9 Things We Learned From the Auckland Nines
The footy season is officially upon us with the Auckland Nines tournament taking place over the weekend. Oh sure, for some the season started the moment the last one ended with fantasy players already looking towards what the new season would bring.
However it wasn’t until the weekend just gone that a ball was kicked in anger (sort of) so here are nine things we learnt from the Auckland Nines (and this year I actually watched it!).
1. Friday nights just got more boring
Having the Brisbane Broncos play every Friday night is boring enough but now we have to deal with the fact that Uncle Wayne is back at the helm and he’s brought the dull brand of footy he oversaw at the Knights with him. The Broncos were unwatchable in their first match against the Roosters in what should be a free flowing, end to end format. Despite the Roosters having an abysmal completion rate the Broncos were unable to put enough points on the board and were run down by the boys from Bondi. Can’t say I’m planning on staying up late for the second game too often this year.
2. Andrew Voss is not on our TV enough
Vossy is the best commentator in the game so it’s a shame that his talent is limited to calling Warriors games. He may not carry the tag of the voice of rugby league but his knowledge, research and astute observations during the call leave everyone else for dead. It’s just a shame that politics has gotten in the way.
3. Teams who wear singlets should have to take a running bounce every 15 metres
Seriously, those singlets are stupid. Why hasn’t Dave Smith charged the Fremantle Storm and GWS Tigers for bringing the game into disrepute. Mind you if we forced teams that look like AFL sides to play like AFL sides, they would want to be able to run out of bounds with the ball and get a point for missing.
4. This could be the year that Harold Holt turns up
Just kidding. I don’t know that the Sharks performance in Auckland equates to premiership contender but then again they do have plenty of talent that opted to spend the weekend ringside, still to come into the team. If the Sharks can take any positives out of last year it’s the experience gained by all the players they were forced to bleed.
5. Not all wrestling moves in rugby league are bad
‘The wrestle’ in rugby league has been a blight on the game but the textbook ‘Rock Bottom’ that one of the Kiwi Ferns executed in the first game against the Jillaroos was awesome. Unfortunately I can’t tell you who it was such is the lack of exposure these girls get. If the NRL is fair dinkum about the Women In League round they need to showcase these hard working girls better, rather than just paying lip service to the mums and using the opportunity to sell a few pink jerseys.
6. Tepai Moeroa is a gun
The young backrower looked the goods last year before injury cut his season short. Not only does he look bigger this year; his match winning try against the Knights and the big hit he put on in the semi final will have Eels fans and fantasy players alike licking their lips. Of course there were plenty of players who showed some great potential which bodes well for the season ahead.
7. The Nines should stay in Auckland
Actually I don’t really care if the promoters want to take it somewhere else, it just galls me that Queensland and Melbourne are trying to poach it. Hands off! Must everything in rugby league be in Queensland?
8. The NRL needs golden try
The NRL won’t implement golden try based on one game alone but the evidence we saw on Sunday was awfully compelling. Golden point has become a yawn fest and whilst conceding a penalty hurt the Sharks in the Grand Final, the Bunnies still had to get across the line to win.
9. Rugby League IS the greatest game of all
This, we already knew. Sure the Big Bash final was dramatic and the Asian Cup final was a heart stopper but the Auckland Nines show how truly unique the game of rugby league is. Where else could you have the premiers and the wooden spooners play an extra time thriller just a few months later?
Geoff Adams
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