NRL 2017: Titans, Sea Eagles, Storm, Warriors.

The Titans will make the 8; but the Sea Eagles will fall short.

Gold Coast Titans – Prediction 10^th

One of the hardest sides to place on the prediction list after their finish to 2016. With the inclusion of Jarryd Hayne at the end of last season, they looked like a side who had an extra man on the field. Robbed of progressing past week one of the finals by some of the worst refereeing in rugby league history, I’m expecting the Titans to explode out of the blocks.

They are a club on the comeback, on the rise, and with a point to prove. But how bad do they want to prove they can match it with the big guns? It was intriguing to hear the talk of Neil Henry looking to overlook Jarryd Hayne for a captaincy role, because the success of this team ultimately rests with him. Not to produce the winning plays and single-handedly take his side to a grand final like he did in 2009, but to inspire and lift those around him simply through his actions.

Hayne has previously been tagged as a poor-trainer but former Eels teammate Nathan Hindmarsh, and whether or not the 29-year-old has been pushing himself in his first full preseason in many years remains to be seen. After all his globe-trotting, you have to wonder what Hayne wants from his sporting career. Does he still desire an NRL title? His determination will determine the Titans 2017 season, let me give you the tip.

Manly Sea Eagles – Prediction 12^th

Difficult year for Trent Barrett in his debut season as an NRL Head Coach in 2016, but I believe he’s got the qualities to make it a long coaching career.

Has made the 10-million-dollar man Daly Cherry-Evans captain which was a must if they’re to do anything this season. DCE must take control of this team and stamp his authority week-to-week in each and every game. There’s no excuses for him now; he’s a senior player, has won Grand Finals, and its time he took control of the result.

Have a reasonable forward pack but will need to find the right tactics to be able to harness their strengths e.g. Martin Taupau’s size and running game. Expect to see some more juniors get a run with Brett Stewart and Steve Matai retiring, but I don’t think they’ve got the quality across the park to make any serious impression this year.

Melbourne Storm – Prediction 3^rd

A team that just keep producing year-after-year, and at the start of every season questions seem to be asked how they can maintain such consistency. The answer obviously lies in their big three, but it’s possibly because Craig Bellamy gets all the players around those leaders to play to the best of their ability.

Have a new kid on the scene ready to come through in Brodie Croft after a sensational appearance at the NRL Auckland Nines, and it will be interesting to see whether he fits into their top 17 every week, or bides his time in the Under 20s. Billy Slater will likely return with a point to prove, and I think you’ll see another outstanding season from the Storm barring injury to their stars.

With a World Cup at the end of the year, I can see Slater, Smith and Cronk wanting to have a big year. AAMI Park is nicknamed ‘The Graveyard’ for a reason and their impeccable home record will see them fit comfortably inside the top 9.

New Zealand Warriors – Prediction 8^th

Will undoubtedly be one of the most watched teams this year with Kieran Foran entering the side alongside the rest of the Kiwi’s spine. But I don’t think it will be all sunshine for the Warriors this year after a dismal end to 2016, they’re going to have to work hard and earn every point on the ladder.

Stephen Kearney comes in as a Head Coach and with over a decade of experience at three NRL clubs and under some of the game’s biggest names, he looks ready to take a side to the next level. Has made RTS captain in what would appear to be a bold move and certainly a look to the future, but with little to no experience as a leader how that unfolds remains to be seen.

Without a shadow of a doubt the Warriors can make a serious impression on the competition this year, but how bad they want it is another thing. They are the league’s best underachievers and if you look at the side’s that have won the comp recently, they’ve had a burning desire to get their hands on the Provan-Summons trophy. Isaac Luke is the key for me, if he plays like a man possessed I believe they can be their on Grand Final day but consistency is the buzzword for him.

New era of NRL coaches arrives

Fast-tracked or made for the big-time? Trent Barrett has moved quickly from player to coach.

A new era of NRL coaches has arrived with the appointment of Trent Barrett at Manly for 2016, and the instalment of Danny Buderus at Newcastle as interim coach for the rest of this season. Whilst Buderus’ tenure might be temporary, it signals a changing of the guard at the top-flight of Rugby League coaches’ and a transfer of priority and preference from experience, to a younger leader that can more easily relate to today’s player. But with coaches now coming from those who played in the 1990-2000’s, are they entering the role too early and without enough experience?

In recent seasons, coaches that had played the game but did not fulfil their destiny as a player, have excelled and had unprecedented success. Both Trent Robinson and Michael Maguire were respected players in the game, but barely made any in-roads in their first-grade careers. Seeking paths in the game, they turned to coaching and have both travelled far and wide in their committed pursuit to coach at the highest level. They didn’t have a big-name reputation as a player to rely on to earn their spot, but on the contrary, they didn’t have the experiences a big-name player may have had in a long playing career. The debate of if a great player can make a great coach reigns free.

