Rugby League World Cup – Get To Know: COOK ISLANDS

At the end of this year, sixteen nations will contest the Rugby League World Cup. Most casual fans would know about Australia, New Zealand and England; but over the coming weeks, we’ll introduce you to some of the other teams.

The Cook Islands have played international rugby league since 1986, and participated at the World Cup in 2000 and 2013. The majority of their 65 international clashed have been against other Pacific nations, with twelve played against Fiji and ten against Tonga.

Cook Islands defeated Wales in 2013 to win their first match at a World Cup. However, they missed qualifying for the 2017 tournament after going down to Tonga in a play-off.

In 2019, Cook Islands had big wins over South Africa in Sydney, and the USA in Florida.  Their most recent test match was a loss to Samoa in June.

Coached by former New Zealand test player Tony Iro, the Cook Islands have drawn Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Wales in their pool. Their squad includes a sprinkling of NRL players, including Brisbane forward Brendan Piakura, South Sydney forward Davvy Moore, and Gold Coast centre Esan Marsters. 

Fullback Kayal Iro, the son of Tony, has been touted as one of the players of the future, and has recently signed a long term contract with Cronulla after impressing for Newtown in the NSW Cup.

Queensland and Australian outside back Valentine Holmes has recently indicated he may pledge his allegiance to Cook Islands for the World Cup.  That extra touch of experience and class could see Cook Islands produce some positive results.

Rugby League World Cup – Get To Know: LEBANON

At the end of this year, sixteen nations will contest the Rugby League World Cup. Most casual fans would know about Australia, New Zealand and England; but over the coming weeks, we’ll introduce you to some of the other teams.

Lebanon, known as “The Cedars” will be contesting their third World Cup in 2022.  They showed plenty of heart in 2000 before going out in the group stages, and reached the quarter-finals of the 2017 tournament under the leadership of Robbie Farah and the coaching of Brad Fittler.

The team was formed by Lebanese Australians in 1997, and has been administered by the Lebanese Rugby League Federation since 2002. A lack of preparation saw Lebanon miss qualification for the 2008 World Cup; while they were unlucky to miss out in 2013 after playing a 19-19 draw with Italy in their final pool game.

The 2017 team was beaten 24-22 by Tonga in the quarter-finals, which earned Lebanon automatic entry into this year’s tournament. Coached by former Australian rugby head coach, Michael Cheika, the team may include NRL stars such as Mitchell Moses, Adam Doueihi; and try scoring winger Abbas Miski who currently plays for Wigan in the English Super League.

Lebanon have drawn New Zealand, Ireland and Jamaica in their pool.  With a full strength team and some luck, the Cedars may once again look forward to qualifying for the quarter-finals.

NRL – The Run Home

Five rounds. Eleven teams. There are still many scenarios available to the National Rugby League before we get to the finals.

Injuries, suspensions, turnarounds in form and decisions from referees and the bunker could all have an impact on those teams still looking to qualify for the finals. Let’s have a look at those still left in the hunt.

PENRITH (1st, 36 points)

Seemingly cruising to another premiership title in 2022, Penrith have suddenly stumbled upon a nightmare situation. Key playmakers Jarome Luai and Nathan Cleary look like missing the rest of the preliminary rounds due to injury and suspension respectively. Throw in an injury to star centre Stephen Crichton and the Panthers’ attack may come under some scrutiny. Luckily, they have enough points in the bag to at the very least secure a home final, although they do play for contenders in the last five rounds.

Draw: Canberra, Melbourne, Souths, Warriors, North Queensland.

NORTH QUEENSLAND (2nd, 30 points)

The Cowboys have defied the critics since the season began, and now look certain to finish in the top four and secure a home final. Coach Todd Payten has his young stars firing, especially boom forward Jeremiah Nanai who has excelled since tasting Origin.  The team is looking cohesive and seems the biggest threat to the Panthers, who they face in the final round.

Draw: Canterbury, Roosters, Warriors, Souths, Penrith

CRONULLA (3rd, 28 points)

Cronulla were the team most likely to significantly improve this season, and they haven’t let their fans down. The acquisition of Nicho Hynes, Cameron McInnes and Dale Finucane has helped the Sharks with much needed finesse and experience.

Cronulla don’t have to play another current top eight team on their way to the finals, which could either give them momentum to go deep, or leave them vulnerable when it’s again time to match it with the other contenders.

Draw: Dragons, Wests Tigers, Manly, Canterbury, Newcastle  

MELBOURNE (4th, 26 points)

Many people were expecting to Melbourne to slide out of contention after losing four in a row recently, but a win over struggling Gold Coast leaves the Storm inside the top four.

Melbourne have a tough draw ahead, playing four other contenders over the last five rounds, and will need to be at their best to hang on to their top four position. Injuries have cruelled their season at key points, but the experience of multi-premiership winning coach Craig Bellamy should see the Storm once again challenge for premiership honours.

Draw: Gold Coast, Penrith, Brisbane, Roosters, Parramatta

BRISBANE (5th, 26 points)

Kevin Walters has proved to be the real deal in his second season in charge at the Broncos. Walters has the team he wants, and has nurtured Payne Haas, Patrick Carrigan and Selwyn Cobbo into top line players. The addition of experienced campaigners Adam Reynolds and Kurt Capewell has been a crucial factor, but the Broncos may have to be content with just making the finals.

Brisbane’s draw on the run home includes matches against the Roosters, Melbourne and Parramatta who will all be as desperate as the Broncos to gain enough wins to sneak into the top four.

Draw: Roosters, Newcastle, Melbourne, Parramatta, Dragons

PARRAMATTA (6th, 26 points)

Parramatta’s win over Penrith this weekend may turn out to be crucial.  Unless disaster happens with the Eels, the club looks like competing in the finals for the fourth consecutive season.

