lions’ last chance for redemption on tour but they were overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of the home side. When Englishmen Blake Austin and Josh Hodgson scored the game’s opening two tries, it seemed the Lions would run away with a comfortable away victory, however the Kumuls came to life in front of the passionate locals. Edwin Ipape scored just before the break to reduce the half-time deficit to four, and after the break, the home side ran riot. Watson Boas, Justin Olam, Alex Johnston and Nixon Putt all found the line. The game wrapped up an embarrassing…

World Cup Nines

RUGBY league Nines returned to the international calendar when 12 nations met at Bankwest Stadium in October. Traditional league nations Australia, New Zealand and England were joined by emerging Pacific nations Tonga, Fiji, Samoa and the Cook Islands, and minnows USA, PNG, France, Lebanon and Wales in the men’s tournament. Pool Stage Australia dominated the two-day event, going through the entire tournament without a loss; and the pool stage seemed easy for the home side. The Aussies opened their campaign with scintillating 25-12 win over rivals New Zealand on the Friday night. Josh Addo-Carr was at his electrifying best as he scored the opening two tries. The Kiwis hit back with a try to Brisbane winger Jamayne Isaako, but Australia were dominant in the second half. The home side continued their dominance on Saturday with…

World Cup Nines

Ferns exact revenge after first-up defeat

AFTER Australia had beaten New Zealand in the group stage of the tournament, many thought the Jillaroos would be unstoppable; however that turned out to be untrue as he Kiwi Ferns registered a shock win in the final. The Australians were dominant in the early fixtures; defeating New Zealand (22-8), PNG (30-6) and England (42-4), but it was a different story in the final. Despite going down to the Jillaroos, the Kiwi Ferns played well against England (33-4) and PNG (24-12) and deserved their place in the decider. Australia started in spectacular style, with Tiana Penitani scoring after just 92 seconds, but Raecene McGregor hit back for the Kiwis just minutes later. Star second-rower Kezie Apps was next to score, giving the home side an 8-7 lead at the break. The visitors hit the…

Ferns exact revenge after first-up defeat

World Club Challenge

SYDNEY ROOSTERS 20, WIGAN 8 Roosters crowned kings of the world BRETT Morris made the perfect start to his time with the Sydney Roosters when he bagged a first-half hat-trick in their decisive World Club Challenge defeat of Wigan. Forced out of Canterbury through salary cap pressures, Morris was snapped up gratefully by Roosters coach Trent Robinson, who had been on the lookout for an experienced replacement for Parramatta-bound winger Blake Ferguson. Rather than take up a position on the flank, Morris found himself shifted to left centre after Latrell Mitchell decided to forego the UK trip and instead represent the Indigenous All Stars. Despite having next to no experience at centre, Morris looked at home in a potent Roosters’ three-quarter line. The 32-year-old made full use of his experience to evade Wigan defenders; first…

World Club Challenge

INDIGENOUS ALL STARS 34, MAORI ALL STARS 14 Pace decides historic clash of cultures SPEED and superior fitness proved an exhilarating mix for the Indigenous All Stars, who handed the Maori All Stars a 20-point defeat in an entertaining game at AAMI Park. Fielding one of the fastest backlines ever assembled, the Indigenous team raced in seven tries against a high-quality Maori outfit. Josh Addo-Carr, James Roberts, Bevan French, Alex Johnston and Blake Ferguson rank among the game’s leading speedsters and their skills were applauded by an appreciative crowd of 18,802, who turned out for the first All Stars game to be staged in Melbourne. As well as their speed advantage, the Indigenous team were fit and fresh after a full off-season training with their NRL clubs, while many of the Maori players were…

Holden Women’s Premier ship

Broncos Sunshine State dominates again IT was a case of déjà vu in the NRLW as Brisbane claimed their second title in as many years after another dominant campaign. Following two wins from three games in the regular season, the Broncos finished in first position and faced St George Illawarra in the decider at ANZ Stadium. The Queensland side entered the game as marginal favourites, but they blew their opponents off the park with a dominant 30-6 victory. “I believe this side can keep winning in the coming years. The culture we have is what makes everyone better as a team,” said prop Millie Boyle. “Our off-field culture makes us better on the field. People want to be a part of the Broncos and hopefully that keeps the key players here.” The Broncos may have dominated, but…

Holden Women’s Premier ship

Brilliant Broncos go back-to-back

LOST in all the hype of the Roosters winning back-to-back titles is the fact the Brisbane Broncos remain the only team to taste NRLW premiership glory after they defended their title with a clinical 30-6 win over the Dragons. A week after they suffered their first defeat in two seasons, the Broncos showed why they were still the best team in the competition as they bounced back in style against a Dragons team that had raided their stocks before a ball was kicked. The loss of five stars saw some pundits write the Broncos off, but they were left red-faced as Brisbane got on with the job and confirmed their status as the number one team in the country. They headed into the grand final as slight favourites against a Red V outfit…

Brilliant Broncos go back-to-back

De Belin drama sign of bigger issue

December 13 Red V’s dark day St George Illawarra forward Jack de Belin is charged with aggravated sexual assault involving a 19-year-old woman in Wollongong. January 20 No more nonsense NRL boss Todd Greenberg promises to unleash some of the toughest penalties in the game’s history to curb player misbehaviour. “Don’t look at historical punishments,” Greenberg said. “The penalties are going to get harder and tougher. Players will be spending longer out of the game for misbehaviour.” February 12 Hearings begin Shocking allegations of aggravated sexual assault against St George Illawarra’s Jack de Belin are heard in Wollongong Local Court as de Belin’s lawyer successfully applies for bail conditions to be varied to allow his client to travel interstate to play for the Dragons. Calls for de Belin to be stood down until his case is heard grow…

De Belin drama sign of bigger issue

NOVEMBER November 20 Holmes’ American dream Valentine Holmes announces he is quitting the Sharks to pursue his ambition of playing in the NFL. Holmes had a year to run on his contract. November 27 ‘SJ’ seeks release Shaun Johnson requests a release from the final year of his contract to pursue a new opportunity. The Warriors agree and CEO Cameron George fires a parting shot by claiming Johnson failed to live up to his $1 million-a-season price tag. November 30 Still staying Wayne Bennett fronts a media conference at the Broncos vowing to remain at the club in 2019 despite a continuing push for a swap with Anthony Seibold to take place immediately. DECEMBER December 1 Shark solution Cronulla sign ex-Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson to a three-year contract. December 2 Seibold’s spray paves way Dally M Coach of the Year Anthony Seibold unloads his frustrations at…

Surfaces come under scrutiny

March 9 Rough but ready Large sections of the Sydney Cricket Ground playing surface are torn up during a Super Rugby clash between the Waratahs and Reds, raising concerns ahead of the Round 1 showdown between South Sydney and Sydney Roosters. SCG ground staff work overtime to repair around 3,000 square metres of turf. March 15 SCG holds up South Sydney kick off the Wayne Bennettera with a 26-16 defeat of 2018 premiers the Sydney Roosters at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The repaired playing surface of the SCG holds firm despite heavy rain. March 23 Unlucky at Lottoland The playing surface at Lottoland again comes under fire after Sydney Roosters winger Brett Morris damages a knee during his team’s 26-18 defeat of Manly. Roosters coach Trent Robinson calls on the NRL to introduce a grading standard for grounds.…