No doubt whatever path a coach takes to the top level, they will be experienced. Robinson and Maguire worked hard as assistants, technical coaches and did whatever they had to, to build their knowledge. Maguire was known to have regularly mowed the grass of the Wigan training fields when he was their coach. Can you imagine Des Hasler cruising across Belmore Oval on a hot summer’s day? Robinson even become a fluent French speaker during his time at the Catalan Dragons in order to be able to liaise with his players, staff and the French community better.

What’s interesting is how players with limited experience as professional have become so successful as coaches. Like the Rabbitohs and Roosters pair, Wayne Bennett was one to have not had a decorated playing career. He, as it turns out, is the most successful coach of all-time. Craig Bellamy played 148 games for the Canberra Raiders during a decade-long career, but he was never the star of the team. He played off the bench in their 1990 premiership win over the Penrith Panthers. What Bellamy did best after his playing career, was go and undertake a long apprenticeship, and he had to as he didn’t have that big name.

The transition from player to coach can be a dangerous path. Some have gone in immediately following their playing career and have struggled. Others have bided their time, gone away from the game, experienced more and come back with great success. Brad Fittler was one who went in too early. After only a few years out of the game he was thrust into the full-time position of Head Coach with the Sydney Roosters. Whilst he has Phil Gould and others to lean on, Fittler hadn’t properly learnt the ropes as a coach. A wonderful player and on-fielder leader, but coaching as it seems, is a different gig all together. Some of the best players will just not make great coaches, it’s simple.

It could be said that Ricky Stuart jumped in too early, and it is only now that Stuart is finding his potential as a coach after working himself out over a number of years, at a number of clubs. Or maybe Stuart has always been the same coach and it’s simply clicking for him out of the Sydney spotlight at his old club. Nathan Brown went in too early, but he has gone to the Super League and had tremendous success, no doubt transforming himself as a coach. The roles that Fittler and Barrett have occupied as Country and City coaches seem like ideal positions for a person seeking a head coaching role to test themselves. Or are these positions more suitable for people like Fittler who enjoy chiming in and out of the sport while holding positions in the media.

What’s clear is next year Trent Barrett will be the Head Coach of a club currently undergoing a transition, and for him it will either be rocks or diamonds. Manly will need to give him time to build a successful first grade team, but they are a club that expects success and in the game today patience is limited, from fans and the power-holders. Danny Buderus, the ultimate clubman, looks like he will one day make a magnificent coach with an unquestionable level of integrity and fierce leadership. But to jump into the Newcastle Knights at a time when the whole club is being questioned, would be a disaster. For his sake, hopefully he sticks to his guns and stays as an assistant for the time being.

A trend appears to be evolving in the game and almost sport in general, that the best coaches are those who have had varied life experiences and had to learn things from the ground up. Des Hasler had a fantastic playing career at Manly, but after it he went and become a high school maths teacher. Wayne Bennet was in the Queensland Police Force, Maguire a physical education teacher before a coach, Craig Bellamy an electrician. Across the globe, Football’s best coach of today, Jose Mourinho, played in only the Portuguese lower leagues. He has held more assistant positions than probably any other coach in the world game, yet now, he is one of the most successful of all time.

Obviously there is more than just the coach, their personality, skills and philosophy involved in order to achieve success. A club has to be pulling in the same direction from top to bottom, resources have to be there and to use a Rugby League saying, you’ve got to have the cattle. But there is no doubting, and no missing the evolution of the successful coaches, they do their time, somewhere, somehow.

Loss of Reynolds no problem for Souths



Souths would have feared a different result when their playmaker left the field but they did enough to take the win.

Despite losing their halfback after 23 minutes of play, the Rabbitohs were able to put in a cohesive team performance to beat Manly 20-8 at ANZ Stadium in Friday Night Football. The Sea Eagles would have been groaning pre-match with the return of Greg Inglis, Isaac Luke and Glenn Stewart to the South Sydney line-up, but with the loss of Reynolds to a concussion injury they would have considered themselves a chance. South Sydney had other ideas, losing their half did little to slow them down.

While a number of errors dictated the state-of-play for much of the game, in which both teams weren’t able to take advantage of their opportunities, Souths took off at the beginning of the second half when a charging George Burgess run four minutes in had them flying downfield for their second try. Rising winger, Aaron Gray, threw a desperate pass from over the sideline back infield for Bryson Goodwin to finish the rushing play.

Just minutes later, Gray again found space during a Souths’ set-play that involved an early John Sutton kick to the winger who sped over the try line untouched to make it 14-4.

Stand-in kicker, Isaac Luke, was struggling with the boot and Manly were sniffing a comeback when Tim Grant gave away a penalty after 55 minutes in his own team’s half. The Sea Eagles took on Souths and Steve Matai got a free-run down the sideline to creep Manly back within a converted try.

