NRL 2022

A poignant read about Paul Green in the SMH. Paul Green was lost without the game he loved

These two paragraphs particularly hit home. Mental health sometimes is such a difficult to impossible thing to read.

Having talked to a range of people who knew him well – but never saw his death on Thursday, at the age of just 49, coming – that’s the only part of his life that was raised as a potential concern: that he had a feeling the game had, in some way, moved on and he was no longer a major part of it.

...

Wayne Bennett knew what Green had to offer, however. Bennett finalised a deal with Green to join the Dolphins during two meetings in the past 10 days. His only brief to Green was “to make me look good”, and he was told if he got a head coaching role he was free to leave. Bennett is known for his ability to read people. He saw nothing in Green to suggest what was to come.

nothing of interest happened all weekend except the Warriors humping the Bulldogs.

Penrith wrap up top spot after the Cowboys understandably stumble in Sydney
Bunnies flog bad Parramatta
Cronulla flog the Tigers to shore up a spot in teh top 4
Newcastle lose again
Raiders win without Ricky, Dragon done for the year
Manly get torched by the Titans, and the Tigers are now holding the spoon

Canberra aren't done with yet. They have 3 games they should win, while the 3 teams above them have it significantly harder.
You might need 14 wins to play finals, which is unheard of, and testament to just how rubbish a third of the competition are.

@mariner4life nothing of interest? the warriors season is back on! ... next year, or the year after that..maybe lol

That was great game, if they push up in numbers on every play supporting the ball carrier for the rest of the season, they should at least stay in the fight longer. SJ actually having a run too, albeit like a unicorn sighting, was a unlikely unique experience that everyone has said for years he should do more of. They will still unlikely win another game, but putting up a fight would be respected.

Ciraldo now a Bulldog which is pretty big news and rumours circulating that Munster has signed with Dolphins for around $6m from 2024.

Souths and Roosters are the teams to watch, even the Cowboys nervous now, will be interesting to see if Penrith lose any confidence going into finals, they will get Clearly back, but will it be too late mentally to get them right again?

@bayimports it's like you just skipped the word EXCEPT

Roosters are not guaranteed to make it yet which is astounding. You need a heap of wins and a great F/A to get in, whereas in the past you just had to win 50% of your games.

Penrith are fine. They are very comfortable in their game, and you add back refreshed players at 7,6 and 1, as well as the best prop in the game, and they are still nailed on for the GF.

I don't think the Cowboys are nervous at all. An expected victory over the Warriors this weekend in Townsville and they are locked in to the top 4.

I reckon Parramatta are though. They've got the Bulldogs, Brisbane and Melbourne. Their F/A is not great either. If "good Parra" show up they will win all 3 of those. If "bad parra" show up they could not win again.

Be interesting to see the Panthers next year without two of their assistant coaches. The Bulldogs are already smokeys for the top 4 in 2023 if this Ciraldo is as good as everyone seems to believe.

@mariner4life yeah I know Roosters not guaranteed anything, but you can add +40 to F/A next weekend over the tigers, they should beat Melbourne, I suspect they lose to Souths (at this stage). I think they will do enough to get through.

Souths hopes still reply on Latrell not losing his shit, because if he doesn't play, they are a different team.

Cowboys not nervous as in missing out on finals, but they might second guess themselves coming into Sydney playing like that again.

Penrith also lose Kikau too (also to dogs) and thats serious impact down the left for them. But yes two decent assistants gone for sure

I'm not sure the Cowboys actually believe they can win it yet. Might be a year early, though the Origin experience in to their young players might speed that development up.

On current form, and if Latrell stays dialed in, i am picking Souths to make the GF. But geez i would hate to be putting all my faith in Cody Walker.

lol good god i love the NRL. Home & Away couldn't come up with all the shit that dumb as fuck players and coaches do on a weekly basis.

Kalyn Ponga is rubbed out for the year because his brain is mush. But lo! lets get busted doing Columbian Marching Powder with another knights player in a toilet cubicle! sen-fucking-sational. (incidentally, but possibly unrelated, two other knights are stood down this week).

And you know those really holy Manly players that absolutely couldn't play in a jersey because it was like totally against their beliefs and shit? well, hey, you know what isn't against their beliefs? Supporting a dude who is going to prison for straight up stabbing another bloke. Andrew Fifita got a whack for doing the same thing, why isn't the NRL going at these guys?

Turns out, if you are a hard core christian, it's totally okay to stab someone from behind, just not with your dick .

@mariner4life said in NRL 2022:

Turns out, if you are a hard core christian, it's totally okay to stab someone from behind, just not with your dick .

Early nomination for line of the year, well done sir :beaming_face_with_smiling_eyes:

@mariner4life said in NRL 2022:

lol good god i love the NRL. Home & Away couldn't come up with all the shit that dumb as fuck players and coaches do on a weekly basis.

Kalyn Ponga is rubbed out for the year because his brain is mush. But lo! lets get busted doing Columbian Marching Powder with another knights player in a toilet cubicle! sen-fucking-sational. (incidentally, but possibly unrelated, two other knights are stood down this week).

