Rugby League 2024

[dr beat]

Right it's that time of year.

Still not happy at Widnes being sponsored by bloody bailiffs.  *Not* a good look.  But we won today.  Oh well.

So who do we reckon is going to win stuff?

[Minami Minegishi]

If they promise to stop playing Zombie I'll watch Ireland play.

[Snrub]

Slightly insane how every match for Super League will be on TV - for the first few months anyway. Not sure that's the massive win some think it is. Be interesting to see how that goes.

Feel sorry for London - they are going to be rock bottom aren't they. Hope I'm wrong, got a real soft spot for the Broncos.

[Gulftastic]

Me too. Because the CC final has now become a weekend trip for us, I used to love the single day run to that there London and back, normally finishing with tinnies on the last train home.

[dr beat]

I quite like this rundown of all the NRL jerseys:

https://www.zerotackle.com/nrl/2024-nrl-jerseys/

While some of the away jerseys are not distinct enough to be proper change kits - and South Sydney Rabbitohs are taking the piss yet again - I still think they look better than this years underwhelming SL kits.  Penrith home is probably my favourite.

[Gulftastic]

Deary me, FC.

Aside from the headline making poor discipline, pretty much every other aspect was awful. The inability to keep hold of the ball was particularly eye catching.

[mikeyg27]

There's an incredible stat doing the rounds that FC have conceded 92 points without reply at home to KR. Could've been more if not for that Peter Hiku kick which must legitimately be the worst shot-at-goal I've ever seen. Weirdly, I think FC seem to eek out nail-biters at KR all the time, so it's not like they have a hex on them.

Feel sorry for London - they are going to be rock bottom aren't they. Hope I'm wrong, got a real soft spot for the Broncos.

We finished with the the highest relegated points total ever last time, and I'd be surprised if we matched that given we seem to be fielding some part-time players (not to mention the IMG grading seems stacked against the Broncos). It's funny that the club was evidently down-grading everything to prepare for a most sustainable life in the Championship before falling arse-backwards into promotion.

[Old Thrashbarg]

I stopped paying attention properly at half time, but the Sao red card looked like a ridiculous decision. An incident wholly instigated by Parcell making deliberate, unnecessary, aggressive contact with Sao's face whilst he's being held down by others. I'm pretty sure anyone in the same situation would flail with arms and legs trying to get up, never mind someone whose job it is to get up and play the ball as quickly as possible.

Anyone, we're in for a long, unenjoyable season. Hard to see where points are going to come from, even once Sutcliffe, Trueman, Tuimavave, etc. are back.

[Mr Eggs]

I see Zak Hardaker has got a 3 year driving ban having "miscalculated" his drinks, according to his lawyer.

[dr beat]

Leeds v Salford is turning out to be a game.

[Gulftastic]

Scraped through. Even as a Leeds fan, I still underestimate the pace on Handley.

[mikeyg27]

Wow, we reached the logical conclusion absolute bullshit sending-off of these new regulations so early in the season.

[Old Thrashbarg]

Not sure why Currie wasn't sent off for direct forceful contact with the head.

[Gulftastic]

I hope they iron the kinks out of the new regulations.

Mainly because I'm sick of reading 'the game's finished!' after any harsh decision.

[Mr Eggs]

Pies v Penrith a very odd game. Bizarre end of set choices from Penrith early on.

[dr beat]

That looked nowhere near a try.  Double movement at best.

[Mr Eggs]

Embarrassing decision.

[Mr Eggs]

Vidref grew some balls.

[dr beat]

That was funny

[Mr Eggs]

This is a shambles.

[Gulftastic]

Couple of questionable calls but fair play to the Pies. They worked their nuts off.

[Mr Eggs]

How the fuck that Wardle try was given. Fair fucks to the pies for grinding like bastards, though.

[dr beat]

Looked a try to me at the end. 

[dr beat]

Well I didn't expect to actually enjoy watching Widnes but that turned out pretty, pretty good.  Under the cosh in 1st half but rode our luck.  Kinda glad there was no video ref though.

Thought Bradford look uninspired, even when they were two scores down it was all five runs and a kick.

[Snrub]

Yeah Bradford fan here, to be honest finishing third last year was a total false flag. We've been uninspired a while, and listening to the new coach post match we'll be looking for another again before long. Too many at the club believe their own hype. Having George fucking Flannigan as some sort of club legend saviour - according to the club's social media - tells you everything. Chasing a game and his shouting around like he's in control but he's about 5 meters behind the ruck, blowing out his arse. Pub standard. Widnes good value.

Insane that in the now decade we've been out of the top flight we had one real crack at promotion in year one, and fuck all since. Could have gone up last year if we'd got our arse in gear - but thank God we didn't. Not actually sure what the club's aspiration is TBH.

Still won a World Club Challenge more recently than Penrith though, and that's the real quiz.

[Gulftastic]

Leeds keep making dumb errors but somehow we kept the Dragons to one try. Absolute peach of a pass from Cam Smith for Ash Handley's 2nd try.

As fascinated as I am to see the Vegas games there is no way I'm staying up all night. At least with it being Aussie games avoiding the results should be easy.

[dr beat]

Watched the Las Vegas NRL games last night, it did look quite good on telly.  40.7k is not a bad crowd for a first time and apparently there was a desert storm on at the same time.  Wouldn't mind going if they do it again over there, but can't get the time off work at this time of year, and then theres the cost.

The games were ok, but particularly Manly and Souths seemed to exhibit some early season rustiness, a few more handling errors than I would expect.

[dr beat]

How are you meant to pronounce Kyle Amor's surname? I thought it was AY-more but some Sky person pronounced it like in the Erasure song.

[Gulftastic]

Well, bugger me. I was in full on 'bloody Leeds!' mode at half time, then BOOM!

We got some momentum and wouldn't be stopped.

[mikeyg27]

I feel the early season hooplas over the high-tackle protocols distracted everyone from the real outrage this season: which fucking moron picked out that typeface for the names on the back of the shirts? It's completely illegible from anything other than extreme close-up.