Tim Sheens signed as Kangaroos coach
February 24, 2009
The ARL has confirmed today that Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens has been selected as the new Australian Kangaroos coach.
After an extended board meeting today, the Australian Rugby League directors confirmed Sheens was there man after meeting in Sydney.
Geoff Carr from the ARL confirmed on Radio 2KY this morning that the loss of Ricky Stuart was disappointing and while Stuart had a ‘brain snap’ after last year’s World Cup loss to New Zealand; ultimately Stuart not only brought coaching nous, but instilled a strong sense of passion back in the jersey. Carr explained the board would discuss the possibility of a rule change to allow an Origin coach to take the reigns on the Australian sid – however the Queensland push for this change was defeated.
Sheens eventually chosen after the 4 Queensland representatives on the 10-man ARL board were unable to gain support to overturn a rule blocking State of Origin coaches from running the Australian side.
As expected, the Queensland members were keen for Mal Meninga at the helm.
When the rule change was overruled, it was a matter of decided between Manly-man Des Hasler and Gold Coast’s John Cartwright, who has been an assistant to Stuart at both the Roosters and the Kangaroos.
As he nears the age of 60, Tim Sheens shows no signs of slowing down. The former Raiders and Wests Premiership winning coach has been in charge of City Origin for the last 3 years and was coach of the NSW State of Origin side in 1991 and 1997 (Super League).
It’s hard to believe, but Sheens has been the mentor for several current coaches – the likes of Stuart, Cartwright, Meninga, Craig Bellamy and the upcoming Laurie Daley. Sheens obviously had the credentials that the ARL directors were looking for.
The first test for the new coach comes on May 8 where the Kangaroos will get the first shot at revenge over New Zealand in Brisbane.
“We believe we have the best man for the job,” Geoff Carr confirmed.
“The ARL had an outstanding group of coaches to select from and that is an indication of the regard Tim Sheens is held in.
“Tim’s record speaks for itself – he has won four premierships and has coached more games than anyone in the game’s history.
“There are very few coaches out there who have achieved such sustained success over such a long period of time.
“Tim’s experience is matched by his ability to extract the absolute best from his players at both club and representative level.”
Part time pivots become the norm
February 24, 2009
Pivot, Five-Eighth, Stand-off – whatever you want to call this position, has it’s importance now been reduced or lost all together writes Peter Roy.
It certainly seems in the modern era of the NRL, the traditional or specialist five-eighth is being swapped for a part-time, or ’stop-gap’ player in that role.
A position requiring a high work-rate, by playing centre field most of the time a pivot will be forced into plenty of defensive work and be expected to create attacking raids in most cases when their team has the ball.
Cast your mind back to yesteryear, to the likes of Wally Lewis, Brett Kenny and Laurie Daley. Men that were of a broad build, laying the foundations for their team to play around them. They handled the ball often, did plenty of work during the full 80 minutes and were always punishing in defence.
If you think about today’s pivots, you have a mixture of half-backs or ‘defacto’ pivots that are being moulded into the role as there are fewer genuine specialists it seems.
At the Roosters, Braith Anasta who comes close to the traditional five-eighth figure is being moved to the back-row as the younger forward Setaimata Sa is trialled at no. 6.
It’s been a similar situation at the Parramatta Eels, a team that has struggled for a genuine pivot in recent times. The Eels have used smaller men in the role recently, Finch pairing Tim Smith and more recently they moved backrower Feleti Mateo into pivot when Smith left the club. This move has been superseeded by former outside back Jarryd Hayne being coached into the role of five-eighth as the club tries to find the best option.
Over in Tiger town, they too are trying to work out just who will play at no. 6. Former pivot Benji Marshall is being moulded into a halfback and coach Tim Sheens is unsure whether outside centre Chris Lawrence will be taught how to play pivot or if another option will be used.
The Cronulla Sharks were also confused as to what a genuine five-eighth role meant. Sure, they used Greg Bird there for the majority of 2008 – but ultimately, Bird is a backrower that was pushed into the pivot role as there were few other alternatives. Heck, even the NSW State of Origin side had to use a make-shift pivot when they selected Bird in the role during last years series.
