Gorden Tallis’ set of six: Billy Slater deserves Test spot
GORDEN TALLIS: If picking the Australian Test team is all about loyalty then Billy Slater is the one who deserves a spot, not Trent Merrin, Blake Ferguson and Josh Dugan.
Opinion
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1 I UNDERSTAND the importance of loyalty. I really do. We do not see enough of it in sport.
But when it comes to the Australian side, loyalty has to go. I have a lot of respect for Mal Meninga but when you talk about staying loyal to guys such as Trent Merrin, Blake Ferguson and Josh Dugan – guys who haven’t set the world on fire this season – I have to question that.
How far does loyalty go back? One game? Two games? Two years? If we’re talking loyalty, Billy Slater is the one who deserves a spot, not some of these other guys.
If it’s about loyalty, Slater should be there. He’s the greatest fullback who has played the game and we shouldn’t forget that.
2 NEXT week’s NSW City and Country match will be the last time we see this fixture played. This is a sad loss to the game.
Even as a Queenslander, when you grow up in a smaller town, having these stars play in your hometown is the biggest thing for rugby league.
Yet those who sit in their offices have lost sight of what this game is about and the likes of Des Hasler are allowed to disrespect the match. It’s giving country people a shot at the big smoke.
Where are the kids of the future going to come from if we’re not inspiring them?
3 I HAVE to defend those in the NRL Bunker just a little bit. They cover so many games every week and watch so many plays over and over. Sometimes when you look at something too much, it can play with your mind and you start doubting yourself. For the life of me I don’t know how they came out with that decision against Penrith on Thursday, when they claimed Peter Wallace knocked on in the fifth minute. But when you think about it, they sit there and make so many decisions each week, they must be confusing themselves. That’s the only excuse I can come up with for them.
4 LAST week Tigers fans booed Aaron Woods for signing with a different club for next season. Afterwards Wests wrote to their members asking them to not boo him.
Don’t you want your fans to be passionate and care about the club? Isn’t that what the clubs promote when trying to recruit members – to show your pride and passion?
When fans are disappointed with a player, they should be allowed to express themselves.
I would have written a release to say thank you for showing up, sharing your passion and caring about the club so much.
5 HOW good was that last round of club footy? The Anzac Round has become very successful for the NRL, with big crowds and close margins.
The clubs were brilliant and showed so much respect for what the round was about.
6 THE NRL needs to have a look at the grassroots of the game.
Youth participation is down in all sports, but for rugby league one of the issues is the fear of getting injured. Just last week I saw a kid I know play a junior game. He weighs 45kg. Some of his front-row opponents were at least 20-30kg heavier. That’s not fair.
The game seriously needs to consider playing by weight instead of age. There’s a reason why boxing does it that way.
Originally published as Gorden Tallis’ set of six: Billy Slater deserves Test spot
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