Ron Coote The Right Choice: It was incredibly pleasing to see Ron Coote announced as the game’s 14th Immortal. Coote was remarkable across the span of his brilliant 15-year career, winning six premierships for rivals South Sydney and Eastern Suburbs. He played in nine Grand Finals. He won four Player of the Year awards. He played in three World Cup wins, captaining the 1970 outfit. Such was his standing that he was named in the Team of the Century, the NSW Team of the Century, the South Sydney Team of the Century and the Sydney Roosters Team of the Century. He is now an Immortal. There was plenty of speculation about that Darren Lockyer or Cameron Smith would be named. Smith is a certainty and Lockyer a most likely but it is far better practice to catch up and pay homage to those from yesteryear who most deserve it. Coote is absolutely a deserving recipient for entry into Australian sport’s most exclusive club.
Farewell, SJ: Shaun Johnson was rightfully given a send off for the ages on Friday night, his last game at Mt Smart Stadium, entering the field to an almighty reception that left him in tears. After the game, teammates past and present gave him a magnificent farewell haka. While Johnson did not get a win to send him off, he leaves as a giant of New Zealand Rugby League, a transcendent player who put league on par with union in New Zealand, a figure whose only peer in the NRL era is Stacey Jones. Mercurial, brilliant, sublime, highly competitive, Johnson never won a premiership and played in just one decider but arguably did more: he made the game cool. He will forever be a legend of the Warriors, of New Zealand Rugby League, of New Zealand sport, of Rugby League.
Hall of Fame Night Got Plenty Right – But Some Very Wrong: Fox Sports and the NRL should be widely praised for their Hall of Fame night last Wednesday. There was plenty to love. Yvonne Sampson and Andrew Voss were magnificent hosts, full of enthusiasm and respect. There was a magnificent crowd of Rugby League luminaries. It moved quick while still giving time to those being honoured. Having Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the building just reinforced that Rugby League is the most important sport in Australia.
There were some issues though and it started with the male player inductees. While the NRL got it right with the administrators and media personalities, there was a distinct recency bias to the Hall of Fame selections for male players to say nothing of the abhorrent inclusion of Les Boyd. There is also something upsetting seeing a legend of the game receive such a high accolade and then have Phil Rothfield or Graham Anneseley presenting the award. Letting Ray Hadley on stage too for some self promotion was also a poor look.
The presentation was fantastic. The concept was fantastic. But selections and the process needs to be tightened for next time.
NRLW Halfway Grades: We are halfway through the NRLW season. Here is how each team is performing.
Brisbane (B+): Two very poor losses to start the season but have posted 44-plus in two of three since, including over the Titans. Best attack by 6.8ppg.
Canberra (C-): Only win was against hapless Tigers in opener. Covered three of next four but have lost four on end. Third worst defence. Lack class in spine. Not a smart team.
Cronulla (A+): Unbeaten in five games and defensively elite, allowing just 8.8ppg. The pack is dominant. Only concern is halfback Tayla Preston but this team is the one to beat.
Gold Coast (C+): The Titans sit in the six-team 3-2 logjam and showed their upside with the hammering of the Roosters. Poor losses to the Broncos and Cowboys. Great pack. Halves a worry.
Newcastle (B): Two-time defending premiers Newcastle have again positioned themselves nicely. Rolled the Roosters, smashed the Eels and a close to the Sharks. Lots of outs adds more credence.
North Queensland (B-): After a disastrous year in 2023, the Cows are 3-2 at the halfway mark with a major scalp in the Titans. Kira Dibb is going as well as anyone. Brutal draw upcoming.
Parramatta (B+): The major surprise packets, The change to Steve Georgallis at coach is a big plus. Smashed Brisbane in R1 and pushed the Sharks a week later. Big performance.
St George Illawarra (D): Teagan Berry might be the best player in the comp but she can only take the Dragons so far. Stunned Newcastle but generally been poor losing other four. No depth.
Sydney Roosters (C): Pre-season title faves. Have whipped two poor teams, cruised home v Brisbane, lost a close road one to the Knights and were embarrassed by Titans. Have the class but seem to fall apart against the good teams.
Wests Tigers (F): Worst attack. Worst defence. Have not won a game with only one loss coming by 16 or fewer. Not much talent, especially with Kezie Apps out.
Referee Power Rankings/Bunker Power Rankings: We are two weeks away from the finals, we remain mired in officiating debacle after officiating debacle – this weekend off the top of my head was the sin bin fiasco on Thursday night, Stephen Crichton being allowed to stay on the paddock, the Storm being gifted a try that was dead, Chris Butler dishing out two ridiculously late sin bins and on it went – and there will be four referees and four Bunker officials named for the first weekend of the finals. Here should be the list in order for current on-field officials and Bunker officials:
On-field officials
- Adam Gee
- Todd Smith
- Belinda Sharpe
- Grant Atkins
- Gerard Sutton
- Ashley Klein
- Chris Sutton
- Wyatt Raymond
- Liam Kennedy
- Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski
- Peter Gough
- Chris Butler
- Kasey Badger
Gee has once again been the standout ref of the season despite the knock on his confidence. Smith the most improved official the last two years. Sharpe gets too few chances but has very good instincts (with the best signalling in the game). There is little between Atkins, Gerard Sutton and Klein because all are capable of being very good officials but all officiate too arrogantly, trying to be smarter than everyone else. Chris Sutton and Raymond are youngish with Raymond raw. The bottom five should neer officiate in the NRL again.