The Storm have been another side looking a little lost at five-eighth. Greg Inglis was their defacto no. 6 last year, but it seems this move has been scrapped and quite possibly the countries best hooker in Cameron Smith might be thrown the jersey – if this move plays out, it ultimately shows how scary the situation is when the leading hooker in the game is suddenly asked to fill another position with a view to a permanent role.
Penrith too, is another trying desperately to sort out the role of pivot. Jarrod Sammut? Wade Graham? Weeks away from the NRL 2009 season, not even the coach knows what to do.
What about Manly? The eventual premiers have been without a classic pivot for years. They won the NRL with centre Jamie Lyon being thrown into the no. 6 position to fill the gap. Travis Burns was tried in the role and in 2009 it’s highly likely they will use Chris Bailey the former Knights forward who also eventually found his way to five-eighth.
Even the great Wayne Bennett had to ‘mould’ Darren Lockyer into a five-eighth at the Broncos, with Locky initially representing his club and country for many years at fullback.
Where have all the genuine junior five-eighths gone?
It might have something to do with the speed of the game, it seems that more and more these days that smaller players are getting the nod at no.6 – making it a very similar role to the halfback. The traditional five-eighths weren’t always super speed men, they were guys that always had plenty of time with the ball in their hands. Think along the lines of Jason Smith who could play in slow-motion, but this seems to have changed considerably.
Today, pivots need to make lightning fast decisions. Pass, run, chip, kick long or take the tackle – all this needs to happen almost instantly as rampaging defence lines increase their line speed and fitness every year.
It might also have something to do with the amount of ’safety’ first football being played in in the NRL these days. Most coaches will instruct their sides to play ‘high-percentage’ or risk free play where possible in the hope they can grind the other team into defeat through keeping possession high and forcing errors upon the other team. This means one-out runs from dummy halfs and plenty of hit-ups, the emphasis being put on play the ball speed. In this situation, the pivot could virtually take a picnic break while his team has the ball, only being needed on occasion for a kick or final tackle play.
If Manly can win the NRL Premiership with a defacto pivot, as the Storm did in 2007 – then maybe the specialist skills of this role aren’t as critical as they once were.
They used to say to win a Premiership you need superstars in the positions of 1, 6, 7 and 9 – with the rest being just athletes.
Maybe it’s time that 6 was dropped from that list.
Dale Shearer regains consciousness
February 23, 2009
Queensland Origin start Dale Shearer has regained consciousness tonight but remains in a critical conditions after crashing his Porsche while allegedly driving at high speed. While Shearers condition improved tonight, it will still be some time before the answers are known to this horrific incident.
It seems the investigations undertaken by Police have involved blood samples being taken to test for alcohol and the Rugby League world remains stunned and saddened at the continuing horror run that seems to have engulfed Shearer and his family.
Police allege that high speeds were involved in the incident and will continue their investigations and naturally discuss things with Shearer when his condition improves.
Now 43 years old, Shearer was apparently returning home on Saturday after attending a birthday party for a friend on the Sunshine Coast. Apparently as Shearer drove along the motorway, Police will allege he was driving in excess of the speed limit and was attempting to evade them.
“When he’s seen the police vehicle, he’s accelerated away,” Senior Constable David Lonergan of the Sunshine Coast Forensic Crash Unit said. “He was definitely exceeding the speed limit.”
Sen-Constable Lonergan said as Police turned to give chase, by the time they turned around – the Porsche’s “CRUZN” number plate couldn’t be seen.
“So they have continued south of the motorway and then come across the crash at Peregian Springs,” he said.
“There was no pursuit.”
It seems Shearer came to grief after missing a roundabout turn, crashing his vehicle. He was unconscious at the scene and was assisted until an ambulance arrived.
It was just 10 days after the first anniversary of the death of Shearer’s wife Delyse, who lost her battle with breast cancer last year at the age of 39.
Shearer was left to raise their two sons, Jesse, 17, and Jakson 14, on his own.
NRL News Top 8 Predictions 2009
February 23, 2009
With a handful of pre-season trials under their belts; it’s time for the teams to be ranked according to the NRL News staff.
