NRL General Discussion Thread

[broncos4life]

Kent with a great article on the raiders demise. Bit surprised he was critical of a team his mate Stuart coaches

Where is this article?

 

[ZTop]

One version
http://www.news.com.au/sport/canber...n/news-story/5c695a2f2bcad2188f524a8208affe2e

 

[Morkel]

The second example (failing to put the ball dead to soak up time) is a valid dumb play. But the first example, attacking from 38 out, is a legit technique. It's often harder to break down defences right on the opposition's line because they only have to go back a couple of metres, if that, after each tackle. Attacking from further out helps with momentum, especially late in the game when the opposition is fatigued.

But everything else stands. The Raiders are a dumb football team because Stuart is a dumb coach.

 

[Alec]

Raiders are definitely one of those teams where it feels like the coach is the biggest problem. They have some absolute gun players, they just need a coach who can get the most out of them.

 

[Big Pete]

Manly broke Canberra and stole their spot on the ladder.

I've never seen a team get bullied so badly. It was like they lost all confidence, dropping 'gimme' wins and failing to beat sides when the game was on the line. By the time they recovered, their season was all but over and the rot had set in. Ricky has some big decisions to make, 2016 is going out of style and the players who got it done that year, won't get it done in 2018.

Sticky's love for Josh Wighton will prove his downfall.

 

[Morkel]

Absolutely. He could at least run with his brother Jack.

 

[Foordy]

Broncos’ Sam Thaiday worried about affect NRL riches will have on players’ relationship with fans
PAUL MALONE, The Courier-MailAugust 21, 2017 8:36pm

SAM Thaiday says he hopes working-class supporters do not feel disconnected from players on an average wage of $330,000 under the NRL’s new pay proposal.

That amount is more than double what Wally Lewis was paid when he signed with the Broncos in 1988.

Thaiday asked the game’s working-class fans to remember that a league career is only short.

As expected, the Rugby League Players Association membership elected not to adopt the proposal presented by the NRL last week to increase total financial commitment to the players by 52 per cent in a new collective bargaining agreement.

Fringe players would be paid a minimum wage of $120,000 a year for being in the top 25 players at a club under the NRL proposal.

“They are very lucky boys. I can remember my first contract at the Broncos had a lot less zeros than that,’’ said Thaiday, who attended a teleconference in Brisbane with the main meeting in Sydney.

“It is very hard (to explain the pay rises to the public). But we have to try to set ourselves up at a youngish age.

“What we do in the game can be very dangerous. One run, one tackle can change your life. Look at a bloke like Alex McKinnon.”

RLPA CEO Ian Prendergast said the players remained at odds with the NRL over “key financial and non-financial aspects’’ of the proposal while claiming they were content with the offered $9.4 million salary cap.

Prendergast said it was disappointing that clubs and the NRL has portrayed the players “as greedy’’, although he said a CBA agreement with the NRL could be achieved in weeks.

Sydney players spokesman James Maloney said he and other players baulked at demands by the NRL last Friday to aid their integrity policing.

“Would you hand over your (bank and phone) records to your boss? It seems unreasonable,’’ Maloney said.

“I don’t think it’s necessary. We want to keep the sport scandal-free. We want our privacy and want to be treated fairly.’’

Prendergast claimed “more than enough revenue’’ would be left for the NRL to administer game outside the elite competition after the players received the fixed-income percentage and other benefits the RLPA wants.

The RLPA repeated that players had the option of boycotting the Dally M Awards or the World Cup matches as a last resort.
“We have a month before that (the Dally Ms). We can’t rule it out,’’ Prendergast said.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...s/news-story/e382fb1cfdf54aad216b781912f2ff4c

 

[Foordy]

so they players have rejected the new pay offer ... bunch of greedy *****

 

[Kimlo]

James Maloney of all people to be a spokesperson? Surely they had more suitable candidates.

 

[Morkel]

Balking at handing over their bank & phone records. You want the big bucks? Accept the responsibilities, like, you know, proving that you're not cheating salary caps or undertaking fraud?

 

[broncos4life]

Broncos’ Sam Thaiday worried about affect NRL riches will have on players’ relationship with fans
PAUL MALONE, The Courier-MailAugust 21, 2017 8:36pm

SAM Thaiday says he hopes working-class supporters do not feel disconnected from players on an average wage of $330,000 under the NRL’s new pay proposal.

That amount is more than double what Wally Lewis was paid when he signed with the Broncos in 1988.

Thaiday asked the game’s working-class fans to remember that a league career is only short.

As expected, the Rugby League Players Association membership elected not to adopt the proposal presented by the NRL last week to increase total financial commitment to the players by 52 per cent in a new collective bargaining agreement.

Fringe players would be paid a minimum wage of $120,000 a year for being in the top 25 players at a club under the NRL proposal.

“They are very lucky boys. I can remember my first contract at the Broncos had a lot less zeros than that,’’ said Thaiday, who attended a teleconference in Brisbane with the main meeting in Sydney.

“It is very hard (to explain the pay rises to the public). But we have to try to set ourselves up at a youngish age.

“What we do in the game can be very dangerous. One run, one tackle can change your life. Look at a bloke like Alex McKinnon.”

RLPA CEO Ian Prendergast said the players remained at odds with the NRL over “key financial and non-financial aspects’’ of the proposal while claiming they were content with the offered $9.4 million salary cap.