March 1 Judgement Day NRL boss Todd Greenberg hands down a range of penalties to misbehaving players and sanctions Cronulla and Wests Tigers over salary cap infractions. Manly back Dylan Walker is stood down until a domestic violence matter is dealt with by the courts in May; Canterbury recruit Dylan Napa is fined 10 per cent of his 2019 salary after several offensive videos were aired on social media; while North Queensland prop Scott Bolton is suspended for 10 weeks after pleading guilty to common assault, although the sentence will be reduced by half if he addresses the captains of all 16 NRL clubs during the game’s Magic Round in Brisbane in May. Cronulla are fined $750,000 for salary cap breaches over several years, not including the club’s premiership-winning year of 2016.…

March matches: Rounds 1-4

Round 1 March 14, 15, 16 & 17 COWBOYS 24, DRAGONS 12 DRAGONS HIT BY WRECKING BALL A DECISION to switch Jason Taumalolo from the middle to edge paid off handsomely for Cowboys coach Paul Green after the 117kg Tongan produced one of his most belligerent efforts in a decisive win over the Dragons. Taumalolo was unstoppable as he carved out almost 300 running metres and regularly left Dragons defenders in his wake to set up the victory. An early charge paved the way for a try to winger Javid Bowen, another led to a four-pointer for Te Maire Martin and at no stage did the Dragons defence look like containing his ferocious bursts. St George Illawarra set the pace early but a single try to centre Euan Aitken was their only reward. Mikaele Ravalawa…

March matches: Rounds 1-4

Magic Manly capture the imagination

April 6 Never say die The Sea Eagles’ despair at losing fullback Tom Trbojevic for a lengthy period with the recurrence of a hamstring injury is eased by a golden point field goal by halfback Daly Cherry-Evans (pictured) which secures a 13-12 win over South Sydney. April 20 Making mistakes The Sea Eagles are left fuming after officials fail to penalise a clear obstruction by a Dragons player that would have given captain Daly Cherry-Evans the opportunity to send the Round 6 clash into golden point. NRL Head of Football Graham Annesley concedes the incident should have drawn a penalty and touch judge Nick Beashel is dropped as a result. April 28 Origin uncertainty for DCE The Sea Eagles record one of their grittiest victories in years, downing Canberra 24-20 despite losing halfback Daly Cherry-Evans with an ankle…

Magic Manly capture the imagination

April 1 Slapped with a fine Newcastle fine centre Tautau Moga $60,000 after he is placed on a six-month conditional release order for slapping a taxi driver on December 26, 2018. April 2 Growing pains Parramatta rookie Dylan Brown is sidelined indefinitely with bone bruising in his lower back. Ross-dog wraps up Newcastle winger Nathan Ross is forced to retire due to ongoing groin and pelvic injuries. April 5 Pangai pinged for hot shot Brisbane lock Tevita Pangai is charged with dangerous contact for a late tackle on Sydney Roosters halfback Cooper Cronk at the SCG. The Broncos’ first visit to the venue ends in a 36-4 defeat. Clutch Cleary Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary displays nerves of steel to land a last-minute sideline conversion and a golden point field goal to sink Wests Tigers in a much-hyped contest at Panthers Stadium. April 7 Happy…

April matches: Rounds 5-8

Round 5 April 11, 12, 13 & 14 TITANS 30, PANTHERS 24 PALTRY PANTHERS PAY THE PRICE A PENALTY try to former Panther Bryce Cartwright proved crucial for the Titans as they finally broke their duck for the season in a high-scoring contest with Penrith at Cbus Super Stadium. The game was deadlocked at 24-all with less than 15 minutes to play when match officials made the call to award the penalty try after Cartwright was held back attempting to ground a ball in the Panthers’ in-goal after a kick by winger Dale Copley. Michael Gordon converted from in front of the posts to lift the Titans to a 30-24 lead which they maintained through to full-time. The siren brought relief for the Titans and a modest Friday night home crowd after the club claimed…

April matches: Rounds 5-8

Injuries create Origin headache

May 3 Wounded ‘Moose’ Queensland’s State of Origin hopes suffer another injury blow when key forward Josh McGuire limps off 1300SMILES Stadium with a torn calf muscle. May 6 Hooker hobbled Brisbane lose experienced hooker Andrew McCullough to an injured MCL after an accident at training. The 29-year-old faces a month on the sidelines and is likely to be unavailable for the opening game of the State of Origin series. May 24 Coping with concussion Luke Keary’s almost-certain place in the New South Wales team is thrown into doubt after he is forced off McDonald Jones Stadium with a heavy head knock as the Roosters crash to a 38-12 loss to Newcastle. Keary suffers his fourth concussion in less than 18 months and faces a lengthy stint on the sidelines. May 25 More Origin chaos New South Wales State of Origin…

Injuries create Origin headache

May 2 First blood to Bennett South Sydney end a week of intense focus on the coaching duel between Wayne Bennett and Anthony Seibold with an emphatic 38-6 victory over the Broncos at ANZ Stadium. News Limited publish a series of articles on the machinations behind the deals that resulted in Seibold moving to the Broncos and Bennett moving south after his relationship with the Broncos’ hierarchy soured. The Broncos’ line-up includes 18-year-old Tom Dearden, the youngest player to make his run-on debut at halfback in the club’s history. Almost blew it The Federal Court hears that Telstra threatened to tear up its $15 million sponsorship with the NRL over off-field behavioural issues during the off-season. The revelation was heard in submissions supporting the NRL’s no fault stand down policy. May 3 Sharks stun Storm Missing a…

May matches: Rounds 9-12

Round 9 May 9, 10, 11 & 12 ROOSTERS 30, RAIDERS 24 TRI-COLOURS HOLD ON IN MAGIC ROUND THRILLER THE Roosters emerged from a thrilling Magic Round clash against the Raiders with two competition points but not before a series of injuries stretched their resources to the limit. James Tedesco was in devastating form as the competition leaders cruised to a 24-6 lead inside half an hour, but when Latrell Mitchell limped from the field after crossing for a second try in the 28th minute, the Roosters’ fortunes took a sudden turn. They’d already lost Boyd Cordner to concussion after 12 minutes and soon after Mitchell departed with concerns for a groin injury, Daniel Tupou was injured after falling awkwardly in a tackle. Coach Trent Robinson was left with the prospect of one fit interchange…

