Silly Season 2025/26

[Thatwasnthighref]

Not NRL related or even ’26 related – but after beating a suspension to play in the Super League GF, Nobel Peace Prize candidate JWH then copped a 4 week ban out of the GF for two separate incidents.

So he finishes his career under suspension.

Rather fitting in the end.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

Not NRL related or even ’26 related – but after beating a suspension to play in the Super League GF, Nobel Peace Prize candidate JWH then copped a 4 week ban out of the GF for two separate incidents.

So he finishes his career under suspension.

Rather fitting in the end.

I’ve followed his career and spoke to a few people with connections.

This is my understanding anyway, right or wrong.

He’s very agreeable and even shy off the field, but he goes into the nether world on it.

One of my best friends had dinner with him and others once and he was very humble and down to earth. Didn’t talk himself or anybody else up.

His brutal game:

It’s a mental instinct thing that has plagued and haunted him for many years. He simply hasn’t been able to switch it off.

It’s an attribute to be strong and tough, but there’s the constant risk of being sent off and over-doing it. Suspensions are tough on clubs and sides, especially with a marquee forward.

It’s not like he plans anything, he’s explained it to someone else, he gets captured by intent.

We’ve all seen the idiot cheap shot merchant. Someone like Latrell or a factory trying to make his mark, but JWH, was the real deal in head issues.

Which makes me wonder whether the game kind of capitalised on that, knowing his condition.

Trouble for other players, because an extraordinary lethal and potentially out of control foe to face!

So he became a target as well. Plenty of baiting for ages.

Very proud of his NZ heritage, which is a good thing. All of this opening up for pacific teams adds heaps to the game.

Handy NZ side now I’d think.

I wish him well in retirement. I’m not sure what he’s going to do. You can’t exactly teach what he had.

So he’s an enigma in a way. It would be great to meet him. I’d be interested in his plans, not worrying things in the past.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

I wish him well in retirement. I’m not sure what he’s going to do. You can’t exactly teach what he had.

So he’s an enigma in a way. It would be great to meet him. I’d be interested in his plans, not worrying things in the past.

Yes be interesting to see where he pops up next. Last I heard he’d potentially head back to the Roosters for an off-field gig? dunno what capacity though.

I’ve always liked him. Played to the edge, often over it, but never hid from it.

Biggest compliment I’ve ever heard about him was his teammates saying he made them feel safe.

Notwithstanding the irony of opposing players feeling the precise opposite, that’s quite an impression to leave behind after 340 games in the trenches.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Wow... so much for R360 being a cornflakes concept. NRL's clearly concerned.

They don't say so explicitly, but I presume "NRL Player" is defined as one that is under contract?

Hard to see how a ban could be enforceable if one signs as a free agent. Although this certainly does make it harder for anyone thinking about it.

 

[Izz]

Still a good option for a retirement package, ala RTS.

Personally, while I get the potential money being talked about is huge, I still don't really see how R360 will be an existential threat to the NRL. Super League pays overs, so does French Rugby, Japanese Rugby, etc. But players still want to play in the NRL because it's the toughest comp, means a better legacy, etc.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

I’ve never quite gone along with the hardman title for JWH, simply because not much of his ‘hard’ stuff was legal, and how many of those efforts were against the big units on the other side ?
Can anybody remember any big hits he put on ?

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

I’ve never quite gone along with the hardman title for JWH, simply because not much of his ‘hard’ stuff was legal, and how many of those efforts were against the big units on the other side ?
Can anybody remember any big hits he put on ?

Just a side note, I loved it when he ambled up to Latrell on the sideline after Latrells dog shot on Manu. JWH ready to go and Lats S$&t himself.

Wow... so much for R360 being a cornflakes concept. NRL's clearly concerned.

They don't say so explicitly, but I presume "NRL Player" is defined as one that is under contract?

Hard to see how a ban could be enforceable if one signs as a free agent. Although this certainly does make it harder for anyone thinking about it.

Looks entirely illegal to me.

because the players never agreed to it when they signed their nrl contracts.

I don’t think the nrl can impose new conditions on the players during their existing tenure unless the players existing contract allows for it ( which I doubt).

But yeah, it suggests that the NRL are running scared. Weak as.

You only produce a media statement like this to scare and bully players and agents looking to cash in.

…Like Lats was!

If some marquees don’t want to play league, that’s ok for us who follow the game. We just unearth new talent.

