Halfback Lacking in Depth

Australia has just named Ben Hornby at half-back for Saturday night’s Tri-Nations clash with Great Britain. According to Australian coach Ricky Stuart this doesn’t necessarily spell the end for Jonathon Thurston’s short-lived career as Australia’s playmaker. Hornby is a multi-talented player, capable of adequately playing fullback and in the halves at halfback or five-eighth.

However, at the moment he is just that, a very talented utility player. Looking at Australia’s halfback ranks post-Andrew Johns, it isn’t unreasonable to question the extent of Australia’s depth in the position. There was a time, not so long ago, when there were numerous Australian halfbacks putting forward irresistible claims for selection.

There was Brett Kimmorley, Brent Sherwin, Matt Orford, Scott Prince and Craig Gower, just to name a few, all contesting fervently for halfback. Each of these players could feel legitimately hard done by if they missed out on Australian selection. Such was Australia’s halfback depth most of these players were forced to play out of position or as a utility, as a fit Johns was always first-choice.

Glancing at Australia’s halfback options this year it is apparent that depth is lacking. Other than Johns, who is retired from representative football, the other players have not gone away, they are still playing and some are still playing well. However, they are not dominating as they were in previous seasons.

At present it is at fullback that Australia is suffering an embarrassment of riches. Currently Australia can choose from one of six or seven high-quality fullbacks and then there is injured Anthony Minichiello who was making a name for himself as one of the very good, if not great, fullbacks of the game.

Fullback has evolved into another attacking weapon for most NRL teams. Fullback’s are generally in the mode of a support player or an additional playmaker. Darren Lockyer exemplified both these roles, always seeming to pop up in support of a break, while also sliding into the halves to orchestrate attacking raids as a playmaker. Minichiello is a tremendous support player and ball-runner, while Hornby excels as an additional playmaker at fullback.

Australia certainly can’t complain about having less depth at halfback, as at present there is jockeying for almost all other positions. In spite of this, it will be interesting to see if Australia can reproduce the depth in halfbacks in season 2007. Melbourne Storm halfback Cooper Cronk took his game to a new level this year and there are other young halfbacks capable of rising to new heights and pushing for Australian selection. There is also the possibility for the seasoned campaigners to return to top form and return halfback to a highly contested position.

An Exciting Final Day

The Queensland Bulls were yesterday set 325 to win by the New South Wales Blues and require 313 runs, with ten wickets in hand for victory in what should be an intriguing final day at the Gabba in Brisbane. Late yesterday afternoon Queensland looked to set to bundle the Blues out for less than 220 but the final three wickets put on 123 in a frustrating final session for the Bulls. Then the Bulls opening pair of Jimmy Maher and Lachlan Stevens were forced to endure a short and sharp fifteen over session from the Blues opening bowlers. Although Maher sustained a nasty short ball to the throat both openers managed to remain not out. The 325 run target has only ever been successfully chased four times at the Gabba. The Bulls face the daunting prospect without the help of Andy Symonds and Shane Watson, who are on international duties and Matty Hayden, who is suffering a finger injury. The Bulls, who are the reigning Pura Cup champions, will still be confident they can pull off the win and gain their first four-day win of the season.

NRL Bad-Boys

This year the NRL has again failed to shake the footy 'bad-boy' tag. Ask any NRL fan and they will most likely be able to real off three or four different off-field incidents that have tainted rugby league in 2006.

Parramatta Eels youngster Tim Smith had a forgettable year, twice guilty of alcohol-induced errors. The first was back in May when he and team-mate Mark Riddell arrived late to training still feeling the effects of a big night out. Less than a month later Smith was ejected from a pub for fighting with Australian cricketer Michael Clarke.

The Cronulla Sharks' Tevita Latu failed to learn from Smith's errors and was kicked out of the NRL for punching and breaking a girl's nose late in May. Surely the players would have learnt to avoid trouble by now? Apparently not as Brisbane Broncos player Brett Seymour found himself at the centre of a head-butting controversy, following a night out at a Brisbane pub.

