2021 NRL General Discussion

[Western Sharkie]

Nah he would have been in his late teens

The 6 jersey!
Smartarse.

 

[HaroldBishop]

Nah he would have been in his late teens

:lmao

 

[common]

Egg finished second if that helps

Definitely makes his missus happy for once

 

[Gards]

"As this very special request has come from the Roosters - we at the NRL are willing to make the tough calls and grant an exemption"

 

[common]

"As this very special request has come from the Roosters - we at the NRL are willing to make the tough calls and grant an exemption"

But then when another player comes along that is of the same age and a different team wants to do it

"We have a duty of care to our players, and younger players to ensure they are looked after and not rushed into the game before they are ready"

 

[slide rule]

I wonder if this was used in negotiations to pry him away from Souths.

This will be the second special rule change they’ve got from the NRL to make their squad stronger.

 

[slide rule]

But then when another player comes along that is of the same age and a different team wants to do it

"We have a duty of care to our players, and younger players to ensure they are looked after and not rushed into the game before they are ready"

Will be interesting if the kid cops a serious injury.

 

[egg]

It looks like the NRL are seeing the light a little bit and putting Jubilee at the bottom of the pile due to the lack of games that would be played there.
Well played so far by our board and Dino. The longer it drags out gives us more of a chance of funding.
In Bold

ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys emerged from a meeting with state government powerbrokers — including NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian — on Wednesday afternoon confident that the game could be only weeks away from resolving its stadium issues.

V’landys has been campaigning to have the $800 million that was designated to the overhaul of ANZ Stadium redirected to suburban grounds. He may get his wish in as little as a fortnight, V’landys optimistic that the government will honour their commitment to significantly upgrade the likes of Brookvale Oval and Penrith Stadium.

“It was a positive meeting,” V’landys said.


“We have agreed on a way forward and we will announce it once we finalise it.”

V’landys had been bullish earlier in the day when he fronted the media to announce plans to take games to regional venues next season. He could afford to be. He has a trump card in his back pocket in the shape of the NRL grand final. The NRL’s commitment to keep the grand final in Sydney was contingent on the state government spending money at ANZ Stadium.


When that deal fell through, the NRL demanded the money be redirected to upgrading some of the city’s tired venues. Brookvale and Penrith were at the top of the lost.

The government is also open to a stadium in Liverpool and a revamp of Kogarah Oval. The NRL’s preference would be to leave Kogarah to last given none of their clubs have shown any desire to base themselves permanently out of the venue.

Cronulla are intent on staying at Shark Park while St George Illawarra split their home games between Kogarah and WIN Stadium. The sense is that Kogarah is likely to be left to last, if it is done at all.

Brookvale and Penrith need more than a lick of paint. They will get it under a plan that is expected to be finalised in coming weeks. V’landys wants work on the stadiums to begin as soon as possible.

“We want it to start straight away,” he said.

“We want it done in the next two to three years. We want to see some action immediately because as I said, the $800 million has not been spent on ANZ Stadium.

“It is not new money, it is not money they had to find — they already had $800 million set aside for us. We’re pretty confident the premier and government will honour the agreement.

“It is not about rugby league, it is about community. We have a problem in this society at the moment that children are stuck on video games.

“We need to encourage them to participate in sport.”

V’landys is willing to play hardball if it is called for. He won’t rule out taking the grand final to Brisbane, but he hopes it won’t come to that.

“If someone makes an agreement with me, I lose my right arm to honour that agreement, and right leg we have an agreement,” he said.

“It is legally binding and we expect it to be honoured. Full stop. We have to do what is best for the NRL and our game and if it means taking a grand final to Brisbane, we will do it.

“Brisbane is a massive market for us. It is only fair we do consider taking it there. But I’m very confident the premier will make that agreement and we’ll get the suburban stadiums.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sp...s/news-story/c3f75b0a4a0532973c693c02f487cb8f

 

[stormshark]

Did Haine and De Bellend ever play in the same Team. ie NSW? I reckon they could be re united next yr, team will have Striped Colours.

 

[Addy]

Did Haine and De Bellend ever play in the same Team. ie NSW? I reckon they could be re united next yr, team will have Striped Colours.

Did they sign with Balmain?

 

[Western Sharkie]

Not sure if I have seen this posted in here anywhere. Apologies if it has been.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/11/27/morris-certain-youth-can-take-sharks-deeper-into-finals/

Morris certain youth can take Sharks deeper into finals

Troy WhittakerFri 27 Nov 2020, 05:01 PM
Having spent the past two years developing a young roster, John Morris now wants Cronulla to make some noise in the finals.