May matches: Rounds 9-12

June 2 The eyes have it Raiders rookie Hudson Young is charged with dangerous contact after an alleged eye gouge on Canterbury prop Aiden Tolman. He is suspended for five matches. June 3 Preparing to succeed The Rabbitohs get set to lose captain Sam Burgess for an extended period as he prepares for surgery on his left shoulder. The representative round and Souths’ bye in Round 16 are expected to minimise Burgess’ time off the field. June 5 Maroons boosted by Gagai double Queensland fight back from an 8-0 half-time deficit to sink New South Wales 18-14 in a torrid State of Origin opener at Suncorp Stadium. Maroons winger Dane Gagai scores twice and is named man of the match, while Latrell Mitchell is sin-binned for a professional foul. June 6 Ash abstains Gold Coast halfback Ash Taylor is granted an…

Contract circus in full swing

June 9 Dallin goes to the Dogs Canterbury win the race to sign Penrith fullback Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (left) despite intense interest from Parramatta and Wests Tigers. Watene-Zelezniak links with the Bulldogs immediately ahead of a club debut against the Roosters in Round 14. June 11 Future star signs The Roosters win the race to sign a player rated one of the most gifted young talents in the game when 16-year-old Ipswich schoolboy Sam Walker agrees to a two-year-deal worth at least $150,000 per season. June 19 Triumph for Tigers Wests Tigers fullback Corey Thompson knocks back a lucrative offer from Penrith to re-sign with the Tigers for a further two seasons. Meanwhile, Tigers chief executive Justin Pascoe returns to work after his temporary deregistration by the NRL expires. June 25 Contract wars The Broncos sneak under the guard of South Sydney…

Contract circus in full swing

June matches: Rounds 13-16

Round 13 June 7, 8, 9 & 10 SHARKS 42, EELS 22 XERRI ON TOP IN GRAHAM RETURN WADE Graham made a seamless comeback from knee surgery as the Sharks handed the Eels a 42-22 thumping at PointsBet Stadium. Graham was all class in his first hit-out since tearing an ACL in the Sharks’ 2018 qualifying final loss to the Roosters, breaking the line twice and establishing an immediate partnership with Bronson Xerri, who scored two |of the Sharks’ seven tries. Cronulla took control early to lead 14-0 after 25 minutes and never relaxed their grip on the result, even if a late dip in intensity allowed the Eels to score three tries. Chad Townsend also earned wide praise for his control and composure in another near-flawless performance. The Eels were behind the eight-ball early after Clint…

June matches: Rounds 13-16

July 1 International dispute The Lebanese Rugby League Federation sensationally ban 17 leading players including Robbie Farah, Josh Mansour and Mitch Moses from representing the Cedars in future internationals after they are charged with “misconduct for acts prejudicial to the interests of Lebanese rugby league and sport”. July 2 Vision impared South Sydney prop George Burgess is suspended for nine matches after pleading guilty to eye gouging Wests Tigers hooker Robbie Farah. Getting the nod Referee Gerard Sutton and video official Jared Maxwell are retained for the State of Origin decider, along with assistant referee Ashley Klein, despite a series of errors in the Penrith-Warriors Round 15 clash at Mt Smart Stadium. July 3 Familiar feeling? Newcastle halfback Mitchell Pearce is sensationally recalled to the New South Wales line-up after Nathan Cleary fails to recover from an ankle injury ahead…

Titans swing the axe after torrid start

July 14 Garth gone Gold Coast Titans management terminate the contract of coach Garth Brennan (pictured) following a mid-season review into the club’s disastrous 2019 results. Assistant coaches Craig Hodges and Luke Burt are handed the responsibility of guiding the team for the balance of the season. Queensland coach Kevin Walters immediately rules himself out of the running. July 15 Coach clarity Gold Coast chairman Dennis Watt said the appointment of the club’s next coach is the most critical decision in the Titans’ history. “There are plenty of other people banging on the door who would like to lynch teams elsewhere,” he said. “[The decision] is critical. Appointing the coach is the most important decision we’re going to make.” July 25 Unlikely candidate The Courier Mail reveals that the Gold Coast knocked back an approach from Wayne Bennett…

Titans swing the axe after torrid start

July matches: Rounds 17-20

Round 17 July 12, 13 & 14 BULLDOGS 20, KNIGHTS 14 DARK OF KNIGHT BRINGS DOG DELIGHT THE Knights paid the price for dropping their guard against the Bulldogs with a six-point loss that left their place in the top eight on shaky ground. All four of Newcastle’s Origin players backed up 48 hours after the Blues’ victory in the series decider, including winning New South Wales players Mitchell Pearce, David Klemmer and Daniel Saifiti, but they were unable to inspire their teammates to another winning effort. The game was poised at 8-all midway through the second half when Knights prop James Gavet was sent to the sin bin as a direct result of the NRL’s crackdown on late tackles. Gavet hit Canterbury lock Chris Smith off the ball, causing Smith to suffer whiplash. While…

July matches: Rounds 17-20

August 2 Dominance continues The Storm continue their dominant record over the Broncos with a 40-4 lashing at Suncorp Stadium. It’s Melbourne’s 17th win from their past 19 games against the Broncos. Storm prop Christian Welch suffers a season-ending ACL injury. August 4 Heady daze The NRL blames a technical issue for Cronulla five-eighth Matt Moylan remaining on the field for 10 minutes after he suffered a potentially serious head knock in his team’s clash with South Sydney. A replay facility made available to medical staff on the sideline went offline for an estimated 13 minutes. August 6 Roosters chase the sun The Sydney Roosters announce plans to play a home game in Perth for the next three seasons. The Roosters follow the Bulldogs in locking in a home game at HBF Park until the end of 2022. Price…

Finals fade in new Knight-mare

August 2 Recruit departing Newcastle coach Nathan Brown confirms that Jesse Ramien has played his last game for the club after a mutual parting of ways. “There’s nothing in it at all,” says Brown. “Sometimes it just doesn’t work out.” August 19 Brown stands down Despite the Knights sitting two points outside the eight with three rounds before the finals, Brown agrees to stand down as coach at the end of the season. August 24 Dark day for Knights Days after Nathan Brown makes the call to stand down as coach, the Knights capitulate 46-4 to Wests Tigers at Campbelltown Stadium. Club legend Andrew Johns accuses certain figures at the club of “sabotaging” the Knights’ finals ambitions. August 27 Hasty exit Nathan Brown walks away from the Knights amid reports that the team was divided in its support for him. According…

Finals fade in new Knight-mare

August matches: Rounds 21-25

Round 21 August 8, 9, 10 & 11 BRONCOS 18, COWBOYS 14 TURPIN RE-IGNITES DERBY MAGIC FILL-IN halfback Jake Turpin stole victory for the Broncos with a try in the final minute of the clash with the Cowboys at 1300SMILES Stadium to breathe life into his team’s finals hopes. In a contest punctuated by errors, it was appropriate that Turpin scooped up an offload from Joe Ofahengaue that hit the deck before he slipped past two defenders to score. The Cowboys looked poised to continue their good record in Townsville derbies when Jake Clifford landed a late penalty goal to put his team ahead 14-12. But in the Broncos’ final attacking raid of the game, the Cowboys were unable to hang on and Turpin took his chance to win the game and propel his team back…

