The Rocket

NRL 2021 Road to Regions: Adelaide - NRL I had no idea that the `Road to Regions` went outside NSW, I`ve only seen it around NSW so to see it in South Australia is great and it looks like they had a good turn-out. And having Alan Tongue involved is great as well, one of the true gentlemen of League. BTW saw a clip in there of kids playing a `captains ball` type game, I always thought that was a great way to teach kids passing while making a fun game out of it, instead of throwing the ball back to the Captain `netball/basketball` style get the kids to pass it League style. You could even do a version with a play-the -ball and pass. I remember when I was about 8 and moved to the country the school used to go to a park and play it in teams while racing each other, it was thrilling and a lot of fun. Great way to introduce kids to the basics.

As bloody usual Foxtel showing Nine how it should be done. There is a promo running on Nine at the moment, which is quite stirring, has a great scene with JWH beating his chest after something big must have happened on the field, there`s another shot of Corey Oates mouthing the `F` word which funny enough doesn`t come across as offensive, in fact probably a little bit comical because the insinuation is that Corey just put down another bomb, apparently he is quite a fan favourite with the kids up in Queensland. Anyway I would just like to see it a bit more often with only a week to go.

Victorian junior Dean Ieremia promoted to Melbourne Storm's top 30 squad (msn.com) Really heartening to see genuine born and bred Victorians breaking into the NRL. This is what expansion is all about. Dean Ieremia played both afl and League and chose the Rugby League route. The Storm are such a clever club, their ` You can play both codes` campaign last year was such a great idea and for a sport in foreign territory puts the idea into kids heads that they can try something different. Brilliant.

True but they have certainly accelerated. As far as the 20/40 well it`s just another rule that sits in the books and is hardly ever used, little bit like the rule where a team taking a 20 metre tap can instead kick the ball over the sideline, instead of taking the tap, and get the feed down field, rarely used but I have seen it used effectively when a team is desperate to get the ball back at the end of a game. Perhaps 20/40 could serve a similar purpose sometimes. Another thing I like about 40/20, 20/40 is that it often forces the defending team to drop their wingers back, thereby shortening the defensive line, teams are more likely to go for the overlap if the wingers are back and I like anything that encourages backline play. Taps instead of scrums, I`m not sure about that either, it doesn`t look like League to me, have to admit though the bit I saw of your comp this year I was surprised how I didn`t notice the scrums were missing, but I`m still not sure about it.

It is a lot isn`t it, 8 in one go, but it seems that`s how V`landy`s operates, from the day he bought a pub, while still a student, to his time as CEO of Harness Racing Australia, which was an absolute basket case and he turned it around in two years, then CEO of Racing NSW, and what he has done there beggars belief, to be perfectly frank Double, I think we just have to sit back and see where this bloke will take us. One thing that should give us faith that he won`t change the game, on the field that is, beyond recognition is that he played the game and loves the game and is not some technocrat coming in from outside with no background in the game and making wholesale changes. I`d be more worried about that. BTW he played with Gary Jack as a teenager in Woollongong, Jack reckons he could of played first grade if he stuck at it, but got sidetracked with a few other things.

Sir Michael Somare Papua New Guineas first Prime Minister and considered to be the father of PNG died this week aged 84. Mr. Somare was behind PNG`s first bid to get a team in the NRL in 2008. I don`t know but given PNG`s close ties with OZ and let`s be frank the fact that Rugby League is their national sport I would love to see the NRL acknowledge his passing with the offer of formal condolences and ideally see one of either V`landy`s, Abdo, Peter Beattie from the ARL Commission or even Mal Meninga who is a cult hero in PG attending his state funeral. NRL talks about being being a mature and responsible sporting organisation, what better way to show it.

Haven`t watched many old games, but had a look at 10 minutes of this, because of your post, and frankly I`m a little stunned, the players actually appear to want to clear the ruck, they seem more intent on getting back to the defensive line then the lingering in the play the ball that is so much part of today`s game. They release, leap to their feet and sprint off towards the defensive line, the effect on the whole spectacle is that it makes the whole game seem more flowing and even open. Fascinating.

