Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2020 i Inside Sport

It may not be immediately apparent why Sportscover Australia would commit to sponsoring the Clubbies Awards. Good governance, the management of risk, operational integrity and performance are relevant concepts in our business and central considerations in insurance on a daily basis. Sportscover is visibly investing in the success of sport in this country. We don’t follow the path of sponsors seeking high-visibility brand placements on the front of football jerseys, for instance. We support the industry where it will have meaningful impact. This might be in the form of athlete scholarships, a women in sport initiative, the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, an Indigenous marathon project or, in this case, a national club awards program. The Clubbies Awards were conceptualised with the intent of becoming the preeminent vehicle to recognise,…

TEVITA PANGAI JR How hard has your pre-season been? It’s been pretty tough. Credit to the boys and the coaching staff, we’re all putting in. You can play across the forward pack, in the front row and in the back row. Where have you been training position-wise and what’s your preference on where you want to play in 2020? I have done a lot of reps on the edge and have done a few reps in the middle. I think I will be playing a bigger role on the edge. I don’t mind where really - anywhere in the back row, second row. I don’t mind, wherever Seibs wants me to play. You had an impressive season last year. Do you feel established now in the NRL and more of…

Raiders vs Titans March 13 Warriors vs Raiders March 21 Raiders vs Dragons March 26 Raiders vs Sea Eagles April 3 Panthers vs Raiders April 12 Raiders vs Knights April 18 Raiders vs Rabbitohs April 26 Bulldogs vs Raiders May 2 Tigers vs Raiders May 9 Raiders vs Panthers May 17 Roosters vs Raiders May 23 Storm vs Raiders June 6 Raiders vs Warriors June 14 Raiders vs Roosters June 28 Sharks vs Raiders July 5 Raiders vs Broncos July 11 Raiders vs Eels July 18 Dragons vs Raiders July 26 Cowboys vs Raiders August 1 Sea Eagles vs Raiders August 8 Raiders vs Tigers August 16 Rabbitohs vs Raiders August 22 Titans vs Raiders August 30 Raiders vs Storm September 5…

LADDER FINISH 12 FINALS FINISH N/A It was a case of one step forward, one step back for the Bulldogs as they endured another difficult year of rebuilding. Canterbury started 2019 horribly, but found some form in the back half of the year and finished strongly to suggest some rays of sunshine ahead. Coach Dean Pay was under pressure but managed to keep hold of his job and his restructure of his roster continues unabated. While many big names have departed, the new-look Dogs are starting to take shape as a hard-nosed, competitive outfit that never backs down. THE GAME PLAN Pay has rebuilt his team in his own image – tough, uncompromising and gritty. In attack, they have work to do but they began to win games off the…

BEN WHITBY How did you find your club’s 2019 season? I probably expected us to perform a little better than we did as 2018 showed enough glimmers of hope. Regardless, I think there was plenty of positives to come from it, particularly in the second half of the season. What surprised you last year? I was expecting a little bit more in terms of attack setup, structures and options, especially given it was Pay’s second year in the job. What was it about the club that disappointed you? We just haven’t seemed to learn from previous mistakes and kept making the same mistakes, both on and off field in my opinion. What are your expectations for 2020? We potentially have a good mix of experience and raw talent through our…

JOSH MORRIS 2019 was your first year with Cronulla after leaving the Bulldogs following a successful spell there. How did the move to the Sharks come about and how did it feel joining a new club? I left on great terms, I don’t have any bad blood towards them, none at all. They had salary cap problems, which was pretty well documented at the time. They didn’t really have an offer for us, they said they didn’t want to disrespect us with an offer they knew we were going to say no to. I thought I’d be heading over to England to play, then the Sharks deal just kind of fell into place. Jesse (Ramien) ended up going to Newcastle and Ricky (Leutele) went to Toronto in the space of…

Raiders vs Titans March 13 Titans vs Eels March 22 Titans vs Broncos March 29 Roosters vs Titans April 5 Storm vs Titans April 11 Sea Eagles vs Titans April 17 Titans vs Tigers April 24 Titans vs Panthers May 3 Cowboys vs Titans May 9 Titans vs Warriors May 16 Dragons vs Titans May 22 Titans vs Bulldogs May 28 Sharks vs Titans June 5 Titans vs Cowboys June 12 Knights vs Titans June 28 Titans vs Storm July 11 Warriors vs Titans July 17 Panthers vs Titans July 24 Titans vs Dragons August 1 Titans vs Rabbitohs August 8 Broncos vs Titans August 16 Tigers vs Titans August 23 Titans vs Raiders August 30 Titans vs Sea Eagles September 5…