August matches: Rounds 21-25

2019 Tale Of The Tape

TELSTRA PREMIERSHIP 2019 TOP POINTSCORERS (after 25 premiership rounds) TOP TRYSCORERS (after 25 premiership rounds) PLAYER TRIES MAIKA SIVO (Parramatta) 20 Latrell Mitchell (Sydney Roosters) 18 Ken Maumalo (Warriors) 17 Reuben Garrick (Manly) 16 James Tedesco (Sydney Roosters) 15 Daniel Tupou (Sydney Roosters) 15 Cody Walker (South Sydney) 15 Josh Addo-Carr (Melbourne) 14 Josh Morris (Cronulla) 14 Campbell Graham (South Sydney) 13 Corey Oates (Brisbane) 13 Jarrod Croker (Canberra) 12 Reimis Smith (Canterbury) 12 Bronson Xerri (Cronulla) 12 Josh Dugan (Cronulla) 11 Kyle Feldt (North Queensland) 11 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (Canberra) 11 Kalyn Ponga (Newcastle) 11 Mikaele Ravalawa (St George Illawarra)11 Kotoni Staggs (Brisbane) 11 Nathan Cleary (Penrith) 10 Cameron Murray (South Sydney) 10 Dale Copley (Gold Coast) 9 Sosaia Feki (Cronulla) 9 Blake Ferguson (Parramatta) 9 Dane Gagai (South Sydney) 9 Hymel Hunt (Newcastle) 9 Michael Jennings (Parramatta) 9 Esan Marsters (Wests Tigers) 9 Corey Thompson (Wests Tigers) 9 Brian To’o (Penrith) 9 Suliasi Vunivalu (Melbourne) 9 Anthony Don (Gold Coast) 8 Clint Gutherson (Parramatta) 8 Jahrome Hughes (Melbourne) 8 Ben…

2019 Tale Of The Tape

September 1 One in, one out The Sunday Telegraph claims that Channel Nine is pushing for the axing of an existing NRL club to allow for a second Brisbane club to be introduced before the next broadcast deal in 2023. ARLC Chairman Peter Beattie responds that “no club will be forced to move”. Shootout in the Shire A crowd of 18,985 farewell Sharks skipper Paul Gallen in his final home game. The match ends in golden point heartache for Gallen and the Sharks, who fall 15-14 in a dramatic field goal shoot-out. Chad Townsend kicks two one-pointers for the Sharks but is outdone by Aidan Sezer, who pots three for the Raiders. September 2 New man in charge The Newcastle Knights formally announce that Sydney Roosters assistant coach Adam O’Brien will take on the head coaching position…

Big men in trouble as finals heat up

September 5 Spicy encounter South Sydney claim a 16-10 win over the Roosters in a tense local derby at ANZ Stadium but lose enforcer Sam Burgess to a one-game suspension after he is charged with contrary conduct for pulling the hair of rookie Billy Smith. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves also attracts a charge for a high tackle on Rabbitohs prop Liam Knight but successfully proves his innocence at the judiciary. September 13 Repeat offender The Sydney Roosters charge to within one game of the grand final after a dominant 30-6 victory over South Sydney in the opening game of the 2019 Finals Series at the SCG. The only sour note for the Roosters is the reporting of Jared Waerea-Hargreaves for tripping. He is hit with a contrary conduct charge that results in another visit to the judiciary,…

Big men in trouble as finals heat up

Finals Week 1: Sydney Roosters v South Sydney, Melbourne v Canberra, Manly v Cronulla, Parramatta v Brisbane

Qualifying Finals September 13 & 14 ROOSTERS 30, RABBITOHS 6 Ruthless Roosters start off strong THE Roosters took a giant stride towards another grand final appearance with a scintillating opening finals salvo that left the Rabbitohs struggling to keep up. The first finals fixture at the Sydney Cricket Ground since 1987 produced the perfect drawcard of two foundation clubs and one of the most intense rivalries in the game. Disruptions to their backline and the absence of Sam Burgess left South Sydney vulnerable but few could have imagined the Roosters would dominate to the extent that they did. A week earlier, the Rabbitohs downed the Tricolours in the final round of the regular season after fighting back from a half-time deficit. The Roosters started favourites due largely to their imposing record at the SCG however the…

Finals Week 1: Sydney Roosters v South Sydney, Melbourne v Canberra, Manly v Cronulla, Parramatta v Brisbane

September 20 & 21 RABBITOHS 34, SEA EAGLES 26 Wings clipped by late controversy CONTROVERSY reigned after the Rabbitohs ended the Sea Eagles’ season with an eight-point win at ANZ Stadium after three players were sent to the sin bin and Manly coach Des Hasler said: “We were dudded”. Hasler’s gripe revolved around a 9-3 penalty count against his team and the crucial decision to sin bin Jake Trbojevic for a professional foul when the Sea Eagles were in a position to win the game at 26-20. Trbojevic was ruled to have held back Rabbitohs centre Dane Gagai in a try-scoring situation and while he was off the field, the Rabbitohs scored twice to charge to the front. “Were there issues about the game? I think there were,” Hasler asked afterwards. “Do I think we got…

Preliminary Finals

September 27 & 28 RAIDERS 16, RABBITOHS 10 Raiders return to the big stage A SERIES of plays by hooker Josh Hodgson proved crucial for the Raiders as they held off South Sydney to make their way to the grand final for the first time in 25 years. Hodgson was a colossal performer over the course of the preliminary final, but it was his influential impact in a 12-minute period early in the game that will be remembered for years to come. It started with a one-on-one strip on Rabbitohs’ second-rower Ethan Lowe that handed the Raiders possession deep in South Sydney territory, 14 minutes in. On the final play of the set, Hodgson feathered a kick into the in-goal where Corey Allan was confronted by a wall of Raiders’ chasers. It was Hodgson’s tackle…

Preliminary Finals

October 6 ROOSTERS 14, RAIDERS 8 History made in controversial decider THE Roosters claimed the modern game’s Holy Grail when their grand final victory over a gallant Raiders team secured them back-to-back premiership titles. In rugby league’s salary cap era, no team had won consecutive grand finals since the 1992-93 Brisbane Broncos. The same club celebrated title successes in 1997-98 with a win in the one and only Super League competition and another in the inaugural season of the NRL, however no salary cap operated in those chaotic times. Trent Robinson’s team became the first Roosters’ outfit to win back-to-back titles since the Eastern Suburbs teams coached by Jack Gibson and captained by Arthur Beetson in 1974-75. And retiring halfback Cooper Cronk celebrated a hat-trick of titles, the first player to do so since Parramatta…

