Easy win to Sydney Roosters against Manly in tonight’s semi-final, winning 40-16. The home side scored three tries to one in the first half, before adding three more in the second half against the Sea Eagles’ two. Sua’ali’i kicked five conversions and two penalties but was injured late in the game.
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And then there are sides like the Wests Tigers and Titans which have had extremely limited success in the same time period; the former team have not played finals for thirteen completed seasons (from a club perspective), and have only ever played finals three times (2005, 2010 and 2011), while the latter has only won one finals match ever (against the Warriors in 2010).
IMO the salary cap is designed so that every team has equal chance of winning the premiership at the start of the season. I would’ve thought we’d all learn a harsh lesson after what happened to the Melbourne Storm in 2010, but they were able to rebuild their team on the run and apart from that season haven’t missed the finals due to their performances since 2002.
The salary cap was also supposed to spell the end of the Penrith Panthers as a dominant force, but they too have proven they can rebuild on the run (as evidenced by the recent departures of Matt Burton, Viliame Kikau and Stephen Crichton to name a few). Next year they’ll lose Jarome Luai who’s off to Tigerland.
Also IMO, the Tigers’ ninth-place finish in 2019 (also their third in fourth seasons) has proven to be a sliding doors moment - all those years of near-misses saw them tumble down the ladder, having now finished wooden spooners for three years running, even with the inclusion of the Dolphins in 2023.
There needs to be a draft system that can help aid the persistently poor sides, the long-term effects of which are coming to fruition in the AFL - there was a period in the teens decade when the Brisbane Lions wallowed at the foot of the ladder for many years, and now they’ve just qualified for a second straight decider. Carlton, on the other hand, has been a mostly poor side this century and that was due to salary cap breaches exposed in 2002 which saw them stripped of draft picks and sent the club backwards for the long-term.
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According to The Sunday Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield, Kia has expanded its rugby league sponsorship by having its logo appearing at the front of Kangaroos jersey for the upcoming Pacific Championships.
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I really don’t get the hype around Walsh - his play is often lazy (his defence, in particular, is abysmal) and had a big hand in the Broncos missing finals this year.
I do wonder if he’s going to become a bit of a liability for the club
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Regarding the failed drug test, Addo-Carr has been issued a breach notice by the NRL and is reportedly set to be handed a “three to four week suspension” as well as a massive $12,000 fine.
Sources have told the SMH that on top of the $12,000 penalty, the NRL has proposed to add $3000 in fines due to the winger’s part in a controversial brawl at the Koori Knockout rugby league tournament last offseason.
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The Brisbane Broncos have parted ways with coach Kevin Walters just 12 months after he took the club to a grand final.
The Broncos held an end-of-season review before the decision was made to end Walters’ contract, effective immediately.
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So the Kevolution is no more 
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What a terrible nightmare.
Couldn’t have happened to a nicer team
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The Storm had qualified for their first NRL grand final since 2020, beating the Roosters 48-18 at AAMI Park. However, the scoreline failed to tell the full story, as the Roosters scored the first two tries after half time to reduce the margin to six points. Melbourne scored four tries in each half, capitalising on some of the opponent’s handling errors.
The sour note for the Storm was Nelson Asofa-Solomona being sent to the sin bin only 18 seconds into the match for a high shot on Lindsay Collins, who later failed his HIA (head injury assessment).
EDIT: tonight’s crowd of 29,213 was the third biggest attendance for a rugby league match at AAMI Park, behind Australia v New Zealand test match in 2010 (29,442) and the 2015 preliminary final between the Storm and the Cowboys (29,315).
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That’s now the fifth straight leap year (dating back to 2008) that the Storm have played in a Grand Final (11th GF overall).
It’s also the first time the Roosters have failed to qualify for a decider played on October 6 (three of their last four premierships were won on this date in 2002, 2013 and 2019).
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Newcastle Knights released a statement earlier tonight, saying Kalyn Ponga would be available to represent Australia in Pacific Championships, “subject to the standard health, fitness and mental readiness”.
The backflip came after Ponga notified Knights officials on Tuesday that he did not wish to play in the end-of-year Tests for the Kangaroos, as it would reduce his NRL pre-season.
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This morning Asofa-Solomona was charged with a Grade 3 Careless High Tackle. He will be banned for four games with an early guilty plea, ruling him out of next Sunday’s grand final.
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NRL 2024: Michael Maguire informs NSWRL he has been approached by the Brisbane Broncos
In the biggest indication Blues coach Michael Maguire could be heading to the Broncos, the mentor has informed NSWRL of his interest in the club’s vacant coaching position.
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He’ll challenge, it’ll get downgraded to a Grade 2 - will still miss the Grand Final.
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2024 NRL Grand Final: Melbourne Storm vs Penrith Panthers.
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Was inevitable. Had my hopes up at 10-6 with 20 to go, but Panthers ran away with it from there.
Didn’t get to see the game though being in Paris right now.
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I think the GF will be shown live in France. Keep an eye on the NRL website over the next week.
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BeIN Sports France has the rights over there.
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