NRL General Discussion Thread

[Unbreakable]

DCE named captain of the Sea Eagles, J.Trbojevic vice-captain.

P.S - You wanna throw this in a new General Discussion thread when you get a chance @Super Freak

 

[Broncoman]

They should've gone with J.Trobevich. Strikes me as a real leader of men and would've learnt some stuff playing behind Smith for Australia. DCE has a lot to focus on with his own game and doesn't need the extra responsibility ATM.

 

[Big Pete]

Cherry-Evans benefits from having big game experience and playing in position that compliments the role.

After moving on the old guard, I expect Cherry-Evans to have his best season since 2014.

In other captaincy news, the Eels have named Tim Mannah and Beau Scott as co-captains. I never liked the idea and it hasn't served the Eels well since they started using it in 2013 with Hayne and Maitua.

They should have given it to Scott and called it a day. Mannah seems like a great bloke, but he's never relished in the role.

 

[Super Freak]

Ruben Wiki will be playing in the Auckland Nines.

 

[Unbreakable]

Apparently Vidot has lost 12kgs over the last couple of months. Looks pretty lean.

 

[Morkel]

So? That inanimate weight, just casually lying on half of a broken banana lounge, was easily able to lasso him.

 

[ivanhungryjak]

THE NRL is set to approve a mobile phone ban in dressing rooms to combat concerns over potential player contact with gamblers and betting agencies. It comes following controversy about live broadcast footage showing injured players using mobiles during games.
AAP understands the ban will be tabled when the Australian Rugby League Commission meets on January 31 to discuss a raft of issues.
While the use of mobiles in dressing rooms may well be innocent — for example, an injured player might be contacting family to allay concerns — the perception has been an ongoing problem for the code.
Club doctors, football managers and two other designated personnel would be exempt from the proposed ban.
Gold Coast hooker Nathan Peats is the first player to speak out on the ban, labelling the idea “stupid”.
“Now how am I going to listen to music before the game? I think it’s stupid, player doesn’t come off injured & message some 1 to put a bet on,” he tweeted. The NRL is also likely to enforce a change to the traditional announcement of teams on Tuesdays, from a soft 17-man line-up to a strict 21-man squad. Coaches will then be forced to announce two drop-offs ahead of their last training session, and the final 17-man line-up to be confirmed an hour before kick-off.
The move is designed to eliminate shock team changes that have the potential to disrupt betting patterns in the lead-up to a match.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...s/news-story/ae437156356e63c11722efe23576e323

 

[Super Freak]

Gold Coast hooker Nathan Peats is the first player to speak out on the ban, labelling the idea “stupid”.
“Now how am I going to listen to music before the game?

An ipod? It's not rocket science.

Surely he will be able to afford one with the hundreds of thousands of dollars he makes each year.

I agree with the ban.

 

[Unbreakable]

That team list Tuesday change is great. Really glad they're doing that, so sick of tipping a team expecting certain players playing, turn it on and it's a completely different side running out there.

 

[Kimlo]

I'm all for those changes.

I'd like them to also allow the 18th man to come into the game if a player is ruled out through concussion mid-game.

 

[Sproj]

I'm all for those changes.

I'd like them to also allow the 18th man to come into the game if a player is ruled out through concussion mid-game.

I would too, I think it's fairer.

 

[Morkel]

I'm all for those changes.

I'd like them to also allow the 18th man to come into the game if a player is ruled out through concussion mid-game.

Yeah that's opening up to be rorted I'm afraid. We already saw exactly how many BS "head knocks" players got last year, purely for the free interchange. Now someone with any injury would just pretend it's a head knock to activate the 18th man.

 

[Sproj]

Of course it does but that's the nature of the beast. The other option is a concussed player as a result of a penalty infringement should be replaceable.

Of course this puts the onus on the ref and that is NEVER a good idea.

 

[Dash]

If they are going to introduce the concussion sub, they need to also bring in an independent doctor at each game to perform the concussion assessments.

 

[Kimlo]

Yeah that's opening up to be rorted I'm afraid. We already saw exactly how many BS "head knocks" players got last year, purely for the free interchange. Now someone with any injury would just pretend it's a head knock to activate the 18th man.

Good? The rule should extend to injured players. Independent NRL assigned doctors. Make it count as an interchange as it does now, except if it's from a reported offence.

 

[Super Freak]

Good? The rule should extend to injured players. Independent NRL assigned doctors. Make it count as an interchange as it does now, except if it's from a reported offence.

Isn't that the way it's meant to be already?

I was under the impression that it's only a free interchange if the concussion was brought on by foul play.

 

[Kimlo]

Isn't that the way it's meant to be already?

I was under the impression that it's only a free interchange if the concussion was brought on by foul play.

I'm pretty sure the period they go off to be tested is a free interchange regardless when it's concussion.

 

[Foordy]

Isn't that the way it's meant to be already?

I was under the impression that it's only a free interchange if the concussion was brought on by foul play.

I'm pretty sure the period they go off to be tested is a free interchange regardless when it's concussion.

Currently if a player is forced to go for the concussion test, it is a free interchange, it is also a free interchange to get the played undergoing the concussion test back onto the field if he is permitted to return before the 15 mins is up.

The way to stop clubs rorting this rule (especially since they are all well aware of what it takes to get a player to undergo one of these tests.) is certainly to have an independent NRL doctor at each match and makes the decision on who goes off for a test and also for the independent doctor to perform said test.

that would solve not only the problem of clubs using the concussion rule to get a free interchange, but also the problem of clubs leaving vital players on the field that should be off getting assessed