Terrific Teddy headlines honours

October 2 Teddy on top James Tedesco is named Dally M Player of the Year after holding off a challenge from Cameron Smith. Brisbane prop Payne Haas carries of Rookie of the Year and Prop of the Year, while Melbourne’s Craig Bellamy is named Dally M Coach of the Year for the fifth time. October 14 Simply the best Sydney Roosters fullback James Tedesco is named the Players Champion at the Rugby League Players Association awards in Sydney. The honour caps a remarkable season for the Test star, who also won the Jack Gibson Medal as the Roosters’ player of the year, the Wally Lewis Medal and the Brad Fittler Medal. October 25 Trio for Boyd Test captain Boyd Cordner makes history as the Kangaroos down New Zealand 26-4 at WIN Stadium. Cordner becomes the first New South…

Terrific Teddy headlines honours

OCTOBER October 3 Suss Segeyaro The NRL confirm Brisbane Broncos hooker James Segeyaro has tested positive to the banned performance-enhancing drug LGD-4033, known as Ligandrol. A positive result from his B sample would lead to a four-year ban. October 6 Roosters do the double A late try to fullback James Tedesco ensures the Sydney Roosters become the first team since the Brisbane Broncos of 1992-93 to win back-to-back premierships in a united competition. The grand final, won 14-8 by the Roosters, is mired in controversy after referee Ben Cummins changes a call late in the game, denying the Raiders a fresh set of tackles; while a charged-down kick that hits a Roosters trainer costs the Raiders an attacking opportunity. Drama continues after the final whistle when a mix-up in voting for the Clive Churchill Medal results…

Canterbury Cup; Intrust Super Cup; Ron Massey Cup; State Championship Including competition stats, Team of the Year and Origin Under-20s review

Other Competitions STATE CHAMPIONSHIP Jets power to thrilling victory THE State Championship remained in New South Wales for a fourth-consecutive season following Newtown’s thrilling 20-16 victory over Burleigh at ANZ Stadium. They did it the hardest way possible, leaving it to the final play of the game to snatch the result and break Burleigh hearts. Trailing by two points with seconds left on the clock, Newtown managed to go 70 metres to score on the stroke of full-time – their first lead of the afternoon. It was a repeat of how they won the Canterbury Cup grand final the week prior, with big man Billy Magoulias placing a delicate chip-kick over the top. On this occasion it was Jackson Ferris who chased down the kick, got a fortunate bounce, and ran the rest of the distance…

Canterbury Cup; Intrust Super Cup; Ron Massey Cup; State Championship Including competition stats, Team of the Year and Origin Under-20s review

Dally M Awards 2019

WITH eight rounds of the regular season to play, Sydney Roosters fullback James Tedesco sat well back in the field in the race to take out the season’s Dally M title. At that time the title appeared to be a race in four, with Parramatta’s Mitch Moses holding a narrow lead over Storm pair Cameron Munster and Cameron Smith, with North Queensland’s Jason Taumalolo sitting further back. On 20 points, Moses was six clear of Tedesco and a solid chance of taking out his first major individual honour. But over the final eight rounds of the season, as the Roosters went on a run of seven straight wins, Tedesco went along for the ride. He polled in all eight matches and accrued 20 points out of a possible 24. The first…

Dally M Awards 2019

Other Rep Matches & Internationals

Fiji 44, Samoa 18 ENTERING the game as rank outsides, Fiji produced a stunning upset with a 44-18 triumph over Samoa at Eden Park in Auckland. It was Penrith star Viliame Kikau who set the game alight with two tries and he dominated with every carry of the ball. It was a first-half masterclass by the Bati, who scored five tries within the opening half an hour, and then were relentless in the second half. Joe Lovodua opened the scoring after five minutes before D’Rhys Miller crossed just three minutes later. Kikau grabbed his first try of the afternoon to extend his side’s lead 18-0, and then completed his double moments before the break. Fijian prop Joseph Ratuvakacereivalu also bagged a rare international try, while St George Illawarra star Tim Lafai scored Samoa’s lone try…

Other Rep Matches & Internationals

Australian Scoreboard

NEW SOUTH WALES UNDER-23S COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS Round 1 Riverina Bulls def. Newcastle & Hunter 26-18 Illawarra South Coast Dragons def. Greater Southern Region Wests Tigers 64-4 Great Northern Tigers def. North Coast Bulldogs 26-20 Central Coast Roosters def. Northern Rivers Titans 30-18 Monaro Colts def. Western Rams 62-20 Round 2 Monaro Colts def. Central Cost Roosters 16-12 Illawarra South Coast Dragons def. Riverina Bulls 52-10 Northern Rivers Titans def. Greater Northern Tigers 34-10 Western Rams def. Greater Southern Region Wests Tigers 60-12 North Coast Bulldogs def. Newcastle & Hunter 62-0 Semi-Finals Illawarra South Coast Dragons def. Northern Rivers Titans 42-22 Monaro Colts def. North Coast Bulldogs 33-6 Final: Illawarra South Coast Dragons 42 (C.Purcell, W.Aitken, T.Pellow, M.Applebee, C.Vazzoler, J.Dickson, K.Sampson tries; Vazzoler 7 goals) def. Monaro Colts 12 (N.Cornish, N.Halalilo tries; M.Geiger 2 goals) at Glen Willow Regional Stadium, Mudgee, April 5. ILLAWARRA SOUTH COAST DRAGONS: Tony Pellow…

Australian Scoreboard

Bitter end disguises potential

WHEN commentators discuss the subject of consistency, they typically refer to the Melbourne Storm as the benchmark and how there is minimal difference between their best and their worst performances. At the Broncos in 2019 the difference between their best and their worst was a yawning chasm. At their peak, the Broncos matched strides with the leading teams in the competition. They defeated eventual premiers the Sydney Roosters in Round 10 with a display of intensity and enthusiasm that the premiers couldn’t match – one of five victories over top eight teams for the season. When their young forwards rolled up their sleeves they were almost unstoppable. In Round 2 against the Cowboys, Tevita Pangai finished well on top in a personal duel with Jason Taumalolo and led to a dominant…

Bitter end disguises potential

Defence leads to greener pastures

AFTER their long-awaited rise in 2019 and their heart-breaking grand final defeat, it’s almost inconceivable to think that the Raiders won’t be knocking on the door for premiership honours again next season. Their premiership window looks wide open – the average age of their grand final team was a youthful 25, and their squad will remain largely intact for 2020. However, history shows that the Raiders have struggled to back up successful seasons. Not since 2003-04 have they contested successive finals series and, up to this year, their past six finals series have been followed by a lean campaign. It is hard to see how that fate could befall Ricky Stuart’s team in 2020. Bailey Simonsson, a runaway success in first grade for much of the season, will slot seamlessly into the wing…

Defence leads to greener pastures

Foran loss a big blow for Pay’s pups

BULLDOGS fans have had some tough breaks in recent years: The departure of long-term players, coaching and board upheaval and three years in the finals wilderness. But few incidents have rocked the club as much as the shoulder injury suffered by Kieran Foran representing New Zealand against Great Britain in November. The 29-year-old had begun to recapture his old form late in the season as the Bulldogs made a welcome charge up the rankings after looking certain to be lumbered with the wooden spoon for the first half of the year. Foran battled ankle and hamstring injuries over the early rounds but for the final month there were promising signs as he brought experience and direction to a young team and helped them carry on a remarkable late charge. Over that final month,…