LADDER FINISH 6 FINALS FINISH 6 No one expected Manly to finish in the top half of the table last year, let alone in the top six. Most tipped them to claim their first-ever wooden spoon. But the Sea Eagles shocked the competition with their surge into the finals and almost a preliminary final appearance, save for a controversial refereeing decision in the semi against Souths. With a small budget and a cut-price squad, Hasler has worked wonders and made them a joy to watch. The coach is determined to bring the golden days back to the Northern Beaches and he is doing it against the odds. THE GAME PLAN For years Melbourne Storm had the ‘Big Three’ and Manly’s is halfback Daly Cherry-Evans, fullback Tom Trbojevic and lock Jake…

JOHN McCARTHY How did you find your club’s 2019 season? Very pleased - I hadn’t expected the team to do as well as they did. I felt that they bounced back very well from the disappointment of the previous year. What surprised you at your club last year? The return of Des Hasler as the coach of the club last year. I thought it was a masterstroke. I have always been a great fan of his abilities as a coach but he did surprise me with the speed with which he turned the team into a winning unit. What disappointed you? I was disappointed with the standard of refereeing last year. The culmination of this for me was the way Manly were bundled out of the semi finals. What are…

CHRISTIAN WELCH It was a fantastic regular season for the Storm but a disappointing end. How do you look back on it? It’s tough, when you win the minor premiership and break all kinds of regular season records and I suppose at the end of the day it doesn’t mean that much to be honest because another team’s won the premiership. And it wasn’t us. I think we had a great regular season, as the record would show. It was such a positive year in that regard and then… it’s just tough. The NRL is so close and it’s a few moments really and that’s all that separate those teams in finals. The competition is that tight. Does it give the club more motivation now for 2020? I think so.…

Knights vs Warriors March 14 Tigers vs Knights March 22 Sharks vs Knights March 28 Knights vs Cowboys April 3 Sea Eagles vs Knights April 9 Raiders vs Knights April 18 Knights vs Panthers April 26 Rabbitohs vs Knights May 2 Knights vs Dragons May 9 Roosters vs Knights May 14 Knights vs Sharks May 24 Knights vs Rabbitohs May 30 Panthers vs Knights June 7 Knights vs Storm June 13 Knights vs Titans June 28 Cowboys vs Knights July 12 Knights vs Broncos July 19 Knights vs Tigers July 26 Bulldogs vs Knights August 1 Warriors vs Knights August 9 Knights vs Sea Eagles August 15 Broncos vs Knights August 22 Eels vs Knights August 28 Knights vs Bulldogs September 6…

LADDER FINISH 13 FINALS FINISH N/A Little has changed in the past few years as the Kiwi outfit remain the NRL’s biggest underachievers. 2019 was another disappointing year with just nine wins from 24 games. The Warriors had their challenges, with the loss of Shaun Johnson, some controversial referring calls and injuries, but the excuses are wearing thin. Changes have been made to the coaching staff, with Nathan Brown coming in, and a lot to the squad. Five players have departed and eight new players have come in. Coach Kearney, not to mention off-contract players like Peta Hiku and Blake Green, will be gone if the team doesn’t improve. THE GAME PLAN Johnson’s stunning exit to Cronulla shook up the Warriors’ game plan tremendously. Blake Green struggled to lead the…

JACK LOGUE How did you find your club’s 2019 season? Very disappointing, frustrating and annoying. We barely fired a shot and seemed to crumble after what was a promising 2018 campaign. What surprised you most at your club last year? Roger Tuivasa-Sheck. The man is a freak. He won the Dally M the year before but he just seems to get better and better. He is a joy to watch What disappointed you? The constant whingeing about referees. Yes, we had some bad calls go against us, but complaining week after week after week is just lame. What are your expectations for 2020? I’m very worried. We have made virtually no big signings and have lost some key names. Sadly, this season could be worse than 2019 was. Fingers crossed…

GAVIN COOPER Have the Cowboys been working on anything differently in pre-season? We’re very much a different team again, so getting everyone on the same page with what our club’s all about was a bit of a slow process. But I think because we have got such a young group, everyone’s so raw and everyone’s willing to learn, it’s been pretty seamless so far. 2019 didn’t go the way the club wanted. What do you put that down to? There’s a few things that go into it, I don’t want to call them excuses but it was a tough year off the field with a couple of things that happened. On the field, when we had a consistent team on, I think only once or twice we had the same…

