NRL 2024
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when politics interferes with sport
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this is just a terrible idea
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I mean, lets break this down.
It is no exaggeration to say PNG is a lawless wasteland. Corruption and murder are rife. Workers over there live in secure compounds with armed guards. And that still doesn't stop them getting robbed.
Who is going to move to PNG to love in a gated compound for 9 months of the year?
No one, that's who.
And you can't just over pay them because that will make a bigger target.You can't get talent to move to Auckland, how the fuck are you getting them to Port Moresby?
So you are left with essentially elevating thr Hunters from Q-Cup to NRL. Endless spoons.
But hey, we stopped china aye?
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@mariner4life Meh, the Tigers have been a wasteland for years, I'm sure this PNG team can't be any worse.
Maybe they could end up being similar the Drua in Super Rugby?
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well $60m a year over 10 years to the NRL. How much goes to PNG of that no one knows lol? Some will go but surely there will have to be exemption in the salary cap even to entice them. Or an Uncle Nick style 3rd party agreement where once contract completed a free house in your choice of state
But you're right, I can't see how this will actually work, are they going to provide extra security for touring teams and refs as well?
There was talk initially that they would play their games in Darwin, but that obviously didn't get over the line either.
If Port Moresby was safe then it would be a different story and actually an interesting expansion opportunity, however it is notSo much operationally for them to get their head around before this kicks off ..
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The PM XIII go up there every year and get welcomed like rockstars, they also have countless amount of international matches up there every year and there haven't been any problems.
What is actually the big deal here with giving an NRL side to a country where Rugby League is the only sport in the world where the game is the number 1 sport in?
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Living in PNG all year round, not just for a week.
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They'll be made up of mostly locals anyway.
As I said earlier, it'll be similar to the Drua in Super Rugby and if anything, we'll probably see more PNG talent discovered as a result, it's not like they're gonna chase guys like Cam Munster lol.
I still don't see what the big deal with this all is.
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@African-Monkey yeah, I don't see it as the same as the Drua, they will have to have some imports as the NRL try to keep it competitive and there is already a Drua equivalent in QRL. So for me it won't be just PNG and therefore logistics/safety will have an important role.
The PM X111 play a once off which is relatively easy to police, longer term its not so easy, but for 60m a year, maybe it might be
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@African-Monkey said in NRL 2024:
I still don't see what the big deal with this all is.
Port Moresby is rated as the 12th most dangerous city in the world, with a murder rate of 54 people per 100k
Fiji's is 2 per 100k
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South Africa then? People seem fine with their teams playing in professional rugby union comps. Hardly the safest country in the world either, far from it infact.
In teems of competitiveness @bayimports we've had plenty of dud teams over the years. The Cowboys were a complete joke for many of their early years but got persisted with, the Tigers have been awful for a long time now (last finals appearance in 2011), Souths when they came back in 2002 were absolutely terrible for a good 5 seasons before slowly turning the corner, I don't see how this new PNG side will be any worse than those examples (and many more that haven't been mentioned)
I'm not arguing that PNG isn't safe and that they won't be competitive to start off with, but the place is crazy about rugby league and opposition teams will have to go up there once a year max, omg how terrible! And as i said, most players will be local based with many more talent to be discovered as a result of this.
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@African-Monkey said in NRL 2024:
The PM XIII go up there every year and get welcomed like rockstars, they also have countless amount of international matches up there every year and there haven't been any problems.
What is actually the big deal here with giving an NRL side to a country where Rugby League is the only sport in the world where the game is the number 1 sport in?
The security I've seen for games across the road from the yacht club says they can do it. But as nice as staying at The Airways can be, not sure I'd want to do that permanently, especially with a family.
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What a difference a good half back makes, even made Dylan brown play better. Moses had a significant impact last night. Parra were actually for a change good to watch. Probably the only game to be played in NSW this week that won't be impacted by rain, so unlikely to be as entertaining
Have the wheels fallen off at the Sharks? it was still Parramatta after all
Will Hynes who has never delivered in at Origin, blow it and Moses be back game 2? -
Parra are at their best when it is offload-a-go-go, as it was last night. Weird how Moses being back in the side and suddenly everyone ran a bit harder and chased a bit harder too.
I'm not sticking a fork in the Sharks just yet, but i have pulled them out of the oven and it's definitely time to check.
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@mariner4life said in NRL 2024:
Parra are at their best when it is offload-a-go-go, as it was last night. Weird how Moses being back in the side and suddenly everyone ran a bit harder and chased a bit harder too.
I'm not sticking a fork in the Sharks just yet, but i have pulled them out of the oven and it's definitely time to check.
Junior Paulo was in beast mode last night and others who have been giving it 80% put in a lot more. Not often anyone can give Barrett credit for anything, but moving Lane into the middle looks like a smart move too, since no longer anywhere near his best on the edge.
I don't think the Sharks are done yet either, but Penrith and the Eels have shown the blueprint in how to beat them, whether others can be consistent enough to execute on this, we shall see
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The perpetually available Dylan Edwards is injured and out of Origin 1
Teddy back from the dead
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The pre-Origin round is always good for some weird results. Good teams just want to get through reasonably unscathed, shit teams are hunting for cheap Ws
So explain how Newcastle got fucking smoked by the Bulldogs who aren't any good and had players out for Origin?
Penrith losing is understandable seeing as they trotted out reserve grade.
The Raiders came back from the dead time and time again to sneak past the Dolphins. Wayne was actually pissed afterwards, so you know there was some contentious shit going on
And then the Cowboys went to Sydney and actually won? Yes the Roosters lost Teddy on the day, but they actually don't have a lot of Origin players this year, whereas the Cowboys lost all their best players. Big win. -
Didn't see the Cowboys coming back to win like that yesterday being down 16-4, and thought Townsend was mad taking the 2 to make it 16-12, but a real gutsy win for the Cows.
They might actually be able to rest a couple of their Origin players as a result for their next match.
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I don't think the Dogs are that bad, I dont think they're great either, but they're not to be dismissed. Certainly though with the outs they had, they should have been beaten though. Newcastle were well below par. I sort of agree with AOB, that players like Armstrong must have been reading their own press, gets an offer from the chooks and plays his worst game in Newcastle colours.
How do the Raiders do it? I don't know, they shouldn't even be in it, I thought for all money after the loss to the Warriors, the Phins were dead certs.. wrong again.
As for the Roosters, they were ok, but that was the Cowboys best win of the year, they actually turned up in Sydney, which hardly ever happens.What is it this year with teams riddled with outs and making big wins?
Keeps the comp really interesting for sure.