Foran loss a big blow for Pay’s pups

Missed chances in year of upheaval

IN some respects, it was remarkable that the Sharks qualified for the finals at all in 2019. Five times they scored more tries than their opposition but lost; three times they fielded line-ups that were more experienced than their opponents by over 1,000 NRL games and lost. Seven games (against the Broncos they scored more tries and were significantly more experienced) that they should have won but they let slip. Another seven wins would have seen them push Melbourne for the minor premiership, secure a home qualifying final and give themselves a double shot at another title. Those failures have led to much soul-searching in the off-season and have undoubtedly caused first-season coach John Morris sleepless nights. Poor goal-kicking was an obvious factor, but it’s only logical to assume that a poor…

Missed chances in year of upheaval

Titanic collapse hits rock bottom

UNEARTHING positives from a Titans season that spiraled to record depths in 2019 is like dredging Sydney Harbour to find a speck of gold dust. It was a wretched year for the club, one which yielded the fewest wins and the fewest tries; resulted in the longest losing streak in the club’s 13 seasons in the NRL and produced the club’s worst defensive record. The results precipitated the departure of coach Garth Brennan, whose contract was terminated less than two years after his appointment following a mid-season review of the football department. There were whispers of player unrest; leading playmaker Ash Taylor was granted time away from the game to address personal issues and rumours persisted that Tyrone Peachey wanted to return to Sydney. Performances on the field showed promise early as the…

Titanic collapse hits rock bottom

Des the architect of rapid recovery

CONSIDERING the state the Sea Eagles were in at the end of 2018 after a salary cap mess that left them unable to make a serious push into the player market and with the lowest-placed finish in the club’s history – Des Hasler’s achievement in dragging the club back into the finals rates as one of the finest achievements of his coaching career. There was always a nucleus of talent, centred on the Trbojevic brothers and Daly Cherry-Evans, however a lack of depth in the Sea Eagles’ roster was expected to undermine any resurgence. But under Hasler’s guidance, the coach who steered the club to premiership success in 2008 and 2011 re-established selfbelief among his players and they re-emerged as a force in the competition in 2019. A slow start had naysayers…

Des the architect of rapid recovery

Minor success falls at last hurdle

WITH Cooper Cronk long gone and Billy Slater retiring after the 2018 Grand Final there was a popular view that the Storm would struggle to maintain their high standards and figure among the competition’s front-runners again in 2019. Cameron Smith was another year older, there was a lack of experience in key positions and there were any number of opposition teams ready to take their place as the competition’s benchmark team. It didn’t take long for the Storm to silence the doubters. By Round 3 they had moved to the top of the premiership ladder and except for a brief period when they dropped as far as fourth, Craig Bellamy’s men set their course for a third minor premiership title in the space of four seasons. They eventually romped home by six points…

Minor success falls at last hurdle

Hot and cold year ends on Brown note

KNIGHTS fans might be regarded as the most loyal in the NRL but they are also highly attuned to a situation they don’t consider ‘fair dinkum’. Fans voted with their feet late in the season when the departure of coach Nathan Brown, after four seasons at the club’s helm, turned nasty. Midway through the year the Knights had stormed into the top eight on the back of a six-game winning run, only to slump to a losing streak of equal proportions a few weeks later. As pressure on the team mounted and the prospect of missing a place in the play-offs began to loom, Brown made the call to stand aside at the end of the season. A few days later his team capitulated 46-4 to Wests Tigers. Only a month earlier…

Hot and cold year ends on Brown note

Thrown off the horse by injuries and drama

IT was no ordinary injury crisis that rocked the Cowboys to their foundations in 2019. Many of the accidents and conditions that affected a handful of star players were once-in-a-lifetime events. Coupled with a series of off-field incidents that affected the club deeply, it was a season of freakish misfortune that sent the Cowboys tumbling to their lowest finish since 2010. Justin O’Neill had started the season in vintage form, scoring eight tries in eight games, his highest return in three years. He crossed in the 22-16 defeat of the Raiders at GIO Stadium in Round 11, playing out the game despite taking a heavy knock. The following morning he was rushed to hospital with severe internal bleeding, with doctors finding he had broken two ribs which had punctured his spleen.…

Thrown off the horse by injuries and drama

Out of exile, into Parra-dise

A BREATH of fresh air swept through Parramatta in 2019 as the Eels made their much-anticipated move to a sparkling new stadium and a handful of new faces left an indelible mark on the club and its devoted fans. Back in Parramatta for the first time since 2016, the Eels were like kids with a new toy at Bankwest Stadium, especially on opening day when they blitzed the Tigers with an avalanche of tries. Bankwest’s accentuated acoustics lifted the Eels to great heights, especially on the big occasions when the crowd topped 20,000 and the home fans roared their encouragement. There is little doubt the new home was a major factor in the club’s rise from wooden-spooners to semi-finalists and it brought out the best in excitement machines like Fijian winger Maika…

Out of exile, into Parra-dise

Slow start proves too much to overcome

AS Wests Tigers poured through the Panthers’ defence like it was a soggy paper bag in the early minutes of the Magic Round clash at Suncorp Stadium, fans of the club were dumbstruck. How could it ever have come to this? How can we possibly recover? By the end of that game the Panthers appeared to be in utter disarray. A season that began with hopes of a top four finish now lay in tatters after seven losses from their opening nine games. It was the lowest of lows for a club that had been building towards success over a long period. They were finalists three years in a row and now, with a more battle-hardened roster, they should have been achieving the same levels of performance as the NRL’s best teams. Over…

Slow start proves too much to overcome

Promising start burns out quickly

SIX weeks into the 2019 competition, Dragons fans were cautiously optimistic. Their team had come through a period beset with injury and off-field issues to claim four-straight wins and climb into the top eight. The Dragons appeared to have pushed the controversy over the indefinite ban on teammate Jack de Belin to one side and moved on from the long-term injury to five-eighth Gareth Widdop in Round 3 to embark on a month-long run of victories. A loss to the Roosters in a hard-fought Anzac Day encounter at the Sydney Cricket Ground was disappointing, but it was an acceptable performance given the effort displayed by the players. From there, however, the Dragons’ results nosedived dramatically. After winning four of their first six games they managed only four wins from their next 18 and…

Promising start burns out quickly

Top four farewell for league of legends

WHEN the history books are written, the 2019 season will stand as a landmark in the rich story of the Rabbitohs. It may not have been a premiership-winning season but it will be remembered as the year that the red and greens farewelled three giants: Greg Inglis, John Sutton and Sam Burgess. For a club that has been around since 1908 it is not unprecedented to lose three big names in one hit but it is still hugely momentous. In 1957, the Rabbitohs said goodbye to premiership winners Jack Rayner, Les ‘Chica’ Cowie and Denis Donoghue, all players who had spent a decade in the top grade; in 1958 it was Clive Churchill, Ian Moir and Ernie Hammerton and in 1978 the Rabbitohs farewelled Bob McCarthy, George Piggins and Paul Sait. But…