Former Australian captain Gorden Tallis was forced to apologise for losing his cool at the same pub just a few days later. The NRL was then hit with a drink-driving charge for the Brisbane Broncos’ Neville Costigan and then North-Queensland Cowboy's Mitchell Sargent cocaine shame. The two players both had their contracts torn up. Costigan’s and Sargent’s disregard for the law was harshly handled by their respective clubs in a bid to remove the constant flow of NRL offenders.

Tallis has this year defended the NRL’s reputation of off-field problems by saying the problems aren’t restricted to rugby league and are happening in society as well. This defence fails to stand up and is essentially an excuse. NRL players have to accept responsibility for their actions. Rugby league players are role-models and whether they like it or not they are in the spotlight and need to set a good example. It is hard to fathom the potential damage these NRL controversies have had on young children watching and emulating their rugby league heroes.

The NRL has clearly taken a much firmer stance against offenders this year. This stance will hopefully translate to less off-field controversies as the NRL hopes to rid its unwanted 'bad-boy' tag.

A Great Year to be a Queenslander

It has certainly been a memorable year for Queensland rugby league fans. The loyalty to Queensland and the Broncos of every fan has been severely tested in recent years. The Broncos hadn’t won a premiership for six years and Queensland was facing the prospect of a fourth successive State of Origin defeat at the hands of NSW.

The Broncos had suffered demoralising late-season slumps to fall from genuine premiership contenders to finals first-round losers in recent seasons. This season had been following the same script. Mid-way through the season the Broncos held a spot in the top-four and was looking good to mount a challenge for the premiership. The hard-work was seemingly undone once again as the Broncos got on a roll of the bad variety, losing six matches straight. Again talk of slumps was raised and critics of coach Wayne Bennett reared their head, eager to claim Bennett was out of ideas and on the way out.

The Queensland Origin team had lost the last three series and lost agonisingly by just a single point in Origin One. There were some calls, which are now laughable, that Darren Lockyer should be moved to fullback, dropped to the bench or even dropped from the Queensland team. Fast-forward two Origin games and Lockyer was the player of the series and had led Queensland to series victory. Queensland hit back emphatically in Game Two winning 30-6. In Game Three Queensland overcame numerous contentious refereeing decisions to overhaul a two-try deficit in the last ten minutes.

The Broncos were heading for another meek exit from the premiership race, but this year refused to concede defeat. The Broncos turned their season around in their Round 23, 18-12 loss to the Melbourne Storm. Following the loss to the Storm, the Broncos under the inspirational leadership of Lockyer and coaching genius of Bennett revitalised their season. The Broncos went on to finish the season in a flurry of success and secure a top-four place on the ladder.

The Broncos then endured a solid victory at the hands of the St George Dragons in Week One of the finals. Once again the critics were eager to present the Broncos recent poor form in finals and outline why they would again exit the premiership race with little fight. Bennett however, was unperturbed and the Broncos immediately responded with a 50-6 demolition of the Newcastle Knights.

The following week the Broncos went to half-time down 20-6 against the Canterbury Bulldogs, but recovered to record an emphatic 31-0 second half and win 37-20. In the grand final the Broncos, who lost on both occasions to the Storm earlier in the year, were deserved underdogs. This meant little to the Broncos and little to their loyal fans. The Broncos prevailed 15-8 in a close clash and returned the premiership trophy to Brisbane early this week.

There was plenty of opportunity this year for Queensland rugby league fans to jump ship, support another team or even another sport. This did not happen, evidenced by the Suncorp Stadium crowds which continually drew the largest crowd almost every week this season. The amazing turn-out at the Broncos fan-day showed the level of support, as did the fans waiting at the airport for the Broncos to return with the premiership trophy.

This morning thousands of fans lined the streets for the Broncos ticker tape parade. The fans did not line the streets just to show their support, but also to celebrate with the Broncos. The loyal fans played a part in the Queensland Origin and Brisbane Broncos successes. Bennett has revealed this premiership means more to him than any other and this is because of the many challenges the Broncos managed to overcome.

It certainly has been a memorable year for the Queensland rugby league fan. Queensland has been rewarded for their success with a strong showing in the Australian squad for the tri-nations series. Now Queensland holds both the Origin shield and premiership trophy and with the support of loyal fans will look to replicate their successes in 2007.