Moves, Rumours,Judiciary, Injuries ...

[Graham]

Pat Kaufusi is leaving storm straight away to join Dragons. It has been so hard for him to break into the Storm side so his opportunities have been limited. He should be a good acquisition for his new team.

[Graham]

Melbourne has made four changes to their squad ahead of the June 30 deadline, with three players joining the club, and one departing.

The Storm has signed Solomone Kata and Max King while promoting Harry Grant to their top 30 squad, and have released Scott Drinkwater to sign with North Queensland.

Both Kata and King will join the side this week, signing until the end of the 2020 season.

“We are delighted to be able to sign two players of Solomone and Max’s calibre and thank the Warriors and Titans for allowing them to join us before the June 30 deadline,” Storm General Manager – Football Frank Ponissi told the club’s website.

“We’re also very pleased to promote the Intrust Super Cup’s best player of the past two seasons, Harry Grant, to our top 30 squad.

[DavidM]

Kata is some mid season signing . Not sure what the warriors are thinking there

[Graham]

26 minutes ago, DavidM said:

Kata is some mid season signing . Not sure what the warriors are thinking there

He's just 24 too. I think he's been playing some reserve grade recently.

If anyone can get the best out of him it's Storm.

[Lounge Room Lizard]

Couple of good signings for the Storm and young Hooker Grant is killing it and will likely share the Hooker role with Brandon Smith when the legend Cam Smith retired.  Shame about Drinkwater bu glad he is going to the Cowboys and should get game time. Nobody really expected Hughes and Papen' to be as good and effective as they are in such a short space of time. 

[Graham]

Good News:

Meanwhile, Dragons winger Jordan Pereira has been discharged from hospital on Tuesday following an awkward landing while playing for the club's Canterbury Cup team on Saturday.

[Graham]

NRL head of football Graham Annesley says the Competition Committee will meet at the end of the season to determine whether changes to certain rules will make the game easier to officiate.

The high number of penalties in the first half of last week’s State of Origin decider had Annesley’s attention in his round 17 briefing, although he said there was nothing wrong the decisions made, and said it contributed to the intense outcome of the game.

Annesley did however reference the decision to take the corner post out of the in-goal area back in 2010, which has opened up the game for wingers and brought countless highlights to the NRL.

“At the end of the year we have got the Competition Committee meeting again and one of things that I think we need to spend a fair bit of time on is examining our current rules and whether we can actually make the game easier to officiate,” Annesley said.

“It used to be that every time you brushed the corner post it was no try, and it didn’t matter what angle the corner post was on – whether it was leaning in or leaning out if you touched the corner post it was no try.

“We took the corner post out of play and now we see some fantastic athleticism with players scoring fabulous tries, and it has really been a great addition to the game and the way the game is presented.”

Annesley spoke about potential rule changes like double-movement, but stressed nothing specific will be in mind at the end-of-season meeting.

“We spend a lot of time trying to determine ‘did momentum carry a player into the in-goal area’. His arm might have lifted but did it advance the ball. We spend a lot of time looking at that,” Annesley said.

“In some other sports it doesn’t matter, if you get the ball over the goal line it is a try.

“They are just examples and are not necessary on the agenda, but I think it is worthy of a discussion if it is going to make it easier for the officials to make decisions.”

[DavidM]

He should start pretty much now with encouraging his officials to MAKE decisions when they’ve seen and called something and it’s clear . It’s a worrying mindset they’re all in of using the VR as a comfort blanket to make decisions which are clear to be ‘ confirmed ‘ . Not tough ones , obvious ones they’ve seen or checking for things they haven’t seen and know aren’t there ( obstruction ). As an NRL official surely you should have the confidence to make calls you’re looking at 

Edited July 18, 2019 by DavidM

[DoubleD]

27 minutes ago, DavidM said:

He should start pretty much now with encouraging his officials to MAKE decisions when they’ve seen and called something and it’s clear . It’s a worrying mindset they’re all in of using the VR as a comfort blanket to make decisions which are clear to be ‘ confirmed ‘ . Not tough ones , obvious ones they’ve seen or checking for things they haven’t seen and know aren’t there ( obstruction ). As an NRL official surely you should have the confidence to make calls you’re looking at 

Particularly when the bunker can’t get it right anyway. After the shocker for the Warriors, they had another shocker for the South’s va Manly last week when they missed a knock on in the Manly first try

[DavidM]

22 minutes ago, DoubleD said:

Particularly when the bunker can’t get it right anyway. After the shocker for the Warriors, they had another shocker for the South’s va Manly last week when they missed a knock on in the Manly first try

As I say it’s a mindset . There are four of them . I’m sure it’s a confidence thing - I can’t get it wrong if I don’t make a decision . That’s completely wrong really . You see touchies watching something from inches away and just blithely saying ‘ check it ‘ in such a matter of fact way like it’s the norm ... or refs calling the play live then checking for an obstruction that wasn’t there and they know wasn’t there ... or the worst , check the grounding I’m looking at . I really don’t get this word confirm . They see something and stand there telling the VR all this ... then confirm that . You hear them saying on field ‘ I’ve got a try ... yeh me too ‘ .Well if that’s what you all see give that . I get annoyed when I hear folk saying well if it’s there , check with the VR . That’s not a reason it’s an excuse . I say again I’m not talking of really tough ones , it’s seeped in to basically most calls now however straightforward . Takes away the moment of scoring 

Edited July 18, 2019 by DavidM

[Graham]

Blake Ferguson is OUT of tomorrow's NRL clash between Parramatta and Manly with a knee infection. 

Late Mail: https://bit.ly/2So5Qfj

[Graham]

Josh Hodgson has absorbed the Aussie culture and accent:

 

[Graham]

The Sydney Roosters have signed Cronulla Sharks youngster Kyle Flanagan from 2020 on a two-year deal.

[DoubleD]

7 minutes ago, Graham said:

The Sydney Roosters have signed Cronulla Sharks youngster Kyle Flanagan from 2020 on a two-year deal.

A replacement for Cronk perhaps?

[Graham]

5 minutes ago, DoubleD said:

A replacement for Cronk perhaps?

Yes, they are looking beyond Cronk’s retirement announced for the end of this season.

Of course Roosters do have Johnson and Townsend who would currently be ahead of him in the queue for team places.

[Graham]

Penrith Panthers forward Viliame Kikau has been suspended for two matches after being found guilty of a grade one shoulder charge.

Kikau had entered a plea of not guilty in regards to the charge and had hoped to have it overturned at the NRL Judiciary hearing on Tuesday night.

Instead, Kikau was found guilty by the panel and now faces two matches on the sidelines in what most experts and fans have called a baffling decision. (R19,20)

[Graham]

Panthers forward Spencer Leniu has signed a contract extension with Penrith that will see him remain with the club until at least the end of the 2021 season.

“I’m so grateful and humbled by the opportunity to commit my future to the club,” Leniu told penrithpanthers.com.au.

“Panthers has been home for me since I moved from New Zealand, so to continue my journey here is truly a blessing.”

[Graham]

 

Canterbury will take an NRL game to Perth for the next three years as the club plans on where to take home games during the ANZ Stadium redevelopment.

A year after hosting their season-opener at HBF Park, the Bulldogs on Tuesday confirmed the Western Australian venue will be home for one game per year until 2022. 

. 

[Graham]

Sezer - Raiders:

Canberra Raiders halfback Aidan Sezer has a battle on his hands to stay in the club’s senior squad. Despite his inspired form which has seen the high flying Raiders win two on the trot, his future at the club from the Capital is uncertain.

With Origin star Jack Wighton and England No. 7 George Williams both signed on, it means Sezer will battle for a spot in the halves with two of Canberra’s star players.

The Raiders also wish to keep Sam Williams on the books which poses the salary cap issue in 2020 for the high flying club.

Sezer appears unfazed by the new signings and has labelled his focus on the run into the finals for the Raiders.