Unfortunately for Parramatta fans, the Eels have been unable to go on with the job, and this year looks like being more of the same, as their quest to make the top four looks difficult.  Apart from facing a desperate Manly, Parramatta will clash against fellow top four aspirants Souths, Brisbane and Melbourne. Destiny is in their own hands.

Draw: Manly, Souths, Canterbury, Brisbane, Melbourne

SOUTH SYDNEY (7th, 24 points)

A mixed start to the season may come back to hurt South Sydney in their quest to make the finals. Last year’s runners-up are clinging to seventh spot and play four current top eight teams over the final five rounds. The golden point loss to Cronulla on Saturday night hasn’t quite ended their top four chances, but they would almost have to win every game to get there.

Draw: Warriors, Parramatta, Penrith, North Queensland, Roosters

SYDNEY ROOSTERS (8th, 22 points)

For the second season in a row, the chances of Sydney Roosters have been decimated by long-term injuries at key points in the season. They have managed to crawl their way into the top eight despite being without key playmaker Luke Keary for extended periods.

The Roosters were fortunate to face Manly on Thursday at a time when the Sea-Eagles were languishing in their self-made crisis. The Bondi based club may not get that lucky again. They will have to be at their best for the rest of the season, and their chances may come down to a last round clash with arch-rivals South Sydney.

Draw: Brisbane, North Queensland, Wests Tigers, Melbourne, Souths

CANBERRA (9th, 22 points)

Just out of the top eight on for and against with five rounds to play, Canberra’s long battle with consistency looks likely to haunt them again.

The luck of the draw sees the Raiders playing four teams below them over the next round weeks. This week’s clash with an under strength Penrith team has the potential to make or break Canberra’s year.

Draw: Penrith, Dragons, Newcastle, Manly, Wests Tigers

MANLY (10th, 20 points)

Some may say that Manly blew up their season with the kerfuffle over the Pride Jersey last week, but in truth, the loss the week before to St George-Illawarra exposed the Sea-Eagles for their seasons’ lack of consistency.

Manly fans have hoped the loss of Tom Trbojevic could be overcome, and the Sea-Eagles have at times shown glimpses of the form that propelled them within a game of the 2021 Grand Final. A loss this week to Parramatta could be the end of any aspirations they have to make the 2022 finals.

Draw: Parramatta, Gold Coast, Cronulla, Canberra, Canterbury

ST GEORGE-ILLAWARRA (11th, 20 points)

The Dragons would have to have everything go their way to make the 2022 finals. They suffer from a detrimental for and against compared to the teams around them, which wasn’t helped by a shambolic second half against the Cowboys at Kogarah this afternoon.

St George-Illawarra have a more favourable draw than some of the other teams looking to sneak into the top eight, but they seem to lack one or two game-breakers to make it happen.

Draw: Cronulla, Canberra, Gold Coast, Wests Tigers, Brisbane

The Fulton Name Still Making History

The Manly Sea Eagles produced a historical moment tonight in their 20-10 loss to Sydney Roosters when replacement forward Zac Fulton took the field.

The name Fulton has been synonymous with Manly for over fifty years thanks to the legendary Bob Fulton who was named one of the first Immortals of the game back in 1982. Fulton captained Manly to a Grand Final victory in 1976, and coached the team to premiership success in 1987 and 1996.  Fulton also coached the Australian Kangaroos on successful tours of Great Britain and France in 1990 and 1994.

Fulton’s sons Scott and Brett played first grade for Manly in the 1990s.  Brett played in the club’s stunning 61-0 victory over St George at Brookvale Oval in 1994. Both now work at the club in administrative capacities.

Zac Fulton showed has the tenacity of his family with a strong defensive effort in a tough lot for the Sea Eagles. 

Zac’s participation made him the first third generation player to play for the same club.  The family dynasties of Mullane and Bradstreet and King have echoed across the pages of rugby league history for decades, but none have been centred on a single club as the Fultons have been.

Manly are starting to look less likely to make the finals this year, but if the efforts of Zac Fulton are any indication, the club is in good hands for the future, while respecting their history.

Rugby League World Cup – Get To Know: JAMAICA

At the end of this year, sixteen nations will contest the Rugby League World Cup. Most casual fans would know about Australia, New Zealand and England; but over the coming weeks, we’ll introduce you to some of the other teams.

Jamaica will be competing at the World Cup for the first time. A nation of just under three million people, Jamaica is better known for producing world class athletes for the West Indies cricket team and for the Olympic champion runner Usain Bolt, than rugby league.

Yet, in November 2018, Jamaica upset the USA 16-10 in Florida to earn qualification at the World Cup. Although they have a modest winning record of 32% at test level, Jamaica currently sit just inside the top twenty in the world rankings.

The Jamaica Rugby League Association was formed in 2004, and a domestic competition began the following year featuring just four teams. Jamaica came close to qualifying for the 2011 World Cup, but were beaten by USA in the final of their pool.

Fans of the National Rugby League would be familiar with Dom Young, who has spent 2022 with Newcastle.  A tall outside back, Young could be a key player for Jamaica.  Another one two watch is Ben Jones-Bishop who scored two tries in the victory over the USA three years ago.  A veteran of the English leagues, Jones-Bishop has scored more than 150 career tries.

Jamaica has been drawn to play Ireland, New Zealand and Lebanon in the pool games.  They have a win over Ireland to their credit, but the other teams may prove more challenging.  Regardless of the results, the presence of Jamaica at the World Cup will provide an opportunity for fans around the world to watch one of the rising nations of the game.

