2026 Season

jamesgould said:
Totally, and it’s very short sighted … a second A-League team has only boosted the profile and interest in both sides. I could actually imagine the NRL overtaking Union in terms of coverage if a second team entered.

Plus you can hardly make the argument NZ doesn’t produce enough players. Would be great to give the chance for more of them to stay here.
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Absolutely.

Truth be told, they may lose a few fans in the short term. But think the long term gain would be huge.

On the A league comparison… Sydney had Sydney FC for a long time. Lots of fans travelled from Penrith, Parramatta etc. very similar to the Waratahs and rugby, big area to draw from. When Western Sydney Wanderers entered the league, there were big concerns Sydney fc would lose supporters. They 100% did. A bunch in that western Sydney area switched allegiances to WSW. But that rivalry between the two was absolutely immense and intense battles. Similar occurred in Melbourne with Victory and City. And as you point out, now with Wellington and Auckland.

However, there’s also a downside. They added MacArthur and Western Melbourne - and probably saturated the market TOO much. Slippery slope.

In summary, think another NZ team would be great. Where that is, becomes the biggest battle to maximise its potential. I think NZ public would be the best to answer this question - North vs South Island rivalry definitely seems good from an outsider Aussie perspective. Probably means a rebrand of “New Zealand Warriors” as well, so I can see why there is some apprehension from the Warriors. They have probably an equally big decision on where to base themselves. I guess they have a bit of a “travelling roadshow” type vibe in NZ? All areas of NZ can get behind them, they represent the whole nation at the moment.
 
Poor old Jurbo will have images of him wearing this silly-looking helmet forever popping up.

www.abc.net.au

AFL-backed helmet company pulls concussion claims after ABC report

An AFL-endorsed helmet company has backtracked on its claims of "superior protection against concussion" and the league is now also facing a complaint lodged with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on the matter.
www.abc.net.au www.abc.net.au

Turns out the claims of superior concussion protection were way overblown, and weren't going to do much more than any other headgear because a concussion is more brain hitting the side of the skull due to the whiplash effect.

That's why sometimes a seemingly innocuous hit can have huge impacts and vice versa.

RL headgear is about cuts and abrasions and cauliflower ears, not concussion, unfortunately.
 
Rotational force (think the neck turning) has way more effect than front on direct trauma. Brain doesnt just go back and forth, it's the shaking up effect.

Though I play field hockey, so will still wear mine and the ball is a direct solid force that doesnt effect the neck so much. Footy it wouldnt be as useful
 
Melbourne now getting lucky with some calls in my opinion, first with their challenge now with the contest on Weekes, Munster and Grant getting involved but get away with it
 
Seano said:
Hosking & Simi are two players I really don't understand how the Knights missed.
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Yeah Hosking because he was never even given a crack like Starling. Yet apparently even when he offered to come back here cheap and AOB still said no. Particularly odd when he seems like the type AOB would like

Sisagi on the other hand, is one of the players with bags of natural talent. Those players don’t grow on trees. I think you need to find a way to hang onto them (particularly since at the time, the Knights weren’t exactly flush with under talent players)
 
As is the saying “hindsight is 20/20”.

He (simi) wasn’t playing like this in reserve grade or he would have been in first grade, it is what it is nowadays as I wouldn’t trade Lucas, Hunt, McEwen, Manu, etc for him personally.
 
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