George Williams column: England & Canberra half-back on NRL pre-season & Ryan Sutton's accent - BBC Sport Just in case you missed it, there`s a few laughs in there, turns out Ryan Sutton might be available for Oz, thank you very much.

It is getting awfully crowded over there at the Roosters with young and old `superstars` poor buggers, the superstars that is ..not the the Roosters. I was exchanging posts on here the other day about the benefits of levelling off the comp so that lower teams at least have a chance of winning comps, it seems that a lot of people seem to think that we don`t have the equivalent of your big four over here. I reckon straight up if the cap wasn`t strictly enforced over here, teams like the Roosters wouldn`t just have 4 or 5 stars like they do but they would have 7 or 8. Broncos are another one, if they got their act together off-field they are another team who could afford to stack their team. So the point I`m making we do have clubs that are much wealthier than the rest, you could probably throw in Storm there now as well, but fortunately they generally have to keep shedding stars which in turn brings them back to the pack, otherwise we would end up with a situation like yourselves, same teams every year winning, and we aren`t that far away from that situation as it is, but fortunately in our comp there is still that chance for outliers to come through most years, which of course makes a big difference. Any way mate way off topic again great news about Fiji.

Unrelated to above quote but I think you inquired a while back if trial matches are included in a players suspension, It` puzzled me at the time and just read that Adam Doeuhi for the Tigers will be on the bench for this weeks trial against Manly and then serve the remainder of his suspension by sitting out the first round of the season. So no, trials don`t count and suspended players are free to play in them missing them will not count to reducing your suspension.

The next Latrell? Sydney club sign highly-touted Fijian code hopper | Zero Tackle The good news coming out of Fiji is getting a bit out of hand and I know a lot of people aren`t big on code-hoppers but god-dammit I still get a thrill when I read about a big one. This kid sounds like the goods. I really like the quote it would be like union signing Brad Fittler as a teenager. The Roosters seem to have a knack for signing the next-big-thing and one day we will be big enough so that they won`t want to leave.

Fiji Silktails return to NSW rugby league - NRL 35 players plus coach Wes Naiqama have completed their 2 week quarantine in Sydney Hotel and will now begin preparations for this years Ron Massey Cup, the level below Canterbury Cup. Silktails Club Chairman Petero Civoniceva said the club would be making some big announcements in the next couple of weeks including a feeder club arrangement with an NRL club. Civoniceva said the potential of Rugby League in Fiji was " huge". There is a link to the Silktails Facebook and Instagram accounts in the above post.

Probably not so much as in a case like this but I think sometimes Governments are concerned that a prisoner may not be treated as harshly or have their sentence changed if extradited. There is probably an element in this example of where the NZ public want to see this bloke rotting in one of their gaols where he will get no privileges and probably live permanently in fear of his life. BTW in relation to our exchange yesterday I`ve have become a little concerned that some may view me as some drug taking libertine, I rarely drink and if I am going to be perfectly honest gave up all other recreational past times the day I met my wife, but I was young and very wild once, but still didn`t then or now condone dangerous and foolish behaviour that would put other peoples lives at risk.

Yes I`ve seen the forums in Oz and they are shockers, really gross lowest common denominator stuff, things like referring to the Roosters as the `Rooters` and I`ve seen people saying things like `get a dog up ya` whatever that means, really pathetic stuff. But back to my initial point I know a these blokes are getting a lot of support behind the scenes at the club, stuff like `Don`t worry mate it`ll all blow over` but it would be nice for the Clubs or the NRL to come out some times and show a bit of gumption and where a player really has done nothing wrong back them, instead of always playing the media game calling a press conference and offering up the sacrificial, I won`t say lamb because lambs they`re not, but you know what I mean. Just back the players occasionally instead of always playing the media`s game.

It`s the same with the Tom Trbojevic episode yesterday, rather than hanging him out to dry in front of the national media, for what was essentially a bit of harmless fun, like you do when your young and full of beans, the bloody NRL or at least the club should step in and say publicly that he has nothing to answer for, leave him alone. Support shouldn`t just occur when a player has done something wrong, but also standing up for them when the media pack are attempting to generate a headline with little respect for fairness or the truth. The NRL and Manly are just kow-towing to the press and only encourage people to film everything players do, good or bad, that can then be taken out of context. Public support from the game in situations like this may also lead to more positive player outcomes in the long run.