Eels vs Bulldogs March 12 Titans vs Eels March 22 Cowboys vs Eels March 28 Eels vs Dragons April 5 Tigers vs Eels April 13 Bulldogs vs Eels April 18 Eels vs Broncos April 24 Warriors vs Eels May 3 Sea Eagles vs Eels May 10 Storm vs Eels May 16 Eels vs Panthers May 24 Eels vs Cowboys May 29 Eels vs Tigers June 7 Rabbitohs vs Eels June 13 Eels vs Sharks June 27 Eels vs Sea Eagles July 12 Raiders vs Eels July 18 Eels vs Rabbitohs July 23 Broncos vs Eels July 31 Eels vs Roosters August 8 Eels vs Storm August 14 Dragons vs Eels August 22 Eels vs Knights August 28 Panthers vs Eels September 6…

LADDER FINISH 10 FINALS FINISH N/A Stocked with young talent and local juniors, Penrith should clearly be a powerhouse in the NRL. But they keep chopping and changing, rebuilding and under-performing, with Gould’s five-year plan never quite coming to fruition. The Panthers have lost some big names, like Kangaroos James Maloney and Reagan Campbell-Gillard, and let others go like Dallin Watene-Zelezniak. It has given them plenty of salary cap space, and the chance to lock up people like James Fisher-Harris, Jarome Luai and Brent Naden, but now they need to produce. Coach Cleary and his son, marquee man Nathan, have to get this club into the top eight. THE GAME PLAN Much of it is focused on Cleary. The NSW Origin half had veteran Maloney to rely on in 2019…

DANIEL LYSAGHT How did you find your club’s 2019 season? It was a mixed bag of a season with a terrible start both on the field and off it, a promising middle and then ultimately a sorry finish. What surprised you at your club last year? The emergence and impact of most of our debutants. To’o and Naden were particularly impressive. What disappointed you? Our halves. For whatever reason they just didn’t click last year. I’m hoping Nathan Cleary takes ownership of the team in 2020 and delivers like we know he can. What are your expectations for 2020? Minimum has to be finals football. It’s a decent spine with Api Koroisau back and I’m expecting Jarome Luai to combine well with Cleary.…

CAMERON MURRAY It was an impressive season for Souths, you fell just one game short. What did you make of it? It was a bit disappointing for me and I kind of just forgot about it for a bit and wasn’t keen to reflect on it. But all in all, it was a good year for the club and myself as well. We came up that one game short so it wasn’t what we planned for. I guess it just fuels the motivation for this year, especially having been knocked out in the same position for two years in a row now, it makes us a little bit more hungry to go that one step further. It was a big year for you personally, how did you cope with the…

Dragons vs Tigers March 15 Dragons vs Panthers March 20 Raiders vs Dragons March 26 Eels vs Dragons April 5 Dragons vs Warriors April 12 Rabbitohs vs Dragons April 19 Dragons vs Roosters April 25 Storm vs Dragons May 3 Knights vs Dragons May 9 Broncos vs Dragons May 15 Dragons vs Titans May 22 Dragons vs Sea Eagles May 31 Bulldogs vs Dragons June 8 Dragons vs Sharks June 14 Tigers vs Dragons June 25 Roosters vs Dragons July 12 Dragons vs Cowboys July 18 Dragons vs Raiders July 26 Titans vs Dragons August 1 Panthers vs Dragons August 7 Dragons vs Bulldogs August 15 Dragons vs Eels August 22 Sharks vs Dragons August 27 Dragons vs Rabbitohs September 3…

LADDER FINISH 2 FINALS FINISH 1 What can you say about the back-to-back champions, the first team to win consecutive grand finals since the Brisbane Broncos in 1992-1993? The Roosters are an amazing side that boast brilliant players but also a ferocious defence and tremendous will to win. Over eight years, Robinson has moulded and shaped the Chooks into a tremendous, well-balanced outfit with few weak spots. His recruitment has been brilliant but he has also managed to bring through real gems, from Latrell Mitchell and Joseph Manu, to Lindsay Collins, Nat Butcher and Sam Verrills. With a tight culture and a phenomenal work-ethic, the Roosters are the standard bearers in the NRL. THE GAME PLAN Last year the team were led by Cooper Cronk and Luke Keary, off the…