Top four farewell for league of legends

History re-written in new home

LOSING the familiar surroundings of Allianz Stadium could have been a source of frustration for the Roosters and a negative factor in their bid to win back-to-back titles in 2019. The stadium was off limits during the 2018-19 off-season as preparations were made for the ground’s demolition, which began in January. It meant the Roosters were forced to move their administrative and gym facilities to the Entertainment Quarter precinct and play their home games at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Most Roosters players had experienced the SCG at some point in their careers, and most were familiar with comments that it was an outdated venue for rugby league, that its angles made it difficult for players to get their bearings and that crowds won’t turn out because they’re too far from the action. Roosters…

History re-written in new home

Bright sparks not enough to ignite

THE Warriors’ bid to back-up their breakthrough season of finals football in 2018 with another top eight finish never left the launching pad in 2019. A breezy victory over the Bulldogs in their opening game at Mt Smart suggested they had all the right elements in place but from there the entire campaign went into freefall. The Warriors won just one of their next seven matches and plummeted to 12th on the competition ladder – and that’s where they would settle for much of the season. There was a slight spike through the representative period but that’s not uncommon for a club that rarely loses any manpower for the State of Origin series and three wins and a draw in the space of five games saw them climb to ninth. But that was…

Bright sparks not enough to ignite

Another year in the wilderness

A NINTH-place finish was all too familiar territory for the Wests Tigers in 2019, especially the circumstances of their final round loss to Cronulla, but at least a semblance of stability returned to the club after the turmoil of recent seasons. The arrival of premiership-winning coach Michael Maguire in November ensured the club could move forward after the messy departure of Ivan Cleary and finally the team was able to operate without constant distractions. The season started on the best possible note with quality wins over the Sea Eagles and Warriors and by the end of Round 2, the Tigers occupied top position on the competition ladder for the first time in the club’s history. Their time at the summit was brief, however, and a 22-8 loss to the Bulldogs the following…

Another year in the wilderness

Grand Final Teams

A SEASON without a grand final is unimaginable in today’s NRL but until 1926 the competition decider that we celebrate as the highlight of the Telstra Premiership was not part of the game’s agenda. The grand final only became possible after a vote of the NSWRL’s General Committee a week before Christmas in 1925. The new competition format was one of a number of changes introduced by the NSWRL in response to deteriorating playing standards. For the first four years of the premiership (1908-11) the NSWRL experimented with finals formats. In 1908 and ’09 there was a four-team finals series but in 1910 and ’11 it came down to a playoff between the two leading teams. The 1910 final between Newtown and South Sydney finished in a sensational 4-all draw but with a…

Grand Final Teams

NSW v Queensland

INTERSTATE RECORDS 1908-2019 Most appearances for New South Wales: Wally Prigg 34, Graeme Langlands 33, Brad Fittler 31, Ray Stehr 30, Joe Pearce 30 Most appearances for Queensland: Cameron Smith 42, Mal Meninga 38, Darren Lockyer 37, Allan Langer 37, Johnathan Thurston 37, Mick Madsen 36 Most tries: Ken Irvine (NSW) 28; Eddie ‘Babe’ Collins (Qld) 19 Most tries in one match: Sid Goodwin (NSW) 6 in 1939; Allan Smith (Qld) 4 in 1979 Most goals: Johnathan Thurston (Qld) 99, Mal Meninga (Qld) 78, Michael Cronin (NSW) 76 Most goals in one match: Greg Hawick (NSW) 15 in 1957; Dan O’Connor (Qld) 12 in 1940 Most points: Johnathan Thurston (Qld) 220 (5T, 99G, 2FG) Mal Meninga (Qld) 188 (9T, 78G); Michael Cronin (NSW) 173 (7T, 76G) Most points in one match: ‘Dally’ Messenger (NSW) 32 (4T, 10G)…

NSW v Queensland

STATE OF ORIGIN PLAYERS’ RECORDS

NEW SOUTH WALES ADAMSON Matt (Penrith): Matches 2 (0+2R). 2001 (0+2R). Points nil. ADDO-CARR Josh (Melbourne): Matches 6. 2018 (3), 2019 (3). Four tries 16 points. AINSCOUGH Jamie (Newcastle, St George, St George Illawarra): Matches 12 (9+3R). 1996 (0+3R), 1997 (3), 2000 (3), 2001 (3). Two tries 8 points. ALBERT Darren (Newcastle): Matches 1. 1999 (1). Points nil. ALEXANDER Greg (Penrith): Matches 6 (4+2R). 1989 (2+1), 1990 (0+1R), 1991 (2). Two goals 4 points. ANASTA Braith (Bulldogs, Sydney Roosters): Matches 10 (9+1R). 2002 (1+1R), 2003 (1), 2005 (2), 2006 (2), 2007 (2), 2008 (1). Two tries 8 points. ANDERSON Chris (Canterbury): Matches 4. 1980 (1), 1982 (1), 1983 (2). Three tries 12 points. AYLIFFE Royce (Easts): Matches 3 (1+2R). 1982 (1+2R). Points nil. BAILEY Luke (St George Illawarra, Gold Coast Titans): Matches 15 (6+9R). 2002 (3), 2003 (0+3R), 2005…

STATE OF ORIGIN PLAYERS’ RECORDS

STATE OF ORIGIN GAME BY GAME

1980 Match 1, Lang Park, July 8 Qld: Colin Scott†; Kerry Boustead†, Mal Meninga†, Chris Close†, Brad Backer†; Alan Smith†, Greg Oliphant†; Wally Lewis†, Rod Reddy†, Rohan Hancock†, Arthur Beetson† (c), Johnny Lang†, Rod Morris†. Replacements: Norm Carr (not used), Bruce Astill (not used). Coach: John McDonald. NSW: Graham Eadie†; Chris Anderson†, Steve Rogers†, Mick Cronin†, Greg Brentnall†; Alan Thompson†, Tom Raudonikis† (c); Jim Leis†, Graeme Wynn†, Bob Cooper†, Craig Young†, Steve Edge†, Gary Hambly†. Replacement: Robert Stone†. Steve Martin (not used). Coach: Ted Glossop. Qld 20 (Boustead, Close tries; Meninga 7 goals) d. NSW 10 (Raudonikis, Brentnall tries; Cronin 2 goals). Crowd: 33,210. Referee: Billy Thompson (Great Britain). Half-time: Qld 9-5. Man of the Match: Chris Close (Qld). 1981 Match 2, Lang Park, July 28 Qld: Colin Scott; Brad Backer, Mal Meninga, Chris Close,…