According to Rugby League great and Channel 9 reporter Peter Sterling, this year could be one of the most ‘winnable’ seasons in years; with teams such as Manly and the Storm coming back to the pack in recent times as players are traded and forced out under the salary cap.
There has been major reshuffles at several clubs, so culture shocks and new playing styles could be evident in the new season that is only 2 weeks away.
Storm – Strong system, rookie talent replacing lost stars in most cases. May not be as motivated after years at the top?
Manly – Riding the crest of their wave, plenty of talent and a large squad of quality players to rotate if injuries pop up. In-fighting the only worry.
Sharks – Smart recruiting, good blend of experience and youth. Hungry, but may not have the infrastructure to keep them consistent.
Broncos – Roster remains very impressive, some injury worries to key men but coaching remains the big uncertainty.
Dragons – New outlook, good vibe under top level coach. Tough forwards, but will injuries and finals scars return to haunt them?
Titans – Well settled after a few years in the league. Great roster, strong combinations but seem to struggle away from home.
Roosters – Still yet to prove themselves with an expensive roster. Mitchell Pearce better for the experience, but side needs more speed.
NZ Warriors – Dark horse, often forgotten – but have several superstars and strong desire. Manu Vatuvei seems to be the key – heaven or hell?
Wests Tigers – Faster ruck speed should help their style, attack remains impressive. Lack size and muscle in the engine room.
Parramatta – Successful hard line coach should help ease internal tension, poor recruitment may cost them this year if injuries appear.
Panthers – Have talented individuals, but lack overall cohesion. Coaching pressure and team tension remain a real concern.
Raiders – Always fly under the radar, which helps. Terry Campese set to reach new heights, depth and new coach the worries here.
Bulldogs – Total clean-out, seemingly bought very well. Kimmorley the key, appearance of Kevin Moore shouldn’t change things too much.
Rabbitohs – Good roster, great infrastructure. Need to remain out of headlines to keep pressure off. Public eye is their biggest enemy.
Cowboys – Aquired possibly the NRL’s best coach, possess strong attacking talent but defence and injuries always seem to kill them off.
Knights – Remain on the rise, which might see them sneak into 8. Need more superstars and require regular ‘full house’ crowds to keep them winning.
Here at NRL News, we’ve always found the best way to come up with Top 8 predictions is to start by ‘excluding’ the teams that you feel cannot make the grade – it’s always easier to eliminate teams from the Top 8 to make your predictions. Here’s how the NRL News team see things in 2009:
Peter Roy’s Top 8:
Manly, Cronulla, Titans, Knights, Storm, Broncos, St George Illawarra, Cowboys. (Bottom 8 – Warriors, Wests, Parra, Bulldogs, Raiders, Penrith, Rabbits, Roosters)
Gavin Fox’s Top 8:
Manly, St George Illawarra, Broncos, Warriors, Knights, Bulldogs, Wests, Titans. (Bottom 8 – Storm, Eels, Panthers, Raiders, Rabbits, Roosters, Sharks, Cowboys)
John Chelsea’s Top 8:
Storm, Manly, Sharks, Broncos, St George Illawarra, Titans, Roosters, Warriors. (Bottom 8 – Wests, Eels, Knights, Cowboys, Rabbits, Bulldogs, Raiders, Panthers)
NRL Trial Game Reviews and Results
February 23, 2009
NRL News apologises for the delay in results and articles over the weekend, however our preparations for the regular season in 2 weeks is well underway. We look forward to covering all games in depth and ranking your teem weekly, along with our view of the NRL world each and every day of the week.
NRL Preseason Trial Game Results (Wk 2, Feb 21/22 2009)
Storm 32 d Knights 24
Greg Inglis stole the show in this one, putting on a strong display to get the Melbourne side home over the Knights. The Storm were near full strength with their stars performing well, the likes of Slater looking slick and health – plus their new replacement for Israel Folau, a young Wille Isa formerly with the Panthers promises plenty under the guidance of Craig Bellamy. The Knights looked nervous and underdone, however to be fair they had very little possession in this match. Luke Walsh was a little unsure in the halves, however Aku Uate was a solid performer for the Newcastle side.