I watch footy for the game, not because Ben Hunt thinks he’s it.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

And in NZ I guess most of your best and brightest footy players end up in the XV anyway.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

OT, but how big a disgrace is NZ netball at the moment

Not one thing that comes out paints the organisation in a good light, and the selector that resigned yesterday then cut loose makes the whole process look even more shambolic. Running a review and only interviewing the players that had a problem with being worked too hard is ridiculous. All players tarred with the same brush when most of them weren’t even spoken too. Can imagine how well it would have been received at head office when the captain grabbed the microphone after their last match and supported the ex coach publicly

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

OT, but how big a disgrace is NZ netball at the moment

Not one thing that comes out paints the organisation in a good light, and the selector that resigned yesterday then cut loose makes the whole process look even more shambolic. Running a review and only interviewing the players that had a problem with being worked too hard is ridiculous. All players tarred with the same brush when most of them weren’t even spoken too. Can imagine how well it would have been received at head office when the captain grabbed the microphone after their last match and supported the ex coach publicly

Yea man… when it first broke I thought maybe NNZ was just stuck in the middle – players say one thing, coach says a another – and NNZ made what they thought was the least disruptive decision at the time i.e. move on a couple of coaches instead of 7-9 players.

But the more that’s come out, the worse it looks for them. They’ve made an absolute meal of it and probably opened themselves up to employment law issues given how they conducted the so-called review.

Gotta say too, got renewed respect for Nweke. Rightly or wrongly, speaking out after the game was ballsy for anyone, let alone a 23 yr old. And the fact she stood her ground yesterday, even while taking on the 'constructive feedback' from her bosses, was just as impressive.

 

[Rich102]

You couldn't write a worse scenario for standing Dame Noeline down than have the CEO of Netball NZ going off on annual leave the day of Dame Noeline's stand down. Jeannie Wylie has just proven she doesn't have the skills to lead the Ferns forward.
I applaud Nweke's support for Dame Noeline as well as the assistant coach who resigned over the matter.
Jeannie Wylie should be stood down without pay till the whole matter is resolved.
Netball NZ are going to lose a lot of support over this.

 

[The Silverdale Phantom]

I see how the statement is trying to sweep in agents as well.

In Australia we have laws against restraint of trade. It seems the purpose of the statement is to purport to restrain the free movement of players and agents.

Maybe NZ has similar laws?

 

[Blair]

One for Beave, classic 2008 Storm Away!:

Ironically, a Storm fan will fork out for this is it's quite rare and, as Beave would say, most were burnt not long after the final whistle of the '08 GF.

 

[Matua]

Not NRL related or even ’26 related – but after beating a suspension to play in the Super League GF, Nobel Peace Prize candidate JWH then copped a 4 week ban out of the GF for two separate incidents.

So he finishes his career under suspension.

Rather fitting in the end.

Haha, that's classic, I always liked JWH, but then I'm country over club and he was always proud to represent the Kiwis. I liked it when him and Bromwich (my favourite modern player) played together for the Kiwis. In my mind it was often, but I could just be misremembering that.

You couldn't write a worse scenario for standing Dame Noeline down than have the CEO of Netball NZ going off on annual leave the day of Dame Noeline's stand down. Jeannie Wylie has just proven she doesn't have the skills to lead the Ferns forward.
I applaud Nweke's support for Dame Noeline as well as the assistant coach who resigned over the matter.
Jeannie Wylie should be stood down without pay till the whole matter is resolved.
Netball NZ are going to lose a lot of support over this.

I have a friend who was involved in netball (CEO level but not Netball NZ) and she said the sport was a clusterfudge. She was pretty disappointed once she joined and realised how amateur the sport is run.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Still a good option for a retirement package, ala RTS.

Personally, while I get the potential money being talked about is huge, I still don't really see how R360 will be an existential threat to the NRL. Super League pays overs, so does French Rugby, Japanese Rugby, etc. But players still want to play in the NRL because it's the toughest comp, means a better legacy, etc.

Does Super League pay overs? I didn't think they could, with limited salary cap compared to the NRL. Maybe overs for below average players?

I honestly don't think the NRL needed to do this, nor should do this. Let someone like Papi go to R360, and find out how hollow playing the game for $$$ without any relevance to it feels like. He'll likely come rushing back. And people like RTS, for one last pay day, they'd go to Japanese rugby etc anyway.

We have one of the most entertaining, meaningful, passionate codes in the world (bias I know, but I believe it) and if people think money will warm their cockles over that, good riddance. We won't miss Papi, Lomax etc.

 

[Izz]

Does Super League pay overs? I didn't think they could, with limited salary cap compared to the NRL. Maybe overs for below average players?

Yeah, I'm behind the times there, I think

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

A few interesting things covered off in this wrap up…

Pezet considering offers from Parra, Cows or staying put in Melbourne

Junior “Hammertime” Amone trying to restart his career, and apparently getting some interest…

Tigers baulking at taking up their half of Bula’s mutual option

$1m feeding frenzy for Warriors weapon emerges; Broncos hand star NRL lifeline: Whispers

$1m feeding frenzy for Warriors weapon emerges; Broncos hand star NRL lifeline: Whispers

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Super League these days aren’t paying the overs that they did in the mid 00s, it’s why you don’t see the bigger names heading over there early like you used to at times

 

[Beavers Headgear]

One for Beave, classic 2008 Storm Away!:

Ironically, a Storm fan will fork out for this is it's quite rare and, as Beave would say, most were burnt not long after the final whistle of the '08 GF.

Funnily enough the Manly away jersey was the exact same design, just in different colours