The Legacy of Vince McMahon

So, Vince McMahon has stepped down as CEO and Chairman of World Wrestling Entertainment after forty years.  At almost 77 years old, Vince McMahon can enjoy his retirement knowing he has built of the most successful sports based companies in the world, while leaving the running of it in the family name, thanks to his daughter Stephanie, and son-in-law Paul Levesque (Triple H).

The McMahon family have been involved in the promotion of professional wrestling for close to seventy years.  Vince’s grandfather, Jess McMahon, had been a successful boxing promoter since the 1920s, and in 1953 formed Capital Wrestling Corporation, which he passed down to his son, Vince Snr. 

Capital Wrestling morphed into the World Wide Wrestling Federation in 1963 after it split from the National Wrestling Alliance over a dispute on which territory should provide the World Champion.

The WWWF maintained Buddy Rogers should be champion, while the NWA looked to Lou Thesz.  Shortly afterwards, the WWWF turned to Bruno Sammartino to carry the company through the late 1960s and much of the 1970s.

In 1982, Vince McMahon bought the renamed World Wrestling Federation from his father, and brought Hulk Hogan into the company as World Champion the following year.  Together, McMahon and Hogan helped WWF take over several other regional territories which caused great animosity among promoters, but saw the rise of the Rock’N’Wrestling era of the mid-1980s which culminated in the first Wrestlemania in 1985.

Wrestlemania could have bankrupted McMahon, but it was a resounding success, and in 2022 showcased its 38th consecutive annual event.

While McMahon owned WWF and contributed to its success behind the scenes, a casual fan in the 1980s and most of the 1990s may have thought Vince’s role was just that of a commentator.  That notion was blown apart in 1997 after World Champion Bret Hart was unceremoniously usurped as the title holder by Shawn Michaels at the infamous Survivor Series event.  Shortly afterwards, Vince became known as an on-screen authoritarian figure known as Mr McMahon, and feuded with Stone Cold Steve Austin the golden age of professional wrestling known as the Attitude Era.

While McMahon was fighting on-screen, away from television he was fighting to save his company against the rise of World Championship Wrestling, which was headlined by a myriad of ex-WWF stars, including Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall; collectively known as the New World Order.

After being beaten by WCW in the rating for 83 consecutive weeks, WWF eventually regained a stranglehold on the industry thanks to stars made in part by Vince, including Austin, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, The Undertaker, Kane, Triple H; and WCW acquisitions Mick Foley, Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero, Paul “Big Show” Wight and others.

WWF was renamed World Wrestling Entertainment during this period, and eventually bought out WCW and upstart promotion Extreme Championship Wrestling and gained acquisition of the library of thousands of matches.

In the 21st Century, WWE became a publicly listed company, and moved away from the edgier aspects of its programming to acquiesce to the requests of shareholders and parents of viewers alike.  Vince continued to make new stars such as John Cena Randy Orton, Brock Lesnar, Bray Wyatt, Sheamus and Roman Reigns, while maintaining an eye for talent from minor federations, such as Daniel Bryan, Seth Rollins, CM Punk, AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura and Kevin Owens.

In recent years, Vince has helped Stephanie become the face of the company, and has supported her push to revamp the women’s wrestling industry.  While once considered a novelty, the WWE has made stars out of Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Carmella and dozens of others.

While WWE became a near monopoly in the 2010s, it also developed a thorough training programme for newcomers, including the NXT television show which showcases new talent.  The professionalism of the WWE has been the prototype for Impact Wrestling and All Elite Wrestling, which have both given male and female wrestlers an alternate setting to show their talents.

Over forty years Vince McMahon has given more to the professional wrestling industry than any other human could possibly give.  Sure, he has surrounded himself with smart people in business, promotion, booking and in-ring talent, but Vince’s fingerprints have always been all over the product.

Perhaps Vince McMahon’s greatest legacy to the industry in his ability to adapt.  From the territory system of the 1970s to using the new technology of video tape to get his product seen across the country and the world; from risking everything for Wrestlemania and utilising the new pay-per-view concept to building household names; from staring down his competition to embracing new ways of showing his product such as creating the WWE Network, Vince McMahon has always been on the cutting edge of the professional wrestling industry.

For the first time in forty years, WWE has a new leadership team.  Whatever direction Stephanie and Triple H decide to take the company, the success of the WWE will always be traced to the passion, the planning, the drive, and the sheer chutzpah of Vincent Kennedy McMahon.

Rugby League World Cup – Get To Know: GREECE

At the end of this year, sixteen nations will contest the Rugby League World Cup. Most casual fans would know about Australia, New Zealand and England; but over the coming weeks, we’ll introduce you to some of the other teams.

Rugby League is a relatively new sport to Greece. In fact, the Greek national team was formed by Greek Australians in 2003, three years before the game was played formally in their mother nation.

Older Australian fans may remember Dr George Peponis captaining the Kangaroos to undefeated series wins against Great Britain in 1979 and New Zealand in 1980.

Greece played its first sanctioned international match against Italy at Sydney’s Kogarah Oval in 2003, and went down 26-24.

In 2009, Greece won the Australian Mediterranean Shield, defeating Italy 34-14 in the final.  In 2014, Greece beat Serbia 50-22 in the final of the inaugural Balkans Cup in Belgrade.

Notable past players for Greece include former Australian test five-eighth Braith Anasta, Wests Tigers’ cult hero prop John Skandalis, and current South Sydney coach Jason Demetriou.

The draw at the World Cup has not been kind to Greece.  The eleventh ranked nation will face England, Samoa and France in the pool matches, and though unlikely to progress, will be looking to provide a good account of themselves as the blue and white flag flies high.