Titans 40 d Sharks 16
The Sharks weren’t at full strength for this one, however their confidence may have taken a dent as the Titans side ran riot in Darwin. The Gold Coast side look fit, healthy and very well drilled. Sure, this is only a trial game – but even on this short showing of their talent, the attack and iron clad defence paints them as strong challengers for the NRL 2009 title. The jury is still out on the Sharks, as their new recruits weren’t on show and the likes of Paul Gallen remained sidelined for this clash. Coach Ricky Stuart wasn’t too concerned with the hit-out, however John Cartwright was extremely happy with his teams defensive showing.
Broncos 30 d Raiders 16
The main concern out of this game was the injury to Karmichael Hunt, who may have torn stomach muscles putting him out for the first few NRL rounds. Israel Folau made his debut for the Brisbane side and was a threat all game, impressing Ivan Henjack. Peter Wallace was another stand-out at halfback and the Broncos genuinely looked refreshed and keen to impress their new coach in this match. Canberra were good in patches, pivot Terry Campese continues to build on his reputation in the halves and new buy Bronson Harrison performed well in the forwards.
Eels 18 d Panthers 10
A low scoring affair where both sides failed to click into top gear. Both the Eels and Panthers were near full strength, however each were testing new halves pairings. The Eels rolled out Jarryd Hayne at pivot who had a mixed bag of a game, Hayne scoring tries but making some minor positional and handling errors to even out his affair. For the Panthers, it was Sammut and Graham at 6 and 7 for the most part – but the young pairing failed to gel and may not be continued by coach Matt Elliott. Hard to guage both sides on this showing, but will no doubt need to speed their preparations up if they want to foot it with the likes of the Titans, Dragons and Broncos on early trial form.
Dragons 24 d Bulldogs 12
The new Saints kept their momentum going and are building a good aura around them just prior to the season proper. Returning half Matt Head steered his side around well and looks to have finally shrugged off concerns about his knee. The Bulldogs performed admirably considering they rolled out 8 new faces in the side under Kevin Moore, but for the Dragons – this time it was their grinding ability that got them home. Strong defence will have Wayne Bennett feeling confident and again the players turned on the enthusiasm as they continue their rebirth.
NZ Warriors 32 d Cowboys 28
In a high scoring and close affair, it was ‘diamonds or stones’ flanker Manu Vatuvei that stole the show for the Warriors late. Stacey Jones was a nice performer for the Warriors, showing no signs of slowing down but both sides were flashy in attack which sounds alarm bells for opponents in 2009. The Cowboys biggest problem remains defence it seems, with some poor lapses. The Warriors had several key members turning out, with Steve Price, Brent Tate and new face Joel Moon all getting through the match. Willie Tonga settled in well for the Cowboys and looks to be a good buy for them, the former Eels and Bulldogs centre showing flashes of his former Origin brilliance to get over the line. The Cowboys forwards seemed to go well, however did get tired after a lack of possession at stages in this game.
Roosters 16 d Wests 12
The return of Anthony Minichiello was the talk of this game, the former Australian fullback playing well – but sources at the game suggest the injury riddled star may still have problems with his lower back. Apart from playing superbly, Mini copped a massive hit from an opponent in his own goal area and took an age to get back to his feet. The Bondi boy waiting for a teammate to come and help him on to his feet, suggesting the strength in his back might not yet be 100%. The Wests Tigers had plenty of chances in this game and certainly were the better side in patches, but seemed unable to convert anything into points. Coach Brad Fittler was simply happy to get a shot of confidence after the win, the Roosters boss happy and surprised by how well Mini burst back onto the field. Half Mitchell Pearce looked good and the Roosters were just happy to bounce back from their horror spanking at the hands of the Dragons last week. For the Tigers, coach Sheens was happy with Benji Marshall and his adaption to the halfback position, but was frustrated by the refereeing display at various points, which didn’t allow his side to employ their usual open brand of football.