Yes and that`s the point I was making, a drug test is a blunt instrument, it doesn`t differentiate between a day or a week. If you are a below a certain level with alcohol they let you go, because it is not deemed dangerous, but if you have some trace of drugs in your system your busted even though the effects on your driving may be as equally negligible as in a low alcohol level. And that is what bugs me, it then becomes a fine about supposed moral standards rather than public safety, and probably more to the point it`s just an easy way for the Government to slap a fine on someone and raise some revenue.

I hate these road-side drug tests as well, some kid smokes a joint a week ago and they can pick it up on a road side test, Sam Burgess probably had a line of coke, whenever, and now he`s being painted as a drug fiend, I don`t like it I think we are way over policed. Drink- driving yeah well that is an issue, but all these other tests, too much.

We all wonder why stars go off the rails when they retire but when you live in such a high pressure bubble when you`re playing , can`t look sideways without headlines, no wonder they cut-loose when they are free of it. We`ve got Tom Trbojevic all over the news here tonight because he`s done his hammy again. Video footage has emerged of him having a footrace with some bloke the other night on the esplanade at a Manly, completely harmless bit of fun, you could see he wasn`t even sprinting, just having a bit of light-hearted fun with a fan, and now they`ve got him on the news having to apologise and humiliate himself, no wonder they go off the rails when it`s over.

I just can`t see any reason why it won`t, I think when you can take these things to different venues your much more likely to draw a crowd and getting the stands full is half the battle as a full or nearly full house usually really helps players to put on a show plus they deserve it. I really like the women`s before the men`s as well, the result of the first game adds a bit of spice to the second. Just finished watching the women`s game, really top-notch entertainment, it continually blows me away how the standard of all levels of League has come on in the last decade. Anyway great win to the Maori girls, the men`s start in about 15 minutes.

NRL 2021: DWZ calls on All Stars to be taken to New Zealand - NRL They could take this anywhere, given the buy-in by players and that no other sport in Oz could hold an event like this, it could be a golden opportunity to get indigenous kids in other states to dump afl and take up League or at least to give it a go. Could be a massive hit in NZ as well given their proud Maori culture and the attraction of a rivalry with all things Australian and in particular between the two countries First Peoples.

Top cop Mick Fuller puts the game’s bad boys on notice (theaustralian.com.au) NSW`s Top Policeman, Police Commissioner Mick Fuller looks likely to be ratified as the ARLC newest board member next week. Fuller is another bloke who played the game as a kid but is far form just another `ex-player` appointee on the board, he comes with a reputation for being tough on poor workplace behaviour. This is the second great appointment in a couple of months, the other was former Queensland Tourism Minister Kate Jones who was also being chased by the afl, Jones who comes from a League following family was only ever going to join one board. She has already been instrumental in securing Magic Weekend again for Queensland this year and is involved in preparing a program to have female primary school teachers become certified junior Rugby League coaches. This is exactly how Boards should be made up, experts and the best from every field, with all the right contacts. Further to that Fullers appointment has been given the green light and blessing from the States Premier and Police Minister.

There was one put up on Jan 31 on this thread, half way down the last page.

Elliot should be drummed out of the game, he`s more trouble than he`s worth, he ain`t a kid any more, 29 in fact, the statement said they had been drinking` heavily` he was the blokes intended best man and then they get involved in a screaming match on the street, I mean how long do you put with an idiot like this`s behaviour. Blokes like this are costing the game a fortune.

And some people worry that this is just an exhibition match. If there`s 10 minutes left and the scores are close `watch out`, I suspect in these games we may see a bit of razzle-dazzle football but when the chips are down and the game is on the line both these teams are fiercely proud and will want bragging rights. Great player and pronounced Eye....zay.....ah ( the `ah`pronounced like the `u` in up )

Without meaning to sound too harsh my attitude to that is `get better and beat them next time`. France with a domestic competition and literally thousands of player to choose from should take that as a slap in the face and a motivation to improve. BTW I would love to see the same sort of recognition that the French Government and the French Rugby League have given the Pacific Trieze development with Lebanese Rugby League. I believe it is a former colony and still maintain close ties.