The Sea Eagles had another couple of chances when they earned two repeat sets following touches from South Sydney players on last tackle kicks, but a Matai knock-on would deem the chances worthless.

In the 65^th minute, Luke Keary took a pass from Alex Johnston who had caught the five-eighths’ kick and Souths soon led 20-8 with 15 minutes remaining. The game would finish at that score with neither team able to cross the line again.

An athletic Greg Inglis tried to make the highlights reel with an acrobatic attempt to bat the ball back into the in-goal but a stray foot ruled him out of play.

Earlier in the game, Manly showed they were willing play some football, regularly spreading the ball and playing to each side of the field. It was working for them as they made fifty-plus metre sets, finishing with accurate kicks that had the Bunnies working hard to get out of their own half. But the Rabbitohs returned the ball with intensity each time pressing up through the middle with Isaac Luke leading the charge from dummy-half.

Dylan Walker was rocked by a classic one-on-one Jorge Taufua tackle after 13 minutes. Taufua planted his feet and picked up the running Souths’ centre, stamping him straight on his back. Not to be outdone, Manly’s hitman for the last decade, Steve Matai, buried South Sydney’s David Tyrell hard into the turf soon after.  
                                                                                 
If Manly were going to beat the Rabbitohs, they had to have an on-point kicking game and be willing to throw the ball around. They did both in the first half but a number of errors and the quick Souths’ tries after halftime left them with a dim result after last week’s positive win.

Man-of-the-moment, Kieran Foran, produced a mixed bag with some sloppy errors over-riding a quality kicking game and a few striking runs. The Manly half put a deft cross-field kick in that led to Sea Eagles’ first try, with Brett Stewart batting the ball back before it was spread wide for Peta Hiku to slide over virtually untouched in the corner.

The win pushes the Rabbitohs back into the top four, while Manly remain on the bottom of the ladder with a long way to climb as less than 100 days remain until the Grand Final.   

Cherry-Evans bypasses Titans, becomes a dog.

He might be laughing all the way to the bank, but he won't be laughing when he runs out against the Gold Coast in round 18.
Photo: Fiona Goodall/Getty Images Asia

Let’s not beat around the bush, Daly Cherry-Evans is a dog.

The way in which he has gone about his business in negotiating a new contract has been deplorable. Those commentators in the game that have come out on his side need to see it for what it is. He has played every single stakeholder in the process and taken everyone for a ride. His answers to the tough questions have been almost political, and come off as cheesy and downright fake.  

He has lamented the usual ‘doing the best thing for the family’ and ‘the opportunity to be a one club player’ as the reasons for turning on the Titans and re-signing with the Sea Eagles. Please, what a joke. Every man and his dog can see through this face-pulling smack.

Right from the start of the process, you could tell this wasn’t going to be your standard re-sign. The management of the Manly playmaker tipped off media outlets when he visited both the Gold Coast and Cronulla clubs to hold talks. At this point, there’s not too much wrong with that, players do it all the time to give their own club a sense that they’re willing to look elsewhere for the best deal. Is it a good look? No, not really. Is it disrespectful? Somewhat, yes, but it’s the tactics player agents use to find the best deal for their player.

But when you let a club officially announce you will be joining them next year on a four-year deal, when you announce on national television that you’re excited to join that new club, and when you repeatedly state you’ll be going through with your agreement only to then renege on the deal, going back on your word, quite frankly, you’re an insolent hypocrite.

The effect of Cherry-Evans drawn out contract talks has had far-wider implications than just his own reputation being damaged. The Titans have lost Nate Myles because of the money they forked out to afford Cherry-Evans, Aiden Seizer signed with Canberra because the Titans needed to make way for Cherry-Evans. Manly are sitting on the bottom of the table, and it’s hard not to link the drama that has surrounded the Cherry-Evans saga with their poor form. Geoff Toovey is now on the verge of loosing his job as Head Coach because of the team’s performances this year, in which Cherry-Evans is the gun playmaker. 

Notice a theme here? Everything has been about Daly Cherry-Evans. He’s made himself the center of the universe in order to rake in as much cash as he could.

The star halfback has held a steady reputation as a ‘good guy’ in the NRL since coming into the competition in 2011, and has said he’s comfortable with his reputation copping a backlash because of the backflip. Well let me tell you Daly, the fans will be delivering a backlash. The working and middle-class fans of the game hate nothing more than a pomp, self-indulgent, greedy wank…. player. They can see through the spin.

Cherry-Evans lied through his teeth. Showing no respect for the fans, for the Gold Coast Titans and for the game in general. He's known full well what he's doing all along. You’re on over a million dollars a year, in one of the luckiest positions in Australia. Show a bit of grace and humility. People spend their hard earned to buy tickets and watch you play, to purchase season memberships of your club, to save up and buy the jersey with your number on it. Once you disrespect the fans, you’ve lost all face son. And by god, you’ve lost them.