Wests remain under salary cap watch
February 20, 2009
The Wests Tigers remain under intense salary cap pressure, with the practice of ‘back-loading’ by clubs now outlawed by the NRL – ultimately putting the Tigers in a tough situation for the 2009 season.
When clubs fly close to the wind in terms of salary cap limits, it has been common for clubs to ask players to receive part of their payments in later years. This situation was similar to what happened after the Bulldogs cap scandal several years ago, with players taking delayed payments or cuts to keep the club together.
Tigers CEO Scott Longmuir admitted Wests were in a problematic situation, with the NRL’s sudden change of the back-loading rules. Hence the reason for the club desperately trying to offload utility Liam Fulton.
As early as last April, Wests realised they were facing big problems in terms of the salary cap. Fearing fines or more serious penalities, Wests Tigers officials asked a handful of players to take delayed payments – basically deferring their problem, giving them more time to clean up the mess.
However, recently – the NRL has changed the rules, confirming that only when players extend their current deals can they opt to have backloading components added to their contracts.
Wests were believed to have set this up with the extensions of both Bryce Gibbs and Keith Galloway late last year, but are still over the cap as it sits under the current rules.
Longmuir has confirmed the situation surrounding Fulton is not yet sorted out, however UK Super League side Huddersfield who already have several ex-Tigers players on the books are believed to be interested in Fulton as a replacement for banned half Todd Carney.
Manly battle sickness in England
February 20, 2009
The Manly Sea Eagles have more distractions to deal with prior to their World Club Challenge match, the reigning NRL premiers struck down by a stomach virus raging through the team in England.
Only days after touching down in England, the Sea Eagles have contracted a virus that has hit several members of the team. It seems even business class air travel couldn’t save Manly, several players now bed ridden with their squad stretched to the limit to cover.
Prop forward George Rose was one of the first hit, the big man missing the teams first training run in Britain earlier this week. Since then, new recruit Shane Rodney and workhorse forward Glenn Stewart have contracted the illness and have been out of action.
Apparently Glenn Stewart was quite ill towards the end of this week and seems little chance of taking part in the early warm up game.With the virus spreading quickly, Manly officials sought to quarantine the affected players from the remainder of the team, with a focus on having enough fit troops for Sunday’s initial hit-out in a warm-up against London Super League club Harlequins.
Des Hasler and his staff will leave it until Saturday to confirm the team line-up. This latest problem continues Manly’s recent run of frustrations, as the squad left for the WCC in England – the Sea Eagles board was at war, with their financial backers arm-wrestling for control of the club.
NRL backs down on Maitua
February 20, 2009
Discarded Bulldog player Reni Maitua is now free to officially link with the Sharks after the NRL backed down on their decision to stand in the way of his contract.
The paperwork surrounding the transfer hadn’t been ratified by the NRL, after their lawyers hesitated at potential legal proceedings levelled at the Bulldogs for alleged wrongful dismissal in the Industrial Relations Commission.
When booted by the Canterbury Bulldogs in December last year, Maitua immediately sought to link with the Sharks on a 1 year deal – however nothing has been finalised until now.
The National Rugby League body also thought Maitua was seeking to challenge them in court, however his legal team have now confirmed they are only chasing the Bulldogs.
“The Sharks and Reni had already agreed to terms but the ability to register a contract had been hampered by proceedings the international lock had brought against his former club in the Industrial Relations Commission,” said a statement from the NRL.
“While those proceedings remain in place, Maitua’s legal representatives have provided assurances which have paved the way for the NRL to register the contract.
“Maitua is already free to play in trial matches and is expected to be formally registered with the Sharks next week.”
Cronulla aren’t expected to play Maitua in this weekends trial, however he could be on deck for next weeks pre-season fixture against the Newcastle Knights.
With Maitua now free to get on with his Rugby League life at the Sharks, it’s obvious the next 12 months are critical. The short term deal, along with the firm guidance of Ricky Stuart are the ideal mix to keep the former Test representative on the straight and narrow.
With the Sharks building a formidable team for 2009, Maitua is surrounded by quality players and will have no excuses bar any injuries this season.