“Next year is a long way away, anything can happen in footy and I’m just trying to perform for the club. I’ve been here four years now so whatever happens, happens. It’s out of my control,”

[Graham]

Wests Tigers prop Ben Matulino may have played his last game of rugby league as he faces the prospect of entering retirement.

Apparently the knee injury the 30-year-old suffered in the club’s 27-26 victory against the Cowboys in round 14 is potentially career-ending. 

Matulino hasn’t been able to return to training since the injury and there are genuine fears his NRL days are numbered.

The Wests Tigers have been struggling in the forwards and want him back on the field, however the medical advice suggests he may struggle to play again.

Maybe this will become a salary cap issue if he can be scrapped from within it or maybe he’ll, like Arnie, be back.

[Graham]

[Graham]

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/teams/trading-places-nrl-to-put-transfer-window-proposal-to-players-and-clubs/news-story/b1674ffd90bdbe248c92501a12b479f8

 

The NRL player market system could be set for a shake-up with the governing body ready to put a proposal for a transfer window in front of the players’ union.

A year after setting up a working group to finalise the concept, NRL boss Todd Greenberg said a decision could be made by the end of the season.

“That paper’s been written and been discussed at the moment with clubs and the commission,” Greenberg told reporters on Wednesday.

“So I’d be hoping by the end of the year, we can potentially look at some changes to how the transfer system works.

“In saying that though, that’s a conversation we also need to have with the RLPA (Rugby League Players Association) and the players.”

It was around this time last year that the idea of two transfer periods was first mooted, with introduction of the concept slated for the 2020 season pending the approval from the RLPA.

The union has previously been cautious about changes to the free player market given the extended negotiations over the current collective bargaining agreement.

One fear is over the possibility of losing uncontracted players to rival codes during any mooted transfer periods.

Greenberg suggested the new system had the early support of the NRL clubs, and that the next conversation would be with the players.

“The timeframe’s probably this year, to get to the end of the year and understand if there are potential changes,” he said.

“And really what we’re looking at is trying to make a more orderly process of the transfer period and trying to put it into windows.

“It’s a conversation that I think is an important one to have.

“It’s got a lot of support from the clubs. And I think the next conversation really is with the players and I think they’re open to having that discussion.”

Edited July 25, 2019 by Graham

[DoubleD]

South Sydney Rabbitohs have signed Papua New Guinea international Edene Gebbie on a two-year deal from 2020.

The 24-year-old made his international Test debut for the Kumuls against Samoa in the Oceania Test series this year.

A full-back of winger, Gebbie has played for the PNG Hunters and Wynnum-Manly Seagulls in the Queensland Cup over the last two seasons.

 

Rabbitohs general manager of football, Shane Richardson, said: “Edene is an exciting prospect and we’re looking forward to seeing him develop his skills over the next two years under the guidance of our coaching staff.

“He has scored 19 tries in 29 games over the past two seasons with his sides winning 22 of those 29 games in which he has played. His speed and hard running are his major assets and we’re sure that he can add more strings to his bow in our system.

“He brings with him international experience and with some refinement of his game, as well surrounding him in a full-time professional environment, we’re certain he has what it takes to move towards an NRL debut.

“His signing is another example of our recruitment plan to introduce players to our squad with great pedigrees and great character. We’re all keen to see what Edene can achieve at our club.”

[Graham]

Robbie Farah is expected to announce his retirement from the game at the en of this season in a press conference called by Wests Tigers for tomorrow..

[Graham]

The recently completed Round 19 was a cracker with five of the first six matches decided by four points or less. Was the 6.63 average margin one of the closest rounds ever? Did the Broncos vs Titans blowout and the big win by the Raiders over the Panthers knock it out of contention?

Read I'm A Stats Man's thoughts

He provides a short answer:

Quote

Round 19 2019 was the 18th closest round of the NRL era putting it in the closest 5% of the 561 completed rounds.

So I suppose the answer is no.

Round 16 2019 on the other hand..

Read this blokes article by clicking on the link above.