STATE OF ORIGIN GAME BY GAME

AUSTRALIA INTERNATIONALLY

MOST APPEARANCES Darren Lockyer 59 Cameron Smith 56 Mal Meninga 46 Graeme Langlands 45 Petero Civoniceva 45 Brad Fittler 40 Reg Gasnier 39 Johnny Raper 39 Greg Inglis 39 Johnathan Thurston 38 Cooper Cronk 38 MOST AS CAPTAIN Darren Lockyer 38 Cameron Smith 33 Clive Churchill 27 Brad Fittler 25 Wally Lewis 24 Mal Meninga 24 Graeme Langlands 15 Keith Barnes 14 Max Krilich 10 Ian Walsh 10 AUSTRALIA V. MOST POINTS Note: Up to and including the second Test against France in 1982, tries were worth three points. In all Tests since that match, tries have been worth four points. MOST GOALS Johnathan Thurston 165 Mick Cronin 141 Mal Meninga 99 Andrew Johns 89 Graeme Langlands 73 Cameron Smith 67 Mat Rogers 66 Michael O’Connor 65 Noel Pidding 61 Keith Barnes 59 MOST TRIES Darren Lockyer 35 Ken Irvine 33 Greg Inglis 31 Reg Gasnier 28 Billy Slater 27 Bob Fulton 25 Brett Morris 23 Mal Meninga 21 Graeme Langlands 20 Brad Fittler 18 BIGGEST WINS 110-4 v Russia at The Boulevard, Hull, November 4, 2000 82-0 v Papua…

AUSTRALIA INTERNATIONALLY

AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONALS

Below is the complete list of 832 players who have represented Australian teams under the control of the Australian Rugby League and its predecessors the Australian Board of Control and the New South Wales Rugby League, from 1908 to 2019. A supplementary list includes the 30 players who played for Australian teams under the control of Super League in 1997. Teams in brackets indicate the club(s) the player represented at the time of selection. In instances where a locality is listed in italics it indicates that a player represented from a district that did not, at the time, support a local competition. Key: GB = Great Britain, NZ = New Zealand, F = France, PNG = Papua New Guinea, E = England, FJ = Fiji, IR = Ireland, L =…

AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONALS

SUPER LEAGUE INTERNATIONALS (1997)

The following 30 players represented the Australian side under the control of the Super League organisation in 1997. ADAMSON Matt (Penrith): Tests 5. NZ (2), GB (3). Points nil. CLYDE Bradley (Canberra): Tests 2. NZ (1), GB (1). Points nil. DALEY Laurie (Canberra): Tests 5. NZ (2), GB (3). Four tries 16 points. ETTINGSHAUSEN Andrew (Cronulla-Sutherland): Tests 4. NZ (1), GB (3). Points nil. FURNER David (Canberra): Tests 1. NZ (1). Two tries 8 points. GIRDLER Ryan (Penrith): Tests 4. NZ (2), GB (2). Sixteen goals 32 points. GOWER Craig (Penrith): Tests 5. NZ (2), GB (3). Three tries 12 points. GREEN Paul (Cronulla-Sutherland): Tests 2. NZ (2). Points nil. GREENHILL Craig (Cronulla-Sutherland): Tests 3. NZ (1), GB (2). Points nil. HAUMONO Solomon (Canterbury-Bankstown): Tests 1. NZ (1). Points nil. HOWE Rodney (Perth Reds): Tests 1. NZ (1). Points nil. KEARNS Robbie…

SUPER LEAGUE INTERNATIONALS (1997)

AUSTRALIA'S POST-WAR COACHES

MENINGA Mal: Tests 17 (2016-19). NZ (4) 2016, SC (1) 2016, E (1) 2016, NZ (1) 2017, E (2) 2017, F (1) 2017, L (1) 2017, S (1) 2017, FJ (1) 2017, NZ (1) 2018, T (1) 2018, NZ (1) 2019, T (1) 2019. 2016 Four Nations tour, 2017 World Cup. Record: Won 15, lost 2. SHEENS Tim: Tests 31 (2009-15). NZ (2) 2009, E (2) 2009, F (1) 2009, NZ (3) 2010, PNG (1) 2010, E (1) 2010, NZ (3) 2011, E (2) 2011, W (1) 2011, NZ (2) 2012., NZ (1) 2013, E (1) 2013, FJ (2) 2013, IR (1) 2013, U (1) 2013, NZ (1) 2013, NZ (3) 2014, E (1) 2014, S (1) 2014, NZ (1) 2015. 2009, 2011 Four Nations tours, 2013 World Cup. Record: Won…

NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONALS

Below is the complete list of 818* players who have represented New Zealand teams under the control of the New Zealand Rugby League from 1907 to 2019. Teams in brackets indicate the club (or region) the player represented at the time of selection. The number immediately following the player’s name indicates his position in the New Zealand Internationals Register. ABBOTT Edwin (201) (Waikato): Tests 2 (1932). One try 3 points. ACKLAND John (579) (Auckland): Tests 1 (1983). Points nil. ACKLAND Ron (354) (Auckland): Tests 18 (1954, 1957, 1959-63). One try 3 points. AH KUOI Fred (522) (Auckland, North Sydney, Hull): Tests 28 (1975, 1977-85). Five tries 17 points. AH MAU Leeson (812) (St George Illawarra, Warriors): Tests 9 (2018-19). Poinst nil ALFELD Robin (575) (Canterbury): Tests 1 (1983). Points nil. AMER Allen (405) (Canterbury): GB-France tour 1961. AMOS…

NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONALS

WINNING TEAMS TELSTRA PREMIERSHIP WINNERS: Sydney Roosters NRLW PREMIERSHIP WINNERS: Brisbane MINOR PREMIERS: Melbourne WORLD CLUB CHALLENGE: Sydney Roosters HOLDEN STATE OF ORIGIN: New South Wales HARVEY NORMAN STATE OF ORIGIN (Women): New South Wales NSW CANTERBURY PREMIERSHIP: Newtown QLD INTRUST SUPER CUP: Burleigh RON MASSEY CUP: Wentworthville NRL SCHOOLBOYS CUP: Kirwan State High School INDIVIDUAL AWARDS GOLDEN BOOT: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck WOMEN’S GOLDEN BOOT: Jessica Sergis DALLY M MEDAL: James Tedesco CLIVE CHURCHILL MEDAL: Jack Wighton WALLY LEWIS MEDAL: James Tedesco RLPA PLAYERS’ CHAMPION: James Tedesco CLUB PLAYERS OF THE YEAR BRISBANE BRONCOS: Payne Haas CANBERRA RAIDERS: Josh Papalii CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS: Will Hopoate CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS: Chad Townsend GOLD COAST TITANS: Moeaki Fotuaika MANLY WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES: Jake Trbojevic MELBOURNE STORM: Dale Finucane NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS: Mitch Barnett NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS: Jason Taumalolo PARRAMATTA EELS: Mitch Moses PENRITH PANTHERS: James Fisher-Harris SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS: Damien Cook ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS: Cameron McInnes SYDNEY ROOSTERS: James Tedesco WARRIORS: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck WESTS TIGERS: Luke Brooks…

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