The Frank Hyde Shield

Frank Hyde Shield

On Saturday, New South Wales Rugby League foundation clubs Newtown and North Sydney clashed in the NSW Cup competition for the Frank Hyde Shield. Beginning in 2016, the Shield honours the legendary Frank Hyde, who played for both clubs, as well as Balmain.

Frank Hyde was born in Millers Point in 1916, and began his career at Newtown in 1936. After two seasons with the Blues, he was forced to join Balmain under the strict residential rules that were in place at the time. Hyde won a premiership with Balmain in 1939, scoring a try in their 33-4 grand final victory over South Sydney.

Due to the outbreak of the Second World War, Hyde never had the chance to represent Australia, but he did play for New South Wales on five occasions.

In 1942, Hyde joined North Sydney. He was captain-coach of the club when they lost the 1943 final to Newtown, and retired after the game.

Frank Hyde turned to commentating, and called 33 consecutive grand finals for Sydney radio station 2SM before his retirement in 1983.

After being awarded an MBE in 1974, Hyde was also recognised for his services to rugby league with the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1990.

Frank Hyde passed away in Sydney in 2007, aged 91. He was remembered with a tribute at the half-time interval of that year’s grand final.

While North Sydney and Newtown may no longer be in the top tier of Australian rugby league, their legacy lives on as they “respect the past, build the future”. They certainly respected the legacy of the past while playing for the Frank Hyde Shield on Saturday, as Newtown ran out winners by 20-14 in a match that was only decided in the last ten minutes by a try from exciting Jets' back Kade Dykes.  It capped a stirring comeback from Newtown, who were down 8-0 at halftime, and kept them a point ahead of Penrith at the top of the ladder.

The Kevolution is the Real Deal

When Kevin Walters took over as head coach at Brisbane Broncos at the end of the 2020 season, some fans thought the return of the legend would produce immediate results.

However, the Broncos won just seven games in 2021 and finished in fourteenth spot on the ladder. Many of those same fans were questioning of putting Walters in charge of such an iconic club, despite him leading Queensland to an unexpected State of Origin series victory in 2020.

Less than twelve months later, Brisbane fans must be ecstatic at the decision to appoint Kevin Walters as head coach. With seven rounds to play, the Broncos are knocking on the door of a top four spot.  Walters and the Brisbane hierarchy have bought wisely, and the development of young players has been a feature of their resurgence.

Adam Reynolds looks like being the buy of the season.  The former South Sydney captain has provided experience, leadership, play making skills and goal kicking to the Broncos.  The addition of State of Origin utility Kurt Capewell has also ensured Brisbane have a Ben Kennedy like figure that they can follow.  Patrick Carrigan, Kobe Hetherington and Jordan Riki have all improved with Capewell alongside them.

The Broncos probably won’t quite win the premiership in 2022.  But the improvement under club legend Kevin Walters is demonstrably visible, and the culture of the Broncos is back to where it was for most of their existence.

The Kevolution is real.

The Coaching Merry-Go-Round Continues

It’s that time of the year again.  As some teams slip out of contention for the NRL finals, speculation increases on the futures of several coaches.

Since the end of the 2018 season, just four clubs have stuck with their coaches: Sydney Roosters, Melbourne, Parramatta and Canberra.  The twelve other clubs have chopped and changed, with Penrith and Manly re-employing Ivan Cleary and Des Hasler respectively with some success; while South Sydney made a Grand Final under Wayne Bennett.

Whatever is going on at the other clubs, changing the coach doesn’t seem to be the answer.  In seven years, Newcastle has tried Rick Stone, Nathan Brown and Adam O’Brien; and they look further away from winning a premiership than ever.  The same can be said for St George-Illawarra, who persisted with club legend Paul McGregor before turning to Anthony Griffin in 2021.  Now it seems Griffin is under pressure, despite signing a contract extension earlier in the year.

Since parting ways with Des Hasler at the end of 2017, Canterbury has tried Dean Pay, Trent Barrett and now Mick Potter.  Wests Tigers has often seen a revolving door of coaches, and remain at the bottom of the ladder.

The problem is there are not too many premiership winning top quality coaches available.  The successful clubs hold on to their coaches, while the also-rans chop and change.

One reason may be the panic by administrators as clubs look for instant success.  That puts pressure on succession planning.  For example, Warren Ryan coached Newtown, Canterbury and Balmain between 1979 and 1990 (before stints at Western Suburbs and Newcastle).  Players in Ryan coached sides that went on to become head coaches include Chris Anderson, Phil Gould, Terry Lamb, Paul Langmack, Wayne Pearce, Tom Raudonikis, Mick Potter, Andrew Farrar and Steve Folkes.

Similarly, Tim Sheens has guided Royce Simmons, Craig Bellamy, Mal Meninga, Ricky Stuart, David Furner, Ivan Henjak and Kevin Walters.

Not all of those examples have won premierships, but they all had the chance to learn from masters of the trade.  Ryan and Sheens were both given the time needed to stamp their mark on their teams, and both reaped the success.

Perhaps some clubs that have invested in the young coaches coming through the ranks could give them a little more time to evolve.  Todd Payten, Craig Fitzgibbon, John Morris, and others could very well develop into the next Ryan or Sheens.  Hopefully, they will be given that opportunity in what has become a more cut-throat business than ever before.

Adam Reynolds Joins the 2000 Club

When Brisbane halfback Adam Reynolds crossed for a try against Gold Coast midway through the second half on Saturday night, he not only helped the Broncos to an important win; but joined a select group of players who have scored 2000 career points.

Since making his debut for South Sydney in 2012, Reynolds has topped 200 points for the season on seven occasions.  Just once, in an injury riddled 2016, Reynolds missed getting 100.