Bunker Officials
- Grant Atkins
- Adam Gee
- Ashley Klein
- Wyatt Raymond
- Matt Noyen
- Gerard Sutton
- Liam Kennedy
- Peter Gough
- Kasey Badger
- Chris Butler
Matt Noyen Gets It Right: Well done to Bunker official Matt Noyen for showing some common sense while operating within the bounds of precedent and interpretation when not penalising Jamayne Isaako for a late tackle on Sua Fa’alogo. It was referred upstairs. Gerard Sutton was clearly looking to push the penalty try/professional foul narrative. Noyen rightly declared Isaako was committed to the tackle and no foul was committed. Great to see some sense being used in the Bunker. Sadly he completely made a mess giving Fa’alogo a try later in the game when the ball clearly touched the deadball line so even the best in the current Bunker are beyond help.
Devastating Weekend for Under Punters: Under bettors really copped it where it hurt on the weekend with three games finishing within a goal of going under the number. Clint Gutherson kicked a goal to send the Broncos-Eels over. There was no score after 18 minutes in the Storm-Dolphins game with a total of 52.5 but a flurry of points saw Nick Meaney land a goal with four minutes to play to send it over. Perhaps the most brutal beat being the Dragons-Sharks that sat on 10 points after 25 minutes with the total at 47.5. Four late Sharks tries though, all converted including the last in the final minute from the sideline saw the total go over by a ½ point.
2024 Field Goal Update – 26: Nothing doing in the NRL when it came to field goals this week.
Fun Fact #1: Fletcher Myers kicked the ball out on the full off the kickoff twice in the space of three minutes.
Fun Fact #2: Newcastle rookie Sebastian Su’a made his debut on Saturday as the 18th man – he is the son of former New Zealand fast bowler Murphy Su’a, who did not play a game in the tournament.
Fun Fact #3: The Sydney Roosters put 48 points on the Gold Coast Titans in Justin Holbrook’s first game as Roosters assistant against the club that sacked him last season.
Willie M Team of the Week: This week’s team of fools, flops and failures:
1.Tyrell Sloan (Dra)
2.Jason Saab (Man)
3.Fletcher Myers (Sou)
4.Brian Kelly (GC)
5.Maika Sivo (Par)
6.Jack Wighton (Sou)
7.Kieran Foran (GC)
8.Sean Keppie (Sou)
9.Sam Verrills (GC)
10.Josh Aloiai (Man)
11.Kelma Tuilagi (Par)
12.Connelly Lemuelu (Dol)
13.Chris Randall (GC)
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14.Luciano Leilua (Dra)
15.Tom Burgess (Sou)
16.Ray Stone (Dol)
17.Sean O’Sullivan (Dol)
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Coach: Ben Hornby (Sou)
Betting Market of the Week: Which NRL coach has the best spray:
- $2.00: Craig Bellamy
- $2.80: Ricky Stuart
- $3.50: Des Hasler
- $501: Any Other
Rumour Mill: Nathan Cleary’s injury is not as bad as first reported and he is a major chance of returning this week, the rumour mill has it. The maligned Josh Schuster is set to join South Sydney next season on a one-year deal. Jack Bird is expected to sign with the Wests Tigers for 2025 and beyond. It is believed that the four referees that will be used in week one of the finals will be Ashley Klein, Grant Atkins, Gerard Sutton and Adam Gee, leaving Todd Smith and Belinda Sharpe on the sidelines.
The Coaching Crosshairs: While it is highly unlikely that this will eventuate, it was revealed last week that Adam O’Brien has a clause in his contract that if the Knights fall into the bottom five over the last three weeks of this season, he can be moved on. A comprehensive win over South Sydney likely saved his gig, there is clearly still some concern in Newcastle that O’Brien is not the man to take them forward.
Moronic Coaching Decision of the Week: Shane Flanagan probably doesn’t deserve significant criticism for trying to build up confidence in Tyrell Sloan but he surely must have realised by now that Tyrell Sloan is nothing more than a poor man’s Matt Dufty with the common sense of Jordan Rapana on a bad day. Sloan has plenty of speed, no risk, but he is almost unquestionably in the bottom two fullbacks in the premiership and has shown no propensity for player development. His refusal to jump for a bomb showcased his complete lack while his idiotic push and drag earlier in the game highlighted his low football IQ. Flanagan has Zac Lomax. He needs to go to him for the first two weeks.
Watch It: The North Sydney Bears did not taste a lot of success over the course of their existence with just two first grade titles so the success in the 1993 reserve grade Grand Final met plenty to the Bears faithful. It was a thrilling game featuring a ton of big names including Peter Jackson, Les Kiss, Alan Wilson, Tony Hearn and Adrian Toole on the North Sydney side and Andrew Johns, Tony Kemp, Robbie Ross, Rodney Howe and Paul Marquet on the Knights side. Bill Harrigan had the whistle. In an epic encounter, Norths won 5-4 on the back of a Peter Jackson first half field goal. It was a delightful little shot. Look out for Andrew Johns, frustrated and angry, laying a cheap shot on at the death. Watch it here.