matt russell

How will the Dragons stop a Canberra team that is just one win off the competition lead? Can Canterbury show any resolve against a South Sydney team that has just inflicted the Warriors’ biggest loss of the season? (Imagine if the Rabbitohs weren’t so affected by injuries and Origin duty this weekend!)

Everyone looks for someone to blame after last week’s results. The coaches. The players. What about the club administrations? The game’s governing body, maybe?

All three clubs have had tumultuous periods in the ‘front office’. That has flowed on to the bloke holding the clipboard. Have the Dogs gone forward after sacking Dean Pay – a bloke who bleeds Canterbury culture and was punching way above the roster he had at the time? Have the Tigers gone forward after sacking Premiership-winning, New Zealand national coach Michael Maguire – who has since helped Canberra climb within a win of the lead? What’s happened since the Dragons got rid of Paul McGregor and then Anthony Griffin?

What situation must exist at the Tigers for Luke Brooks to turn his back on the only NRL club he has known? How could Canterbury get rid of a local junior and one of their best players this year, Jake Averillo? Why would a loyal competitor like Ben Hunt want to expose himself to so much criticism for wanting out, if that wasn’t a better option than the situation at the Dragons? When it comes to the game’s governing body, it’s worth remembering this year has been tighter and more exciting than any NRL season. Look at the scoreboards through 17 rounds. Look at the ladder. Look at the crowds. Look at the ratings. If the talent pool is too small, why have the Dolphins done so well? Why have so many exciting newcomers arrived, and previous discards shone in new environments? That’s before we even cast an eye on the talent lost to England. So, if we clear the game’s governing body, understand that the players are a reflection of the environment, and appreciate the coaching situations at each club, who’s left holding the gun? Every administrator at the Dragons, Tigers and Bulldogs should be as edgy as the fullback standing under the high ball as Round 19 unfolds. Enjoy your footy.