Round 6
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 10 l. North Queensland Cowboys 34

2009 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

DISCORD: Edition Two
Wed April 22, 2009
NATIONAL Rugby League chief executive David Gallop will tell you that every case is different and that's why you can't introduce across-the-board penalties for off-field misdemeanours.

Certainly, it's easy to understand why having an "atrocity tribunal" won't work. The NRL can't second-guess the law of the land. It can't compel innocent passers-by to appear before its judiciary. And if the League finds someone guilty of something and the court subsequently clears them, litigation will surely result.

But the arbitrary nature of the NRL's involvement in these affairs still leaves a bit of a sour taste. Here is a body that stands on procedure, precedent, transparency and yet when it steps in and suspends Brett Stewart for a month, its reasons seem a little wishy-washy.

"He was drunk at a club function and is the face of the game.''

Discord would like to suggest that any structure and predictability in these things is better than none at all and anyone charged with a criminal offence has undoubtedly brought the game into disrepute.

So we are calling on the NRL to introduce mandatory stand-downs of two weeks for every player charged by police, be it sexual assault or peeing in an alley. That would give the club and the League the opportunity to assess the situation and consider further punishment.

OK, it's not the most outrageous suggestion ever - but there are legal minefields to negotiate in these situations. We reported in Rugby League Week today that grog-related incidents are up something like 400 per cent on previous years.

Tell us what you think should be done.

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IF Parramatta aren't looking at Michael Monaghan as an immediate replacement for Brett Finch, then they should be.

Monaghan has been given an "out" at Warrington because of the crackdown on offshore tax havens and shares a manager, Jim Banaghan, with coach Daniel Anderson.

He may want too much money in the long term but what matters most to the bumbling Eels is the short term and he could certainly do a job for them.

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HAD the pleasure of visiting the City of Churches-converted-to-nightclubs on the weekend and even though the crowd of eight-and-a-half thousand for the Cronulla-North Queensland game looked disappointing, the overall experience was positive.

Certainly, the local sports gossip columnist noticed that neither Gallop nor Graham Annesley were present for the transplanted Sharks home game and questioned how serious the NRL is about Adelaide.

Simple answer: they're not. Even the South Australian Rugby League doesn't seem serious about Adelaide! Their boss was quoted as saying there are already enough national sports franchises there!

But here's something you won't like reading if you live in the game's heartlands but it's true nonetheless: Adelaide would add dollars to the NRL's next television contract and the Central Coast would be worth the value of the extra game each week and nothing more.

The number of extra viewers the game would get on the Central Coast would be negligible and besides, if Wollongong can't support a team of its own, how can Gosford?

There is evidence that the core support for the game in Adelaide would be bigger than in Melbourne. When the Rams were shut down, it was front page news in the Advertiser and it would be front page news if they came back, too.

And jeez, couldn't Cronulla use $11 million right now? Hmm. Where could they get $11 million? Well, there's the league's possible relocation allowance....

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IN a couple of weeks' time, we were supposed to be having our first weekend recess for internationals.

Remember last year, when the NRL and ARL said the ANZAC Test would have its own weekend with City-Country played on a Friday or Saturday.

And we all marvelled about how great it would be for Tonga, PNG, Samoa etc to be able to recall their players the same weekend and finally hold meaningful internationals.

Even France and England could get in on the act if they were organised enough...

Instead, we have City-Country and the Test being played at the same time on Friday May 8 and four NRL games over the weekend.

What happened? The clubs wouldn't cop it. We might as well forget the World Cup ever happened....

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THE thing about last-placed Cronulla is that they can attack. They just can't attack well and defend well in the same game.

The likes of Trent Barrett, Matthew Wright and Mitch Brown were impressive with the ball in hand.

But three times in the second session, Cronulla players had a good grip on opponents close to the line (in the case of Willie Tonga, over the line), and just let them go.

This from a side that prides itself on 'D'. Mystifying.

But it is surely no co-incidence that three sides who have prided themselves for so-called "work on the ground'' have come back to the field dramatically under the scrutiny of two referees: Melbourne, Manly and Cronulla.

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I HOPE you're enjoying Discord. I've never had to turn out an opinion-based column every week before and it's a challenge because I don't have an opinion on everything in rugby league.

Most elements of the game, I am happy to just sit back and enjoy.

I was going to name the blog after another of my nicknames. But would you read something called Stinky ?


NRL Round 6 Sunday Preview from RleagueBetting.com
Sun April 19, 2009
Source: www.rleaguebetting.com

The Warriors are hot favourites to defeat the Roosters at Mt Smart this afternoon.

The top odds just $1.50 from BetCris. Instead, take the Roosters who are paying $2.85 at Pinnacle Sports, or take them with 6 points start also at Pinnacle Sports for $2.06.

If you think the Roosters will get off to a flyer like they did in last years semi-final, Sports Alive are paying $2.35 for them to win the first half and Bet365 are paying a very healthy $2.25 for them to reach 10 points first. That compares very nicely to the $2.05 available elsewhere.

Consider a Roosters Penalty Goal ($11) or a Warriors Penalty Goal ($9.25) in the 1st Scoring Play market, both top quotes coming from Sports Alive

1st Try Scorer is a very tight market with the favourites not showing much value. Centrebet have Soliola @ $34 which is more than twice other bookmakers.

Click Here to Compare Odds on Warriors vs Roosters

Cronulla and North Queensland travel to Adelaide in what could easily be a battle for the Wooden Spoon. The best value in head-to-head markets looks to be Cronulla @ $2.50 with Sportsbet. Sportsbet also have the best value in the handicap market, giving the Sharks 4.5 start at odds of $1.92.

If you think the Cowboy's attack might click today, you can give up 8.5 start at Sports Alive at odds of $2.35, or take the $3.15 odds from IASBet that the Cows will win by 13+.

Luke Covell is good value at $16 to be 1st Try Scorer, the top odds coming from Sports Alive. Centrebet have Anthony Tupou at $34, which compares nicely to the $23 available elsewhere.

Finally, take the $1.83 odds from Bet365 that 40 or fewer points will be scored in the match.

Click Here to Compare Odds on Cowboys vs Sharks

If the Bulldogs aren't on their game against the Eels, they could receive a big shock from an Eels outfit that are a good team when in top flight. You can get $2.61 for an Eels victory at Pinnacle Sports. A Bulldogs victory by 1-12 at odds of $3.10 looks a more attractive option, the top odds coming from Sportingbet.

Consider also taking the $1.83 odds from Bet365 that 41 or more points will be scored in the match

Bryson Goodwin is showing good value to be the first try scorer, paying $14 at Sports Alive. The Eels might target Hazem El Masri with the high kick early on, which also makes Joel Reddy's quote of $14 attractive, also at Sports Alive. If you're looking for a roughie, Michael Ennis is $29 at Centrebet compared to $16 available elsewhere.

Click Here to Compare Odds on Eels vs Bulldogs

* Note all prices are subject to change.

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