Wide World of Sports’ intrepid reporter The Mole watched every game played in 2021 – and has come up with a three-part season review of an unforgettable year in the game’s history.
You can read part one here.
Here is part two of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly …
THE BAD
Melbourne players partying with “white powder” after they were eliminated from the final series. The fact no one was willing to name the powder is an insult to the intelligence of the fans.
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In the middle of the pandemic, Dragons forward Paul Vaughan hosting a party for his team-mates. The Dragons’ season imploded as 13 players were suspended or fined and Vaughan was sacked.
The NRL’s showpiece weekend – Magic Round – became a total farce as the league launched a crazy clampdown on high shots. In all, 14 players were sin binned and three sent off – and just about every game was ruined. A clear example of the NRL being out of touch with the fans.
Maroons forward Jai Arrow sneaking a woman inside the Queensland State of Origin camp. The NRL banned him for two games and fined him $35,000 – and he also had some explaining to do to his girlfriend.
Not to be outdone, Blues hooker Api Koroisau invited a female to his room before Origin two – leaving him out of the team and also with a tough conversation with his wife.
Wests Tigers’ decision to allow cameras into the dressing rooms and coaches box for a TV series seemed a good idea at the time. But it became an ‘F-bomb’ fest and an embarrassment to the club and the game as the dreaded four-letter word was dropped hundreds of times.
The death of a host of league legends including the Immortal Bob Fulton, larrikin Tom Raudonikis, much-loved recruitment guru Peter Mulholland, ex-Manly skipper Fred Jones, Dragons great Norm Provan and Roosters favourite ‘Bunny’ Reilly.
The retirement of some modern day greats like Benji Marshall, Boyd Cordner, Cameron Smith, James Maloney, Trent Merrin, the Morris twins, Jake Friend,
The continual flouting of salary cap rules by almost every club in the premiership, resulting in an un-even competition and regular blow-out scores. Clubs continue to put their own interests ahead of the good of the game – and the NRL doesn’t really want to catch them.
Ditto the HIA, with clubs moving the goalposts on a regular basis in games, putting wins ahead of player welfare.
The bunker continued to baffle coaches, players and fans with a series of mind-numbing decisions in 2021. Surely it’s not that hard to push the right button.
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