ANALYSIS: Cronulla kick clear to seal home final after horror Kris tackle spears Raiders' chances
Cronulla have clinched hosting rights for an elimination final against the Roosters after downing Canberra.
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Paul has been a sports journalist since 1997, working as a reporter and editor at media outlets including the Illawarra Mercury, Sydney Morning Herald, Sun-Herald, Daily Telegraph and NRL.com.
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Cronulla have clinched hosting rights for an elimination final against the Roosters after downing Canberra.
Nobody will particularly care about receiving the JJ Giltinan Shield until there’s extra incentive attached to the trophy in the way of playoff benefits or huge cash incentives.
Time will tell whether this late-season upheaval is a watershed moment for Canterbury or yet another spin in their cycle of mediocrity.
The lesson Parramatta need to learn from this season is that it's time to shake things up.
South Sydney are going to be cannon fodder even if they make the finals after all the soap opera storylines that have engulfed the club recently.
The final make-up of the eight playoff teams will come down to the last match of the season.
Fifth spot was on the line when Newcastle hosted Cronulla on Sunday.
Five-year plans are a must-have but publicising them can backfire.
Australia have a golden chance to improve upon their bronze medal Olympic benchmark at this World Cup.
With two rounds remaining, the race for the minor premiership, top four and final eight is still up in the air.
Latrell Mitchell is in danger of sabotaging his career and never truly living up to his prodigious talent.
Melbourne and St George Illawarra fired in attack but didn't bring their A game in defence at Wollongong on Saturday night.
Expansion is a tricky beast in any professional sport.
Benji Marshall starting his tenure 12 months early is a step in the right direction for the Wests Tigers.
There are no guarantees for the 11 sides still in contention for the finals with three rounds left.
Reducing high-impact collisions from long-range kick-offs could be a big benefit to the NRL and its players.
Newcastle scored an emphatic win but they could have lost a key player for the rest of the season.
John Aloisi is happy to be the second most famous penalty taker in Australian football history.
James Tedesco is under pressure to retain his Kangaroos fullback jersey but he deserves one last chance to show he can still cut it at Test level.
Cameron Munster needs to rediscover his peak form if the Storm are going to make any noise in the playoffs.
just don’t call me Pauly, sure?
Lack of care factor over NRL minor premiership is embarrassing but almost impossible to solve perennial problem
top 9 did cross my mind as some sort of way to incentivise finishing first but crunching those numbers is beyond my high school maths status
Lack of care factor over NRL minor premiership is embarrassing but almost impossible to solve perennial problem
there’s many a weasel in the NRL on the grindage
Lack of care factor over NRL minor premiership is embarrassing but almost impossible to solve perennial problem
his 5-year plan will revolve around doing enough in his three-year deal to earn another contract, but there are signs of life at the Dragons with some of their younger players getting better and the deadwood being removed from the roster
Every NRL club should have a five-year plan but it’s best to keep quiet about the details - remember Parra's 2020 Vision?
Arcturus, the Gasnier comparison was not due to those aspects but more a case of he looks like someone who falls in and out of love of the game and the spotlight that goes with being a star, Jamie Lyon was another one like that and possibly more similar as he was always looking to head back to the bush any chance he got
Latrell's career may have already peaked unless he can eradicate momentary lapses of discipline
u make a good point – team that wears green, starts with R
NRL Run Home: And then there were 10 - Roosters set to fly past bumbling Bunnies and Cowboys for final playoff spot
Great points, but The Glenn Maxwell ship has sailed in Test cricket.
Renshaw-Pucovski will hopefully be the next long-term opening partnership. Whatever the question is, Marcus Harris is not the answer. Cameron Bancroft had a bumper Shield summer but even if he does jag another chance at Test level, he will basically have 1 series because a third chance will be his last
None of the obvious contenders to replace Dave Warner stand out. So why not try a left field solution?