NRL throw Cronulla a finance lifeline
February 19, 2009
The finance trouble surrounding NRL club Cronulla has seen the NRL offer an advance or effectively a ‘loan’ on their expected $3.5million grant for 2010 should the Sharks slip deeper into money woes.
NRL boss David Gallop was bunkered down with Sharks officials this week to gauge the situation and offer help if its required.
Club CEO Tony Zappia flagged potential problems for the club, with Cronulla seeking emergency financial loans over Christmas to assist with payments to staff and players.
In the past, Leagues Clubs were the ‘money fairies’ for Football Clubs, however with the earnings from Poker Machines virtually non-existent now the NSW State Government takes the lions share of earnings in state taxes, coupled with the economic crisis hitting the market – Cronulla and several other clubs are feeling the pinch.
Such is the dire state of things at Cronulla, they are believed to have approached the St George Bank for a $1 million loan, which was knocked back by the back, instead only confirming $500,000 could be lent. An amount that many couples or familes can obtain when securing finance for a house, but here we have a supposed large business unable to get more than $500,000 in borrowings?
With NRL boss Gallop realising the seriousness of the situation, he is now offering to “loan” some of the $3.5million grants to clubs before they are due.
Once again, Gallop needs to be commended for getting on the front foot and addressing the issue at hand. While Gallop and the NRL are constantly under-fire from various corners of the game, the games top man has steered the competition through some tough issues in recent years and there is definitely room for praise.
“From time to time we’ve agreed to advance clubs a portion of their annual grant (for the following season) and we are open to doing that now,” Gallop said. “Particularly at this time of the year, there are clubs with the same expenses but no income from gate receipts.
“There’s no doubt the economic downturn has the potential to have some impact on our clubs.”
Gallop wouldn’t describe the detail around the Cronulla assistance offering and Sharks CEO Zappia confirmed the clubis yet to sign off on such an offer.
“We haven’t said yes or no,” Zappia said. “I just wanted to speak to David about the possibility of the NRL providing more help. I don’t know if we will need it just yet.
“Our desire is definitely to get by without it, but there’s no question that the next three to six months will be very tough.”
Zappia said the Sharks haven’t sought additional loans recently and will do their best to cut costs. Small job losses are expected, but as it stands all wages are being paid by the club.
Lyon: I want to return to UK
February 19, 2009
Manly Sea Eagles playmaker Jamie Lyon has confirmed his desire to return to the UK Super League; as early as 2010 when his Manly contract expires.
With Lyon currently in the UK with the Sea Eagles for their World Club Championship campaign, it has reignited his memories of the Super League and hence the talk of his return stint in the years ahead.
Lyon confirmed he ultimately would like to return to his old club St Helens, the powerhouse Super League club certainly would welcome the star pivot back; with Lyon a consistent performer for them and winning the Man of Steel award during his stint in England. Winning the Premiership with St Helens during his stint would no doubt leave positive memories for the former bush star and the chance to earn some serious money in his career twilight would also be at the forefront of his mind.
“I really enjoyed it and definitely want to come back,” Lyon told the media.
“I had a great time here (in England). I won a couple of awards and Saints won a couple of titles, too.
“I’ve got two more years at Manly but after that I’ll look at returning to Super League. I’d have a preference for Saints because they were good to me and the fans were unreal.”
While winning the Premiership with the Sea Eagles in 2008, the return to Australia hasn’t been totally rosey for Lyon. After leaving the Parramatta Eels and the NRL after claims of ‘home sickness’ – Eels fans and seemingly the majority of NRL followers felt the defection of Lyon to the Super League was a ‘cop out’ given he expressed feelings of homesickness.
Lyon’s return year in 2007 wasn’t ideal, on top of the poor public opinion he eventually won the ‘most overrated player’ tag in the NRL for that year and went on to lose the Grand Final to Melbourne.
However, 12 months later – Lyon remains a standout performer for the Sea Eagles and claimed the NRL Premiership in a stellar year. Quickly adopted by Manly fans, the dissatisfaction among NRL fans seems to be thinning for Lyon.
Currently with the Manly side on a 4-year agreement, Lyon is contracted until late 2010 to the club.