SAM ARGYROPOULOS How did you find 2019? Outstanding. Making history as the first team to win back to back titles in more than 25 years was amazing. Couldn’t have gone any better. What surprised you last year? The way the playing group met every challenge head on and never backed down. They faced injury problems and some great opposition in Canberra and Melbourne, but they just never gave in. What disappointed you? The departure of Latrell Mitchell, after everything the club has done for him and particularly Trent Robinson, left a sour taste. Joining Souths as well only makes it worst. What's your expectations? The sky’s the limit. We made history with two in a row, now for a three-peat. With the squad of phenomenal players we have, and a…

All athletes face challenges, but for one group, age is not one of them. Inside Sport asked previous Masters finalists in the Sportscover Clubbies awards about the allure of over-age sport and discovered it’s never just about the game. For Rob Italia it took a debilitating footy injury to get him back on track - literally. The 54-year-old dynamo endured three years of pain and inactivity with a torn ACL before his then-wife dragged him out of a deep funk with some tough love. Italia says: “She told me, ‘You know, you’re an idiot. Just get it fixed.’ So I had the ACL reconstruction and it was a new lease of life for me because I was able to be active again. I did the Australian Masters Games in Geelong…

Kalyn Ponga There is probably no more hyped-up player, no more overrated but at the same time immensely talented figure in the NRL than Kalyn Ponga. At 21 the fullback is entering just his fourth full year of first-grade. But at the Newcastle Knights, where he is poster boy, marquee man and match-winner all rolled into one, he has a lot to live up to. Born in Western Australia to Kiwi parents, Ponga grew up in Queensland and later Palmerston North. A schoolboy star, he was on a scholarship with the Brisbane Broncos and also a promising Aussie Rules player. But it was in 2013 that he was snared by the North Queensland Cowboys at the age of 15. He finished his schooling in Townsville and represented Australia at both…

LADDER FINISH 8 FINALS FINISH Elimination final The first year post-Wayne Bennett was an interesting one, to say the least. The 2019 season started off badly as they endured their equal worst start to a season since the club entered the competition in 1988. But they did manage to turn things around and sneak into the top eight. But their finals elimination, a record 58-0 loss to the Eels, was a tough pill to swallow. Seibold and his players are on notice in 2020 and improvement is essential, otherwise changes will be made. The Broncos are used to being at the top end of the table and handing out thrashings, not receiving them. THE GAME PLAN The Broncos’ power game can be impressive when Payne Haas, Tevita Pangai Jr, Matt…

CRAIG TUCK How did you find 2019? History shows Wayne Bennett tends to leave his clubs in a poor state, so while I expected us to start slowly, it was still a disappointing season. We looked disjointed and sometimes uninterested. What disappointed you? Leadership at the club, including our captain, coach and CEO, has been disappointing for a while. I am trying to be patient with Anthony Seibold, given he’s not the first NRL coach to struggle after taking the keys from Bennett. I am less willing to be patient with Darius Boyd. What's your 2020 expectations? Glass half full, we have one of the most promising rising forward packs I have ever seen in the NRL, some brilliant outside backs, and for the first time in a few years,…

BAILEY SIMONSSON Your debut season in the NRL was an amazing success, playing 21 games and in a grand final. How did you find it? After the season I was able to reflect on the year. But in saying that, it sort of finished in a funny way, losing the grand final was obviously heartbreaking and all I could think about was coming back to training, ripping into a new season and chasing the goal of winning a comp. It’s good at times to reflect on what you’ve achieved, but at the same time rugby league’s such a competitive game and you can’t sit back and rest on your laurels for too long. You’ve got to keep working hard and improve each and every day. Have you got to be…

Eels vs Bulldogs March 12 Bulldogs vs Cowboys March 19 Tigers vs Bulldogs March 29 Bulldogs vs Sharks April 4 Rabbitohs vs Bulldogs April 10 Bulldogs vs Eels April 18 Cowboys vs Bulldogs April 25 Bulldogs vs Raiders May 2 Warriors vs Bulldogs May 8 Bulldogs vs Sea Eagles May 15 Broncos vs Bulldogs May 21 Titans vs Bulldogs May 28 Bulldogs vs Dragons June 8 Sea Eagles vs Bulldogs June 13 Bulldogs vs Rabbitohs June 27 Bulldogs vs Warriors July 10 Bulldogs vs Storm July 18 Roosters vs Bulldogs July 25 Bulldogs vs Knights August 1 Sharks vs Bulldogs August 7 Dragons vs Bulldogs August 15 Bulldogs vs Panthers August 23 Bulldogs vs Tigers August 29 Knights vs Bulldogs September 6…