Of the eight players who have managed 2000 career points, Reynolds has scored the least tries (43).  His consistency in goal kicking saw him go past Eric Simms as South Sydney’s greatest ever point scorer before he left the club after the 2021 Grand Final.

While the accolades of joining such a select group of players are welcome, Reynolds could end being the buy of the season for Brisbane.  His experience and leadership have helped the Broncos become a genuine top four contender, while South Sydney are clinging to their place in the top eight.  It could turn out to be the worst recruitment decision the Bunnies made since Ron Coote walked into Bondi.  Meanwhile, the points keep ticking over for Reynolds as he makes his way up that all-time list.

Try Scoring Wizard, Alex Johnston

It’s been a good couple of weeks for the Aussie battler. Nathan Lyon cracked the top ten for all time test wickets, Nick Kyrgios made the final of Wimbledon, the Hockeyroos won bronze at the World Cup, and South Sydney winger Alex Johnston moved to the cusp of the top ten all-time leading try scorers.

Born in Sydney in 1995, Johnston recently overtook Nathan Merritt as South Sydney’s greatest ever try scorer. At just 27 years old, Johnston has plenty of time to keep climbing the list.

Since making his first grade debut in 2014, Johnston has scored 155 tries.  His hat-trick against Canterbury on the weekend saw him go past Merritt (who also played for Cronulla) and former test centre Michael Jennings. Another three tries will see Johnston join Josh Morris in tenth position.

In 2021, Johnston broke the South Sydney club record for most tries in a season with 30.  It was one better than the record held by winger Les Brennan since 1954.

The all-time try scoring record belongs to legendary test winger Ken Irvine, with a massive 212 between 1959 and 1973. No-one has really come close to breaking that record, with Billy Slater coming closest with 190 before his retirement in 2018.While it is unrealistic to assume Johnston can bag 30 tries every year, even ten tries a year for the next five seasons would see him move past Slater and have Irvine in his sights.

Like another great South Sydney try scoring winger. Benny Wearing (144 tries between 1921 and 1933), Johnston has played just one test match for Australia.  If the Kangaroos are looking for speed and consistency on the wing at the World Cup, Mal Meninga might want to check if he has Johnston’s phone number.

Selecting Australia's World Cup Squad

With State of Origin over, the representative emphasis turns to who Australia will select for their World Cup campaign at the end of the season.  24 players will be picked to defend the title Australia won by beating England 6-0 in the 2017 final.

Traditionally, incumbency, Origin form and performance in the finals series carries a lot of weight when it comes to Australian selection.

When it comes to incumbency, Australia is at a disadvantage, as it hasn’t played test football since their 16-12 upset loss to Tonga in 2019.  COVID prevented the Kangaroos from putting that loss behind them, and eight of the seventeen players picked for that game did not feature in the 2022 Origin series, including retired captain, Boyd Cordner.  The others were Paul Vaughan, Josh Addo-Carr, Nick Cotric, Latrell Mitchell, Tyson Frizell, David Klemmer and Wade Graham.

Before selecting the Australian squad, let’s have a look at the potential make up.  They’ll almost certainly pick two fullbacks, two halfbacks and two hookers.  Probably one specialist five-eighth, and maybe a second, or at least a player that can comfortably fill in there.

Australia will certainly go with four front rowers, and six back rowers – two of which can play in the front row if required.  They will also pick six outside backs, one or more who will be able to fill in at fullback or five-eighth if required.  That’s the 24.

Fullbacks are easy.  James Tedesco and Kalyn Ponga pick themselves.  Halfbacks are pretty easy too.  Daly Cherry-Evans is the incumbent, and Nathan Cleary has stamped himself as one of the top players in the game over the last two seasons.

Hookers?  Damien Cook lost his starting spot at the Blues, and Ben Hunt has found his best form again.  Harry Grant will probably the back up.

Cameron Munster is a sure thing for five-eighth.  With Jarome Luai pledging allegiance elsewhere, this could be a role for Jack Wighton.  Yet I think Nicho Hynes is more likely to feature, especially as Cronulla look like going deep into the finals.

Not to say I wouldn’t have Jack Wighton in my squad.  His utility value alone should ensure his selection as one of the six three-quarters.  Dane Gagai and Valentine Holmes seem the only other certainties here.  Brian To’o is out, so that surely opens the door for Josh Addo-Carr to return.  Matt Burton could take Jack Wighton’s role, and Daniel Tupou is a safe pick.  However, as the season goes on I think Ryan Papenhuyzen will again challenge for a spot.  Selwyn Cobbo is a chance, but so is Clint Gutherson, Latrell Mitchell, and maybe even Rueben Garrick.  I’d be picking Mitchell and Papenhuyzen.

Four front rowers?  Let’s hope Josh Papali’i is available.  Payne Haas was a beast in Origin One, and will be picked if fit.  I’m a big fan of Lindsay Collins, and he should be picked if the Roosters can make an impression in the finals.  Junior Paulo was the pick of the NSW front rowers and has probably earned his spot.  There will still be competition from Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Daniel Saifiti.

If you’re looking for two back rowers who can move to the front of the engine room, look no further than Jake Trbojevic and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui.  Cameron Murray and Issah Yeo seem certainties, leaving two spots.  I think Patrick Carriagn has played his way into the Australian squad, which leaves Liam Martin, Kurt Capewell, Angus Crichton, Jeremiah Nani, Tom Gilbert, Jai Arrow, Felise Kaufusi, Haumone Olakau’autu and Ryan Matterson fighting for the final spot.  All of them have a claim, but I think Liam Martin’s form over the last two years earns him the pick.