And you know those really holy Manly players that absolutely couldn't play in a jersey because it was like totally against their beliefs and shit? well, hey, you know what isn't against their beliefs? Supporting a dude who is going to prison for straight up stabbing another bloke. Andrew Fifita got a whack for doing the same thing, why isn't the NRL going at these guys?

Turns out, if you are a hard core christian, it's totally okay to stab someone from behind, just not with your dick .

@mariner4life said in NRL 2022:

lol good god i love the NRL. Home & Away couldn't come up with all the shit that dumb as fuck players and coaches do on a weekly basis.

Kalyn Ponga is rubbed out for the year because his brain is mush. But lo! lets get busted doing Columbian Marching Powder with another knights player in a toilet cubicle! sen-fucking-sational. (incidentally, but possibly unrelated, two other knights are stood down this week).

And you know those really holy Manly players that absolutely couldn't play in a jersey because it was like totally against their beliefs and shit? well, hey, you know what isn't against their beliefs? Supporting a dude who is going to prison for straight up stabbing another bloke. Andrew Fifita got a whack for doing the same thing, why isn't the NRL going at these guys?

Turns out, if you are a hard core christian, it's totally okay to stab someone from behind, just not with your dick .

Manly seven to boycott playing Newcastle next game as it was revealed that two Newcastle players were seen leaving the toilet together

But, but, Kalyn's Dad was adamant that he had just had too much to drink and his mate was just helping him out of the toilet.

@Bovidae I couldn’t stop laughing when that was rolled out.

The drug test results will be illuminating.

Either way, if he was just out on the drink, he’s still an idiot because he’s injured and the season is still going and as captain he’s saying to his team mates, “hey guys you go out there and work hard until the end of the season whilst I’ll get plastered”

@mariner4life said in NRL 2022:

lol good god i love the NRL. Home & Away couldn't come up with all the shit that dumb as fuck players and coaches do on a weekly basis.

you forgot to add former NRL player Corey Norman caught doing the Hopoate in Super League and former NRL origin player pleads guilty to sharing child abuse material

a busy day yesterday for drop kicks

@mariner4life said in NRL 2022:

lol good god i love the NRL. Home & Away couldn't come up with all the shit that dumb as fuck players and coaches do on a weekly basis.

Kalyn Ponga is rubbed out for the year because his brain is mush. But lo! lets get busted doing Columbian Marching Powder with another knights player in a toilet cubicle! sen-fucking-sational. (incidentally, but possibly unrelated, two other knights are stood down this week).

And you know those really holy Manly players that absolutely couldn't play in a jersey because it was like totally against their beliefs and shit? well, hey, you know what isn't against their beliefs? Supporting a dude who is going to prison for straight up stabbing another bloke. Andrew Fifita got a whack for doing the same thing, why isn't the NRL going at these guys?

Turns out, if you are a hard core christian, it's totally okay to stab someone from behind, just not with your dick .

I'll be honest I was in full support of their stand but now...... honestly the guy they're supporting is a fing criminal....

@bayimports said in NRL 2022:

former NRL origin player pleads guilty to sharing child abuse material

Eek, which one?

@Nepia Brett Finch

@OleOleOle said in NRL 2022:

@Nepia Brett Finch

Oh shit.

@bayimports what’s unfortunate with all these stories is that we’ve had a really impassioned message from JT about mental health and his former coach, and that becomes just another story with all this noise. I know there’s always a lot of noise with the NRL players past and present in any event, but this does suck for what is a real issue.

@ACT-Crusader said in NRL 2022:

@bayimports what’s unfortunate with all these stories is that we’ve had a really impassioned message from JT about mental health and his former coach, and that becomes just another story with all this noise. I know there’s always a lot of noise with the NRL players past and present in any event, but this does suck for what is a real issue.

the cynic in me says JT's messaged will be given little light because

that would make it a lot harder for Kent and Hooper and the rest to just spend all year smashing players and most especially coaches for everything

@ACT-Crusader said in NRL 2022:

@bayimports what’s unfortunate with all these stories is that we’ve had a really impassioned message from JT about mental health and his former coach, and that becomes just another story with all this noise. I know there’s always a lot of noise with the NRL players past and present in any event, but this does suck for what is a real issue.

I think the distinction needs o be made clear and called out where players and their agents are taking the piss. Topical example:

Finch sat emotionless as he fronted Sydney's Downing Centre Local court on Tuesday morning.

His lawyer, Paul McGirr, told reporters outside court his client was seeking treatment for mental health issues.

"We just ask that everyone remember that there [are] mental health issues in play and we have to respect that at this stage," he said.

An alternative viewing of that is someone (allegedly) caught sending child abuse material has mental issues and there's nothing to respect. If his life is falling apart as a result and he's suicidal, those are called consequences and repercussions of your own actions. Care and compassion are reserved for the people having to deal with your choices.