The Sharks have reached the first week of the playoffs in both of his campaigns as head coach despite some serious adversity.

Repeated injuries to key players and salary cap penalties provided ongoing challenges in the season gone. And that's not mentioning the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Off contract beyond 2021, Morris said he was hopeful of earning an extension sooner rather than later. The club has not given a time frame for a decision.

He may be in the dark in that regard, but Morris is certain of Cronulla's potential. With a host of youngsters flourishing and more experience under his belt, the 40-year-old is confident.

"You get better every year and you get more aware of the players and the team and how the team is building," Morris told NRL.com.

"I've seen a real improvement in a lot of our youth that's come into the squad. I've debuted 11 rookies over the last two years.

"To see those guys really develop and now become first-year, second-year NRL players is a real joy that I get as coach.

"We managed to play finals footy for my first two years, which I think has been a good achievement. Both years we've obviously bowed out earlier than I'd like. We've been there at the right time of year, we've just got to show some improvement so we can go deeper."

The salary cap restrictions have now been lifted from the Sharks. They had $353,000 shaved off their limit in the 2019 and 2020 seasons as punishment for historical breaches.

The contracts of Josh Dugan, Aaron Woods, Matt Moylan and Shaun Johnson expire after 2021. Important calls will have to be made.

Cronulla could also scour the market and Morris said security with his position would make it easier to plan for 2022 and beyond.

"An earlier decision on [my contract] allows me to go out and target the players I want to and really continue to build the future for the Cronulla Sharks," Morris said.

"You see clubs now like Canterbury signing Matt Burton [for 2022] ... My role as head coach is to oversee recruitment and retention. I plan to do that as far as I can.

"And Darren Mooney's just joined us as general manager of football. We had a month or six weeks with no GM of footy. So now Darren has come in, no doubt we'll up the ante in all things recruitment."

The only big-name signing this off-season has been former Canterbury prop Aiden Tolman.

"He just brings outstanding character," the coach said.

"He brings experience, he's a proven winner, he's played in a number of grand finals for the Storm and the Bulldogs. He just stands for everything that I want to develop at our club in terms of working hard, he trains every session, he gives his all every session."

Johnson was the Sharks' standout in 2020, winning the club's Player of the Year award. He produced a league-high 23 try assists before suffering an Achilles injury in round 19.

There are a few players in line to replace the playmaker as he continues to rehab over the early stages of the 2021 season.

"Connor Tracey - he finished the year [at five-eighth] and he deserved to be there based on his efforts all year," Morris said.

"It was a good reward for him to play five-eighth in the finals and I thought he did a really good job. He's going to be in with as good a chance as anyone.

"We've got Matt Moylan, depending on if I play him in the halves or not. He's obviously had some challenges with getting his body right and I think he may be suited to playing in the halves in the early parts of the year until Shaun gets back.

"We've also got a couple of exciting options in our youngsters there in Braydon Trindall and also Luke Metcalf comes back to the club from Manly. I think he'll also throw his hat in the ring.

"That's what pre-season's all about, to work hard and to really put yourself out there and grab one of those starting spots."

Only three players remain from Cronulla's 2016 premiership team - Chad Townsend, Wade Graham and Andrew Fifita.

It's testament to Morris's work that the side has remained competitive despite the sizeable transition. The finals streak now stands at six straight years.

Asked what most excites him most about the season ahead, Morris again referred to his promising youth, mentioning players like Will Kennedy, Teig Wilton, Blayke Brailey and Ronaldo Mulitalo.

He's also keen to watch the continued development of forwards Toby Rudolf, Royce Hunt, Siosifa Talakai and Braden Hamlin-Uele.

"I felt they were a real shining light for us [in 2020], Talakai actually won our Players' Player award," Morris said.

"Both he and Hunt came to us as train and trial players at the start of the year and were great success stories."

 

[Sixgill]

I think Hayne might be in more trouble than DeBelin.

 

[CHOGM]

I think Hayne might be in more trouble than DeBelin.

I reckon Haynes going to do time.