So, my squad is: James Tedesco, Kalyn Ponga, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Josh Addo-Carr, Dane Gagai, Valentine Holmes, Latrell Mitchell, Jack Wighton, Cameron Munster, Nicho Hynes, Daly Cherry-Evans, Nathan Cleary, Issah Yeo, Jake Trbojevic, Cameron Murray, Patrick Carrigan, Liam Martin, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Payne Haas, Josh Papali’i, Junior Paulo, Lindsay Collins, Ben Hunt, Harry Grant.

All that’s left is to pick the captain.  Since Boyd Cordner’s retirement, James Tedesco has admirably filled the role at both Sydney Roosters and New South Wales.  However, Daly Cherry-Evans has led Queensland to unlikely State of Origin series victories in 2020 and 2022, and guided Manly to within a game of the 2021 Grand Final.  Tedesco’s time will certainly come, but for the 2022 World Cup, it must be Daly Cherry-Evans to lead Australia.

The Rugby League World Cup – Who Is In It?

In the days before Super League (mid 1990s) the Rugby League World Cup was mocked for only including teams from Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain and France.

New national teams have since stepped up to the challenge, most notably Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Papua New Guinea.  Tonga and Samoa in particular are expected to give the traditional teams a very big shake at this year’s tournament.

So, who else is in this World Cup?  Let’s start with Lebanon.  After playing at the 2000 World Cup, Lebanon have kept up their test schedule, and have now played over 50 test matches.  They hold four wins over France and two over Fiji.

Scotland and Wales have separate teams to England in this year’s tournament.  Wales played in the World Series in 1977, and Scotland were thumped by Australia in the 2016 Four Nations competition.  Ireland also felt the wrath of the Australians at the 2013 World Cup, but have managed plenty of wins against Scotland, Wales and Italy.  The Irish have now played 70 test matches, and are currently ranked twelfth in the world.  They are yet to face New Zealand.

Jamaica are newcomers to the World Cup, and will be bolstered by the inclusion of Dominic Young, who is now playing for the Newcastle Knights in the NRL.  Jamaica defeated Canada and the USA to qualify for the World Cup.  Their only test wins outside of America to date are victories over South Africa in 2011 and Ireland in 2016.

Cook Islands played in the recent Pacific rep round, and have a gun fullback in Kayal Iro.  They have the opportunity to add a number of NRL players to their squad.  Cook Islands have played 65 tests now, and hold five wins over Fiji to their credit.

In 1979, Canterbury hooker George Peponis was the first Greek Australian to captain the Kangaroos.  In 2003, the Greece Rugby League was formed, and played their first test against New Caledonia that year.  Greece has a 68% winning record, but has yet to play any of the top international teams.

Italy would love to have former representatives James Tedesco, Paul Vaughan or Anthony Minichiello at this year’s World Cup.  Italy have now played over 60 test matches, and hold two wins over Wales to their credit.

There are sixteen nations competing at this year’s World Cup.  It is an opportunity for rugby league to prove it is a truly international game.  With 48 nations now ranked by the International Rugby League, we can expect more teams from Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East to become competitors at future World Cups.

But until then, let’s enjoy this year’s tournament.  It’s sure to be a cracker.

Before Origin

Wednesday night once again saw Queensland defy the odds to win the State of Origin series in front of their adoring fans at Lang Park.  In 43 years of Origin, New South Wales has only won the decider at Lang Park on two occasions.

One may think that Origin was proposed due to New South Wales being dominant in the late 1970s.  That is only half the truth.

After failing to score a point in any of the three interstate games in 1973, Queensland drew two of the three matches of the 1974 series.  They won the first game in 1975, and went down 9-8 in the decider.  The Maroons were again competitive in 1977 until Tom Raudonikis came off the bench to inspire the Blues to a memorable victory.

Things got out of hand at the end of the 1978 series.  Queenslanders Kerry Boustead, Rod Morris and Greg Oliphant were selected for the end of season Kangaroo Tour, and all three signed with Sydney clubs for the 1979 season.

The Sydney clubs, awash with money from their poker machine filled leagues clubs, simply had too much lure compared to Brisbane.  The defection of teenage winger Kerry Boustead in particular seemed to be the last straw.

The Queensland Rugby League had been pushing the concept of State of Origin for a few years before its inception in 1980.  Watching Arthur Beetson, Rod Reddy, John Ribot and others play for New South Wales was bad enough, but the 1979 defections put the Origin concept into practice.

Before Origin, Queensland had their moments in the interstate series.  They were dominant in the 1920s, and won their share of games in the years after the Second World War.  In the 1970s Sydney fans got to see some of the emerging stars such as Rohan Hancock, Mal Meninga, Chris Close and Bryan Niebling in the mid-week Amco Cup.

As we sit in awe at yet another awesome Origin series this week, let’s remember the players who paved the way. Before Origin.

It's Too Early To Write Off Champion Teams

So, here we are at round eighteen of the NRL.  Penrith are three games clear at the top, and pundits are wondering who can stop them.  North Queensland, Brisbane and Cronulla are all pushing for a spot in the top four, but all three clubs might be a year or two away from seriously challenging for the premiership.

So, what of the other contenders?  Manly look like they may struggle to make the top eight without Tom Trbojevic in a frustrating season.  South Sydney have dropped off without Adam Reynolds and coach Wayne Bennett, but a top eight finish is a good result for rookie mentor Jason Demetriou.  Parramatta look like being Parramatta – top eight is good enough yet again.

So who is left to challenge Penrith?  Well, first off all there is the Sydney Roosters.  After a horror 2021 which saw the club lose four international players to retirement (three due to injury), the Roosters had the opportunity to blood a number of new players and were expected to be among the front runners this year.  It hasn’t quite gone to plan, with Luke Keary missing several games, and Sam Walker being a couple of seasons away from being a marquee player.  Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has also missed too much footy, as has Victor Radley.

