Rugby league, at its grass roots, is built on rivalry. The Eels and Bulldogs, the Sharks and Dragons, Manly and โฆ everyone.
There are some brilliant rivalries in the game, but none bigger than the one between South Sydney and the Sydney Roosters.
Watching yesterdayโs game, there was niggle in almost every tackle from the first minute until the 80th minute.
Not to mention the war both sets of fans wage each and every time the two sides meet.
Both sets of fans yesterday were loud, decked out in club colours and not so secretly loathed the other.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8ztx0qLsak
Anyone who follows Souths or Roosters fans on social media would have seen some not so friendly banter. People I have known for years become absolute animals during the eighty minutes whenever these sides meet.
They say the league is going well when Souths and the Roosters are going well, and for the past few years both sides have been excellent.
As a fan of neither side, I can honestly say I wouldnโt mind both sides falling away, but itโs hard to argue about the quality of the clashes.
Yesterdayโs game shifted momentum, and lead, multiple times, and at one certain point in the game, it looked as though each of the sides would run away with it.
The only downer on yesterdayโs contest was the horrible crowd of well under 30,000. It looks as though the Bunnies, ANZ Stadium and the NRL priced themselves out of a potential 40,000+ crowd, but thatโs another argument for another day.
Troubled Water At The Sharks, Already?
Last week it was the Sea Eagles, this week it is the Sharks looking to save their season despite it not even being round three yet.
A woeful performance in attack from the Sharks has fans worried and asking where the points will come from.
Shane Flanaganโs comments, to single out Ben Barba, show signs of a coach under pressure. Sure, Barba hasnโt been playing well, but itโs tough for a member of the halves to get their hands on the ball when the forwards keep dropping it.
Morris, Moylan put hand up for Hayneโs jersey
Brett Morris and Matt Moylan bad had blinders over the weekend, projecting their names into contention for the vacant NSW fullback jersey. Theyโre likely to battle it out with Josh Dugan, and possibly Will Hopoate and Brett Morris.
As it stands I would go with Morris, although Moylan is an undoubted talent and if he continues to develop, could be the answer.
At first I was worried that moving Morris to fullback from the wing would weaken the wing spot, however with the likes of Walker, Johnston and Ferguson available this season, that isnโt likely to be a huge problem.
NRL competing with itself
Yesterday afternoon the NRL faced itself in competition on television, across two different stations in Queensland. I know Channel 9 lay out a fair amount of money for the NRL to run into the news in NSW and QLD, but to have fans in QLD have to choose which game to watch is ridiculous for the NRL.
Either mandate 9 show the give live into QLD or scrap the 6:30 kick off slot. I know itโs only for the opening few rounds, and I am well aware that the AFL have games running at the same time so itโs not the end of the world โฆ just ridiculous when fans were promised live Sunday arvo footy on free-to-air.
A pretty rough deal for the area Dave Smith refers to as a โheartland of rugby leagueโ.