 

[Sparkles]

Thought it'd be interesting to look at individual players and think about how they'll perform in 2021 compared to 2020.
< is go backwards
> is improves
= is stay the same (let me know if that's confusing at all Wiz)

> Blayke Brailey
= Josh Dugan
< Andrew Fifita
> Wade Graham
= Braden Hamlin-Uele
> Mawene Hiroti
> Royce Hunt
= Shaun Johnson
= Sione Katoa
> Will Kennedy
= Matt Moylan
= Ronaldo Mulitalo
> Briton Nikora
> Franklin Pele
> Jesse Ramien
> Toby Rudolf
> Siosifa Talakai
> Aiden Tolman (I just think he'll generally improve the team)
= Chad Townsend
> Connor Tracey
> Braydon Trindall
> Jack Williams
> Teig Wilton
= Aaron Woods

> John Morris

Overall I guess I think we actually have plenty of upside in us, broken old disgruntled players and all.
Which is weird, because I was feeling more pessemistic about the team in general.
Not sure this is enough to get us past the loss of SJ though. It'd take a big improvement in the young halves (or a couple of old ones), but there's real potential in Tracey (Bomber seems to be leaning that way) and a full pre-season knowing that whoever does fill SJ's shoes is in for 2-3 months.

 

[sharks86]

Jury dismissed in Jack de Belin trial as no verdict reached.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/jury-in-jack-de-belin-sexual-assault-trial-fails-to-reach-a-verdict/news-story/b0a8e6411cb949bb7a922a665e5efc82

 

[Tiger Shark]

Jury dismissed in Jack de Belin trial as no verdict reached.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/jury-in-jack-de-belin-sexual-assault-trial-fails-to-reach-a-verdict/news-story/b0a8e6411cb949bb7a922a665e5efc82

Yep, DPP have till Wednesday to seek a re trial in which the earliest possible date in the Wollongong court is August next year, or they can potentially move it to another date.

If they seek a re trial there goes 2021 season for him pretty much. If eventually get found innocent he'll have missed 3 years of footy and be 31 by the time he plays again. Ouch

He's not making any money right now either. Off contract so Dragons stopped paying him.

 

[Gards]

Did Haine and De Bellend ever play in the same Team. ie NSW? I reckon they could be re united next yr, team will have Striped Colours.

Up against Wayne Bennets Guards team

I reckon Haynes going to do time.

Will time sERVED at the Titans be taken off his sentence?

Or in light of his poor performances time added?

If they seek a re trial there goes 2021 season for him pretty much. If eventually get found innocent he'll have missed 3 years of footy and be 31 by the time he plays again. Ouch

He's not making any money right now either. Off contract so Dragons stopped paying him.

If I'm him I'm more concerned with keeping myself out of prison than playing football

Shows how easily a sexual assault allegation can ruin your life (true or not)

 

[Tiger Shark]

Thought it'd be interesting to look at individual players and think about how they'll perform in 2021 compared to 2020.
< is go backwards
> is improves
= is stay the same (let me know if that's confusing at all Wiz)

> Blayke Brailey
= Josh Dugan
< Andrew Fifita
> Wade Graham
= Braden Hamlin-Uele
> Mawene Hiroti
> Royce Hunt
= Shaun Johnson
= Sione Katoa
> Will Kennedy
= Matt Moylan
= Ronaldo Mulitalo
> Briton Nikora
> Franklin Pele
> Jesse Ramien
> Toby Rudolf
> Siosifa Talakai
> Aiden Tolman (I just think he'll generally improve the team)
= Chad Townsend
> Connor Tracey
> Braydon Trindall
> Jack Williams
> Teig Wilton
= Aaron Woods

> John Morris

Overall I guess I think we actually have plenty of upside in us, broken old disgruntled players and all.
Which is weird, because I was feeling more pessemistic about the team in general.
Not sure this is enough to get us past the loss of SJ though. It'd take a big improvement in the young halves (or a couple of old ones), but there's real potential in Tracey (Bomber seems to be leaning that way) and a full pre-season knowing that whoever does fill SJ's shoes is in for 2-3 months.

I think Ronnie and Katoa will improve also. I think any of the guys who've only had their first or second season will improve. Which is quite a few of them!

 

[bort]

Few guys you've got as improvers I've got concerns about, most notably Williams, Nikora and Kennedy. I think they could all improve, but have concerns they won't.
The other one is Graham, hopefully whatever was going on with him in 2020 is over and we can have our elite second rower back (and maybe 1 or 2 smarter challenge choices while we are at it).

I think BHU can still improve a bit too, he was adapting to be a starter last season and had some less good games but he has that season under his belt now.

 

[sharks86]

Nose beers for Naden after GF -

https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/brent-naden-suspended-nrl-grand-final-cocaine/529ddce7-f60b-4600-9d7e-778870eb346c