But like Bart Cummings, Trent Robinson has a knack of getting his team right when it counts.  You don’t win premierships in July.  The Roosters can still make a run for the top eight, and from there anything is possible.

Then there is the Melbourne Storm.  Like clockwork, the Storm are in the mix every season since Craig Bellamy has been coach.  Since their 2006 Grand Final loss to Brisbane, Melbourne have been in the final every year except for the 2010 salary cap scandal marred season.

The ‘next player up’ theory at the Storm has kept them in the hunt.  Bellamy seems to be able to get the best out of players that have been average first graders elsewhere.  How good is Nick Meaney this year since moving to Melbourne?

Any side with Cameron Munster, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Justin Olam, Felise Kaufusi, Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Harry Grant will always be in the mix.  If the Storm can get Christian Welch back before the finals, their stocks go up.

So Penrith fans, enjoy the ride.  You’re in the box seat.  But take a lesson from the 1995 Manly team.  They lost two games all year before going down to Canterbury in the Grand Final.  You have to be at your best on the day, or all the success early in the season is for nought.  We’ll see how they go.

How Safe are the NRL Coaches?

So, we’re at the halfway mark of the 2022 NRL season. Some clubs have exceeded expectations, while others are struggling to find their best form. We’ve already seen one coach and club part company, but how safe are the rest?

Firstly, let me say that I don’t particularly like the idea of anyone losing their job. Especially a coach who isn’t missing tackles or dropping passes. However, the old adage in rugby league is there are two types of coaches: those sacked, and those waiting to be sacked. Of course these days, there’s a third category: Craig Bellamy.

So, how are they faring…let’s take a look at the competition table from top to bottom…

PENRITH - Ivan Cleary

Runners up in 2020, Premiers in 2021, and twelve wins from thirteen games in 2022. I think it’s safe to say that Ivan Cleary is much safer in his second stint at the Panthers than he was at his first. Penrith are humming along as they enter Origin period, and will go close to winning another title. Cleary isn’t going anywhere unless it is of his own volition.

MELBOURNE - Craig Bellamy

With a long term contract already inked, Craig Bellamy will be at the Storm as long as he wants to be. He is looking for his 10th Grand Final with the club; and Melbourne are on track as they sit in second place.

NORTH QUEENSLAND - Todd Payten

The surprise packet of the season, North Queensland sit in third spot at the midway point, when me pundits thought they’d be at the other end of the ladder. Todd Payten has done a wonderful job of forging together a tough pack of forwards which lets the talents of the backline shine. It’s taken a while, but Payten looks like a long term NRL coach now.

BRISBANE - Kevin Walters

Brisbane were always going to improve this year in Kevin Walters’ second season, but WOW! Top four going into Origin must have their fans doing handstands. Sewyn Cobbo and Patrick Carrigan have become Origin players under Walters’ coaching, and the Kevolution looks like returning Brisbane to where they assumed they’d always belong - finals bound. Walters looks like the long term coach at the Broncos.

PARRAMATTA - Brad Arthur

Is this another familiar story at the Eels? They seem to have trouble cracking the ceiling that takes them from a premiership contender to a Grand Final appearance. Mitch Moses and Ryan Matterson are playing better than ever, while Reagan Campbell-Gillard is back to his best. The Eels can beat anyone on their day, but it is now up to Brad Arthur to get them psychologically prepared for the finals. Arthur has been at Parramatta a long time now, and has brought a level of success to the club that several previous coaches have struggled to do. I wonder how long fans can wait for that elusive first premiership since 1986 though. Arthur still looks relative safe.

CRONULLA - Craig Fitzgibbon

Cronulla’s rookie coach Craig Fitzgibbon is of course anything but. After a long apprenticeship, Fitzgibbon’s role at the Sharks this year is his first as a head coach, and he has the club ticking along nicely. They’re still a couple of top quality players away from a serious shot at the premiership, but if I was a Cronulla fan I’d be very happy with my team’s new coach.

SYDNEY ROOSTERS - Trent Robinson

Now in his tenth season with Sydney Roosters, Trent Robinson should have bought himself some immunity after guiding the club to three titles, as well as getting the club to within a win of the top four in 2021 after a horrific injury riddles season. Robinson reminds me of Bart Cummings. He always seems to get the Roosters humming at the right time, regardless of where they are in the middle of the season. I still think the Roosters can give this competition a major shake. Robinson is as safe as anyone.

SOUTH SYDNEY - Jason Demetriou

News out of the Rabbitohs’ camp is they aren’t blaming the loss of Adam Reynolds on their indifferent form at the start of the season. I don’t think they’re fooling anyone. Just look at how the Reynolds’ led Broncos side is travelling. Also, rookie coach Jason Demetriou has giant boots to fill after Wayne Bennett moved back to Queensland. In saying that, they’re still in the top eight, but it’s a drop from the heights of the 2021 Grand Final. I expect the Bunnies to give Demetriou at least another season to stamp his mark at Redfern; however if they miss the finals, that could change.

ST GEORGE-ILLAWARRA - Anthony Griffin

Like Brad Arthur at Parramatta, Anthony Griffin has a great record of getting teams into the finals, but not much more. He seems like he is still searching for the best combination at the Dragons, but they are probably going better than expected at the halfway point. Still, t’s now twelve years since St George-Illawarra won the Grand Final, and their fans are used to success. I expect Griffin will be given the chance to nurture some the great younger players coming into first grade.