The Dragons have been based in Wollongong for several years – they are in the process of building their centre of excellence just north of the city but they will always retain their St George links with the leagues club and their other home ground at Kogarah
PNG bid has potential but NRL can’t have further expansion without the three Rs - relocation, relegation or rationalisation
Pandora’s worms? Whatever they are, they should stay in the box
PNG bid has potential but NRL can’t have further expansion without the three Rs - relocation, relegation or rationalisation
the Warriors have not had nearly enough good seasons to mount a case for a second team in NZ
PNG bid has potential but NRL can’t have further expansion without the three Rs - relocation, relegation or rationalisation
and that is why the NRL is suddenly looking to have a PNG team … all else being equal, Perth should be No.1 option because it’s got loads of potential and also alleviates a helluva lot of problems with scheduling due to the extra time zone
PNG bid has potential but NRL can’t have further expansion without the three Rs - relocation, relegation or rationalisation
Origin is not a like for like comparison, often the two states are choosing candidates who are not in the top 10 coaches going around because they are all contracted to clubs … Cricket Australia should be able to select from the very best options available – on 2nd thought, maybe it is going to be like Origin for CA because the most sought-after coaches will all be signed up by the IPL
The best coach for the Australian cricket team was at the Ashes but in the commentary box
the worst thing about the Head omission was if ever the guy was gonna get over his dramas with spinning pitch was coming into that series in career-best form but then he gets left out of first Test and immediately parachuted back in the following match
The best coach for the Australian cricket team was at the Ashes but in the commentary box
it definitely didn’t succeed, despite the amount of positive spin coming out of the Australian camp. The selectors have had ample opportunity to move Warner on and bring someone else in to give them a decent run at being Khawaja’s partner but they are more gun shy than proactive
Test-mortem: Bazball ultimately a little too reckless against Australian crawl - Where Ashes was won, lost and drawn
They’re overdue for an unexpected finals hot streak, a la 2002 and 2011
Warriors’ surge to finals is biggest surprise since 2005 Tigers premiership run - and Shaun Johnson deserves Dally M
nobody saw it coming, not even the Warriors themselves. Second spot definitely in play
Warriors’ surge to finals is biggest surprise since 2005 Tigers premiership run - and Shaun Johnson deserves Dally M
very much a chance of a rapid rise next year – there is some decent talent at the club that can shine once they trim some more deadwood
Warriors’ surge to finals is biggest surprise since 2005 Tigers premiership run - and Shaun Johnson deserves Dally M
there is a dramatic NBT drought in NSW https://www.theroar.com.au/2023/03/18/you-snooze-you-lose-blues-drastic-overhaul-needed-after-once-mighty-nsw-endure-winless-shield-season/
Why Australia need to start regenerating ageing Test team now before it’s too late
Carey is super fit and like Brad Haddin will probably keep delivering at a high level until he’s 35-36
Why Australia need to start regenerating ageing Test team now before it’s too late
Spencer Johnson has got some serious X-factor, would be great for him to get a crack at Test level in the near future if he can consolidate on last season with a strong start to the Shield season
Why Australia need to start regenerating ageing Test team now before it’s too late
Tanveer Sangha in pencil in the selectors’ future notebook too
Why Australia need to start regenerating ageing Test team now before it’s too late
yes, as far as middle-order options go
Why Australia need to start regenerating ageing Test team now before it’s too late
they used to be skilful, now they are automatons
Total Football NRL style: Positionless team possible in theory but unlikely to happen in the age of pigeonholed players
with no salary cap it’d be: Ben Hunt (hooker) … Cameron Munster (everywhere) … Jack Wighton (everywhere) … Cameron Murray (see above) … Latrell Mitchell … Kurt Capewell … Wade Graham (a few years ago) … Tohu Harris … Valentine Holmes (when he had his NFL bulk) … Hudson Young … Reuben Cotter (after being taught how to kick) … Ryan Matterson (see above) … Matt Burton
Total Football NRL style: Positionless team possible in theory but unlikely to happen in the age of pigeonholed players
here u go eagleJack – first round, minor premiers get week off, 2v3 with winner thru to 3rd round, rest is elimination 4v9, 5v8, 6v7 to go to week 2 …. second round 1 v 6v7 winner, other 2 winners (4v9, 5v8) play off … third round two highest-ranked teams host prelim finals, fourth round GF … in this system, there is incentive to finish 1st, also to finish top 3, the rest is sudden death
Lack of care factor over NRL minor premiership is embarrassing but almost impossible to solve perennial problem