Bulldog’s Bite: Sydney Roosters, Penrith Panthers and Melbourne Storm’s relentless success is unhealthy for the NRL
New year, same story. The NRL risks becoming a three-team yawn fest if it can’t curb the trend of Melbourne, Penrith and the Sydney Roosters winning every year, writes DEAN RITCHIE.
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The time has come for stagnating rival clubs to pull out their collective fingers or passively watch rugby league continue being a three-team yawn fest.
For all the fanfare, excitement and on-field excellence throughout season 2024, we have landed in a familiar and rather boring spot once again.
Who wins between Melbourne, Penrith and the Sydney Roosters?
It’s been that way for almost a decade now. Try as they have, no club has made any sustained progress on the Panthers, Storm and Roosters. And look who fills the top three lines of premiership betting just three weeks out from the 2024 finals? Yep, you got it.
The big three are powerful and clearly superior. Who is legitimately chasing them? Is the margin closing? Are the three clubs that far ahead that they could dominate for the next five years?
It’s a deadset worry for the NRL. Having such an annual monopoly is unhealthy for rugby league.
Those three clubs shouldn’t be dragged back to the field.
It’s up to their opponents to lift and close the gap.
The Storm, Panthers and Roosters have won seven straight premierships among them and been involved in eight successive grand finals.
In fact, since 2001, the three teams have contested 18 grand finals among them.
Incredibly, no other side has won a minor premiership since 2012. The Roosters and Melbourne have won four minor premierships each since 2012, with Penrith claiming three.
And it doesn’t appear that the chasm between the big three and the rest is narrowing.
Parramatta made a dent a few years ago but has fallen away. Canberra and North Queensland also reached grand finals over the past eight years but couldn’t continue their charge.
Canterbury, Cronulla and Manly have stepped forward this season but can they realistically topple the big three in the big games?
There are genuine doubts.
The salary cap was designed to distribute success throughout the NRL yet the same sides are dominating each season and will well into the future given Melbourne has just signed Stefano Utoikamanu while Penrith has secured Blaize Talagi and Isaiah Papali’i.
We in the media talk up rival clubs having a crack each year but that’s usually because we’re tired of discussing the monotonous merits of Melbourne, Penrith and the Roosters.
Not tired in terms of admiration, just weary of praising the same clubs each year.
Same story, different year.
The Roosters were a touch off the pace last year but they have recorded relentless success since coach Trent Robinson took over in 2013.
“Given how the three favourites have won most of the titles over the last decade or so, it is hard to put up an argument why that won’t continue this season and beyond,” said the TAB’s Gerard Daffy. “The prices say that the 2024 premiership race is between the three top sides, and the money suggests the same.
“The Panthers, Storm and Roosters command over 50 per cent of the money wagered so far since the prices went up last September, the only side that has fallen by the wayside is the Broncos.
“To show the domination of that trio, the Bulldogs, Cronulla and Manly have only attracted 15 per cent between them, and while the form of that trio has been good, particularly recently, clearly TAB customers think they will struggle at the pointy end of the season.”
It’s well and truly time for some clubs to join the big three in rugby league’s elite class.
Hey, Manly, Cronulla and Canterbury … over to you.
DOG TREATS
NRL historian and statistician David Middleton doesn’t believe the playing records held by North Sydney and Bears players will transfer to the new Western Bears.
“I’m inclined to think it’s a new club because they are separated by geography and 25 years,” Middleton said. “The way the club will be set will be very different to North Sydney.
“If they were to win a premiership in their first year, I can’t imagine there would be too much desire to accept that as the Bears’ third premiership win. And I don’t think the people of Perth would consider it their third premiership.
“If a player plays 100 games for the Western Bears, does he become the 20th player to play 100 games for the club? That doesn’t sound right to me.
“To all intents and purposes, it’s a new club with a bit of North Sydney thrown in. I’m inclined not to include North Sydney in the Western Bears’ records.”
*****
Which former NRL coach is poised to be named Papua New Guinea’s new head coach?
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Newcastle forward Jack Hetherington wants it known he has little interest in moving to England’s Super League in 2025.
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Those close to the three living Immortals – Andrew Johns, Mal Meninga and Wally Lewis – have questioned why they weren’t named on the 15-person voting panel for the next induction.
Some insist an agreement was reached in 2008 that all living Immortals be included on future voting panels.
The 14th Immortal will be named at the SCG on Wednesday night.
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Trent Barrett’s contract to become a Brisbane Broncos assistant coach has been ratified and approved.
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The surface water which marred last Saturday’s Roosters-Parramatta game at the $830m Allianz Stadium is further proof that Sydney needs a world class venue with a roof.
After visiting Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium for the NRL double header in March, NSW Government Ministers explored the possibility of erecting a roof on Accor Stadium.
Maybe it’s worth revisiting.
Eels skipper Clint Gutherson claimed it to be “one of the worst fields” he’s played on during his career.
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Extraordinarily, the mighty Forestville Ferrets have celebrated a fourth player to reach 400 games for the club.
Rob Elsworth passed the milestone last weekend to join Nick Johnson (401), Shane Backhouse (471) and Matt Eisenhauer (408).
Remarkably, Elsworth and Backhouse are still playing. We snapped this photo of Johnson, Elsworth and Backhouse last weekend.
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Former rugby league whiz kid Phil Blake has become West Harbour’s new coach in rugby union’s Shute Shield.
It means Blake will join Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall – another teenage NRL sensation – in both clubs’ Centre of Excellence at Concord.
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