MANLY - Des Hasler

After going within a win of the 2021 Grand Final, Manly were expected to be a major threat this year. Yet, other teams seemed to have worked out the Sea Eagles’ attack this year, and that was before Tom Trbojevic was ruled out for the year with injury. Manly seem a bit hold and cold at the halfway mark, but they still have one of the great captains in Daly Cherry-Evans, and a bunch of exciting young players. After what happened in the seasons immediately before the return of Hasler to the club, I expect Manly won’t make the mistake of parting ways with him again any time soon.

CANBERRA - Ricky Stuart

Some clubs just need a coach who knows the culture of the club. Like Des Hasler at Manly, Ricky Stuart bleeds his club’s colours, and has as much passion as any coach in the game. After a shaky start, the Raiders are starting to look the goods, and should press for a spot in the finals. The club could use the experience of the injured Jarrod Croker, but otherwise Stuart looks to have settled on a combination that works.

NEWCASTLE - Adam O’Brien

The Knights were expected to feature in the finals this year, and still may. However, their early season form would be a disappointment to their fans. The changing of the halves combination shows just how much they are missing Mitchell Pearce. Adam O’Brien is no longer a rookie coach, and needs to get his key players firing. Kayln Ponga seemed distracted earlier in the year, and O’Brien must be hoping Origin refreshes his star player. If the Knights finish in the bottom four, I think O’Brien may find himself under some pressure.

WARRIORS - Nathan Brown

Firstly, let’s just acknowledge the difficult time the Warriors have had since the outbreak of COVID. Unable to play at home, they have endured more hardship than perhaps any other NRL club over the last three seasons. It’s now eleven seasons since the Warriors made a Grand Final (under the coaching of Ivan Cleary), and fans must be wondering where their first title is coming from. They looked very ordinary against Manly this week, and Nathan Brown seemed lost for answers in his press conference. That can’t be a good sign for a coach who has struggled with other clubs in the past, but in Brown’s defence, the Warriors don’t have the roster of some other clubs.

WESTS TIGERS - Michael Maguire

News reports suggest that Michael Maguire was fortunate to coach Wests Tigers into the 2022 season at all. Yet, for about a month, it seemed the Tigers were starting to come good, especially as the combination of Luke Brooks and Jackson Hastings gained experience and confidence. However, midway through the season they are in fourteenth place, and are about to undertake the dreaded mid-season review. Hopefully, Maguire at least gets the chance to see what he can do when start player Adam Doueihi returns from injury in the coming weeks.

GOLD COAST - Justin Holbrook

After making the finals in 2021, this season held so much promise for Gold Coast. Yet, the Titans have won just three games in 2022 despite a forward pack full of Origin stars and a promising number of backs. Since the departure of John Cartwright, the Titans haven’t shown a lot of patience in their coaches, and if Gold Coast don’t improve soon the writing may well be on the wall for Holbrook.

CANTERBURY - Mick Potter

Well, we all know Mick Potter is probably not the long term coaching solution the Bulldogs have in mind. A club legend who won two titles at Canterbury, Potter was the answer to the question of what happens after Trent Barrett and the Bulldogs parted ways earlier this year. He can certainly help restore some of the culture that saw Canterbury win premierships under the coaching of ex-players such as Steve Folkes, Chris Anderson and Phil Gould. Hopefully, whoever gets the top job in 2023, Potter will continue to be a part of the Bulldogs’ coaching staff.

Welcome to the Digital Era

My apologies for the lack of updates over the last six weeks.

Here at Parallel Partners Books, we have been working towards updating all of our titles to launch them as digital books. This means every title is more up to date, contains more biographies, more statistics, and is more environmentally friendly.

New titles, such as the “All the Scores” series for NRL clubs present and legacy; American sports such as NFL and baseball, a third volume of wrestling biographies with information including Wrestlemania 38, and test cricket lists up to and including the 2021-22 Ashes Series are now available.

Best of all, with no printing costs, these up to date titles are available at less cost than the printed versions. Also, coming soon, you can be become one of our partners, and receive annual updates at a fraction of the cost; as well as access to new titles as they become available.

It’s an exciting time here at Parallel Partners Books. Over the coming weeks you will see some changes to the look of the website, but it will still contain blog posts, information of who’s winning, as well as of course, new titles.

Game on!

Favourite Player?

Okay, it’s been a while. I missed my NRL preview and a ton of other stuff.

But recently, my son watched part of a Manly game with me. I talk about Daly Cherry-Evans in our house a fair bit, but my son’s question got me thinking. He knows DCE is my favourite current Manly player, but he wanted to know who is may all-time favourite Manly player.

DCE is certainly up there. There is no discussion without Steve Menzies and Cliff Lyons. Graham Eadie was my favourite player as a kid. But the one that still stands out for me is Phil Blake. I was 11 when Blake made his debut in first grade, and he absolutely killed it in his first two years in the comp. Blake later helped Souths to the minor premiership in 1989, and was a key signing for the Warriors in their inaugural season in 1995.

My son’s mum and I couldn’t agree on a name when she was pregnant. She hated the name Phillip, but thankfully we agreed on Blake.

Let me know who your favourite player is, both now and all-time, below.

Thoughts on the Australian Cricket Captaincy

Okay, so Tim Paine did something incredibly stupid, although nothing illegal. Years ago. I get it. The role of the Australian Test Cricket Captain is a big deal, and the person filling the role should be beyond reproach.

As Paine falls on his, er, sword, it should be pretty easy to anoint vice-captain Pat Cummins into the role.

But no, Cricket Australia decides it will take a FIVE person panel, which doesn’t include Coach Justin Langer to decide the next captain. How convoluted can the process be?

Cummins for captain, since they’ve been grooming him for the role, with Steve Smith as vice-captain to offer the experienced tactical advice a new captain needs, especially on the eve of an Ashes series.

The process should have taken five minutes.