Prendergast said it was disappointing that clubs and the NRL has portrayed the players “as greedy’’, although he said a CBA agreement with the NRL could be achieved in weeks.

Sydney players spokesman James Maloney said he and other players baulked at demands by the NRL last Friday to aid their integrity policing.

“Would you hand over your (bank and phone) records to your boss? It seems unreasonable,’’ Maloney said.

“I don’t think it’s necessary. We want to keep the sport scandal-free. We want our privacy and want to be treated fairly.’’

Prendergast claimed “more than enough revenue’’ would be left for the NRL to administer game outside the elite competition after the players received the fixed-income percentage and other benefits the RLPA wants.

The RLPA repeated that players had the option of boycotting the Dally M Awards or the World Cup matches as a last resort.
“We have a month before that (the Dally Ms). We can’t rule it out,’’ Prendergast said.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...s/news-story/e382fb1cfdf54aad216b781912f2ff4c

Appreciate the sentiment Sam, but I think most fans lost connection with the players and the game itself a long time ago.

 

[Alec]

James Maloney of all people to be a spokesperson? Surely they had more suitable candidates.

Should be Semi Radradra, love listening to him

 

[Super Freak]

Foxtel have admitted to using fake footage in the Dragons vs Rabbitohs game in an attempt to cover up the piss poor crowd.

Foxtel has confessed that it used fake footage in an attempt to cover up the dismal crowd number for the Friday night fixture as a poor turnout rocked up to witness the bottom table teams go head-to-head.

“During the Rabbitohs v Titans Round 15 simulcast 8pm match, a producer aired archived vision after failing to time out the half-time break. It was an error in judgment which we have addressed. This is not a regular practice of Fox Sports,''

http://www.sportingnews.com/au/leag...bbitohs-titans-game/2npgyy5nn19t1b7touwbx1npg

 

[mitch222]

:porthozthinksthisishot:

 

[Fozz]

Trump to Foxtel: You are fake news.

 

[Sproj]

Haha and no one in the NRL will care because...we are going into Perth to generate all sorts of free publicity while the iron is...lukewarm at best...in 2022.

 

[ivanhungryjak]

The NRL is set to rubberstamp a development fee system for 2018 and beyond.
Under the proposal, clubs that recruit a player will have to pay an additional fee to their rivals on top of the contract.
For example, the Roosters would pay the Tigers a development fee for signing Wests local junior James Tedesco.
The main idea of the fee is to reward clubs for producing their own talent, prevent poaching and encourage teams to develop players.

NRL head of football Brian Canavan said the development fee would be approved before the end of the season in a bid to foster fairness across the competition.
The size of the fee is yet to be decided and Canavan stressed the final figure would be in the best interests of all the game’s stakeholders.
“It (the development fee) is still in draft form because we haven’t finalised the junior contracting agreement model, which is only a week or two away,” Canavan said.
“Once we finalise that, we can apply the development fee and it will be implemented next year.

“We also want to encourage affiliations, like the Roosters with the Central Coast, and we are looking for more NRL teams to do similar.
“Then those affiliated areas become like an extended junior base to the NRL club.”
As a long-time campaigner of greater incentives for clubs that produce their own juniors, Furner has welcomed the proposal.
The Raiders have lost several local players over the years without reward for their effort. Furner believes this would change under the new system.
“At least there will be some recompense for the cost of developing a player,” Furner said.
LISTEN! Michael Carayannis and Matt Logue join Fiona Bollen to talk about Neil Henry being sacked, whether the players will protest and who are the genuine title contenders.
“They can put that back into developing the next players and it will help to share the talent around, so clubs can’t just stockpile players.
“A buying club will think we should put some more money into development to receive the discount. There is incentive, so maybe you don’t have to find another halfback and you can produce your own.
“But not all clubs have got massive junior bases, so they need to buy that halfback in. They don’t have one in their backyard, so that’s fine but they pay the development fee.”

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...n/news-story/4f1f93dc0a0430e03437f10e121d7f7a

 

[Big Pete]

Reading through Billy Slater's biography (a gift from a friend, so I can learn all about a 'real Queensland fullback' - pffffft) and of course I skip right to the most important part, how did the Broncos miss out?

So here's the official story.

After spending a lot of time working with horses, Slater returned to Innisfail as a 17-year old looking to make a real fist of his Rugby League career. It started in the local Under 18s competition where he played in a Grand Final and earned selection in the Cairns Under 17s representative side. The team traveled to Townsville where he earned Man of the Match honours for his team and he would have gladly signed on for the Cowboys but they weren't interested.

Knowing there was little on offer in the local footy scene, Slater realised he had to move to Brisbane if he wanted to make something of himself. So his father rang up a few clubs and managed to find him a spot with Norths. The move turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Billy because that 2001 side included Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith. They dominated the competition that year and suddenly Billy started attracting interest.

Since Norths were affiliated with Melbourne at the time, the Storm offered him a scholarship worth $6000 and a training kit, but some serious offers were on the table. Of interest was the Brisbane Broncos who chased Slater hard. The Broncos had budgeted $40,000 to sign three young backs but as soon as Wayne saw Slater play he said bugger it, give all of it to Billy.

The deal was actually worth double the Storm's offer, but Slater decided to go with Melbourne for three reasons.

1. Loyalty
2. Less competition for spots
3. Brisbane had a policy that you either had to study or have some type of employment. At Melbourne he would be able to train full-time.

So he signed with Melbourne.

I've seen the story reported before, but it's always interesting to hear it from the horses mouth.