Dean Ritchie: The NRL should reward teams that go into extra time, even when they lose

Golden point is for fans, broadcasters and viewers – not the exhausted players - which is why the NRL must reward teams that play in extra time, even when they lose, writes DEAN RITCHIE.

Golden point as we know it must be overhauled. What I saw last weekend was, to be frank, quite cruel.

Watching the courageous Warriors lose via an 88th minute golden point field after busting their arses with just 14 fit players proved that golden point must be reconstructed.

Golden point is for fans, broadcasters and viewers – not the players.

I don’t want to see golden point scrapped but the competition points structure needs to be revamped to reward those teams that lose in extra time.

I’m strongly advocating for each game to be increased in value to four competition points with the winner of a golden point game to receive three points, the loser one point.

Please give the vanquished in extra time some small reward.

We love watching the heartbreak, pressure and euphoria of golden point but do we care that half those players involved walk away empty -handed?

Matt Burton of the Bulldogs celebrates with teammates after kicking a golden point field goal in extra time to win the round 17 NRL match between Canterbury Bulldogs and Cronulla Sharks. Picture: Getty Images

No-one out there can honestly tell me that teams defeated in the 88th minute don’t deserve one competition point.

Opponents of my new-look system could argue that you’re rewarding failure but surely giving a team just one point from a possible four after playing up to 90 minutes is, if nothing else, just humane.

The Warriors lost their back three - Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Marcelo Montoya – during the 13-12 loss to Canterbury.

It was like watching the gladiators combat the lions in ancient Rome. It was brutal. With just one fit player on their bench, Warriors and Queensland back-rower Kurt Capewell was forced to play on the left wing.

My God the Warriors were tough but ended up without the smallest of benefits - and that’s wrong.

As a collective game, we gave the Warriors nothing but a: ‘Bad luck, see you next weekend’.

The NRL has endured seven golden point games this year, matches extending to the 90th minute (a rare draw between Manly and the Warriors), 90th minute, 88th, 88th, 84th, 84th and 82nd minutes.

That’s an extra 46 minutes for players this season. Under my plan, the Warriors would be sitting in 11th place, not 14th, with Melbourne on top with 52 points. The Roosters would be second.

Golden point also unfolded in Townsville last weekend with Manly nudging North Queensland and again the previous week with Canterbury beating Cronulla.

One club CEO: “Golden point isn’t for the players, clearly. Ask them, they would all vote against it. Imagine getting to the 88th minute and losing by a field goal. They’d be devastated. I reckon they would all say: ‘Give us one point and we will all move on’.

“If you ask the NRL, golden point is designed for the fans and it’s awesome for the viewership. But the players are left physically gutted. They are wounded at full-time. And it’s either joy or complete devastation.”

Speaking on the Big Sports Breakfast Weekend radio show, Parramatta interim coach Trent Barrett said: “After 80 minutes, if we can’t decide a winner, then it’s probably fair that you get a point each. You feel for the opposition players.

“I understand from a broadcasting perspective it can be great entertainment but it can be heartbreaking. To get to the back-end of the season and miss the semi-finals from two results can be hard to take.”

No team should walk away, like the Warriors last weekend, without some reward.

DOG TREATS

Michael Maguire is playing this beautifully.

Madge got into opponent Billy Slater’s head before game two with his now-famous “glass houses” comment and has now lobbed a couple more barbs at the Maroons coach.

I can’t help but think Maguire has unsettled the usually unflappable Slater.

Slater is used to Origin campaigns running smoothly and cordially. NSW are supposed to play nicely, especially given the Blues haven’t won in two years. Being taunted isn’t part of the Queensland game plan.

Cancelling Queensland’s main media day is further proof that Slater is rattled. You can feel Maguire is irritating Slater. And watching Queensland completely unravel in Melbourne was delightful.

Madge is now living inside Billy’s head – rent free.

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Who says rugby league can’t crack the United States of America?

The Los Angeles Rams promoted this year’s State of Origin series on their official Facebook page.

The post read: ‘It’s time for #StateOfOrigin! Who’ve you got?’

In the middle of the two photos is a question in bold print that reads: ‘NSW BLUES OR QLD MAROONS?’

The two accompanying photos showed James Tedesco and Reece Walsh talking with Rams players at Las Vegas in March. The Rams have an official affiliation with Australia.

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Jared Waerea- Hargraves training with Northern Suburbs rugby union team.

Roosters prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has become the most capped player in Sydney Roosters history.

But big JWH wasn’t always a prop and didn’t always play rugby league.

Bulldog’s Bite was sent a copy of the official rugby union program from 2007 when Waerea-Hargreaves was in Northern Suburbs first grade colts side.

He was told he’d never play Super Rugby. Oops.

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The funeral for Canterbury great Geoff Robinson will be held at Forest Lawn Memorial Park South Chapel at Leppington this Saturday.

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Craig Field has made a comeback to footy aged 51.

A former Souths, Manly, Balmain and Wests Tigers star, Field returned to play halfback in two games for Tweed Seagulls in the Northern Rivers reserve grade competition.

Field played alongside son Joshua, a five-eighth.

“It was awesome running around with my son and his mates. They are all half my age,” Field said.

While two games may be enough at his age, Field will continue to coach his unbeaten Seagulls for the rest of this season.

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Spotted at North Sydney Oval last weekend watching the Bears play Manly in a NSW Cup game was none-other-than Canberra Raiders legend Bradley Clyde.

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Woy Woy has released a statement supporting captain-coach Andrew Fifita’s strong stance against racism.

It read: “We support Andrew and our players for sticking up for their rights following the lack of acknowledgment from the governing bodies to address the issues at hand regarding the racial vilification.

“We don’t believe any club in our competition is racist as, like us, they have many indigenous and players of Pacific Islander heritage at their club.”