LADDER FINISH 7 FINALS FINISH Elimination final The Sharks are in an interesting position, rebuilding after their breakthrough success in 2016 but still with an impressive list of stars and talent in their ranks. Their 2019 campaign was thrown into disarray late when Flanagan was kicked out. Assistant coach Morris stepped up and managed to steady the ship. With the retirement of Paul Gallen and the departure of players like Val Holmes, Ricky Leutele and Matt Prior, Cronulla are embarking on a bold new era. The future of the club appears promising in the shape of Blayke Brailey, Bronson Xerri and Briton Nikora. THE GAME PLAN For several years Cronulla have perfected a grinding brand of footy that is based around big middles and bullying the opposition. This is still…

MICHAEL LANGRIDGE How did you find your club’s 2019 season overall? It was quite disappointing overall. Starting with losing Holmes, the salary cap thing and then Flanagan’s suspension, the season got off to a bad start. We never really got out of second gear for any stretch and were very inconsistent. What disappointed you? The complete lack of starch in the middle. Gallen being 39, Prior and Fifita both had off years as did Bakuya. We were deadset soft in the middle of the pitch in patches, which was a strength from 2015 to 2018. What surprised you? We unearthed two strong prospects in Nikora and Uulitano and Uele kicked up like four gears to be a standout. The young kids are real good. What are your expectations for 2020?…

BEAU FERMOR Why did you decide to leave the Knights and join the Titans? It wasn’t that I wanted to leave Newcastle, I was happy there, but the Gold Coast was an opportunity for me to further my development and also to be closer to family, being a Dalby boy. It’s only two and a half hours away here, so I can whip up home on a weekend and see Mum and Dad if I wanted to. I think there is an opportunity to get into first grade here and if given the chance, hopefully I can stay there. I’m stoked that the Titans were happy to have me and my partner up here, and I think it’ll be really good. What have been your first impressions of the club?…

Sea Eagles vs Storm March 15 Roosters vs Sea Eagles March 21 Sea Eagles vs Warriors March 27 Raiders vs Sea Eagles April 3 Sea Eagles vs Knights April 9 Sea Eagles vs Titans April 17 Sharks vs Sea Eagles April 23 Sea Eagles vs Broncos May 1 Sea Eagles vs Eels May 10 Bulldogs vs Sea Eagles May 15 Sea Eagles vs Tigers May 23 Dragons vs Sea Eagles May 31 Rabbitohs vs Sea Eagles June 6 Sea Eagles vs Bulldogs June 13 Panthers vs Sea Eagles June 26 Eels vs Sea Eagles July 12 Sea Eagles vs Sharks July 19 Cowboys vs Sea Eagles July 25 Sea Eagles vs Roosters August 2 Sea Eagles vs Raiders August 8 Knights vs Sea Eagles August 15 Warriors vs Sea Eagles…

LADDER FINISH 1 FINALS FINISH Preliminary final 2019 was the season where the Storm were supposed to finally fall away from the pack and give up their status as regular title contenders. Billy Slater and Ryan Hoffman both retired, while Origin prop Tim Glasby left to join Newcastle. But obviously someone forgot to tell Melbourne. Again they were the standout team in the regular season, losing just four of 24 matches, and winning the minor premiership easily. It was only in the finals where they came unstuck, falling to a last-minute winner against Canberra and then succumbing to eventual premiers the Roosters in the tightest of preliminary finals. They are not invincible, but remain a bloody good football team that is the envy of the rest of the competition. THE…

JAY DWIGHT How did you find your club’s 2019 season? I think we overachieved, and if you told me at the start of the season we’d only lose four of the pre-finals games and finish as minor premiers, I’d have told you “You’re dreaming”. What surprised at your club last year? I was surprised at the points for Melbourne racked up across the year, for I always thought there was something missing in attack. What disappointed you? We just couldn’t find a way to crack the toughest defences like the Roosters and the Raiders. What are your expectations for 2020? I’m expecting a top eight finish again, for our defence is so strong that it will keep us in almost every game. The lack of attacking spark still worries me.…

TIM GLASBY How do you reflect on 2019? It was obviously a different year to what I’m used to. We had some ups and downs, a tough period at the start of the year where we had some close losses then we went into a really good run of wins and then some really disappointing performances at the back end. So it was an up and down year and disappointing was the overall feeling at the end of it. How difficult was it seeing the coach who signed you depart? It was difficult. I had a great rapport with Browny and I enjoyed my time here with him. But in saying that those sort of things are out of my hands. While it was really sad to see Browny go,…

Knights vs Warriors March 14 Warriors vs Raiders March 21 Sea Eagles vs Warriors March 27 Warriors vs Tigers April 4 Dragons vs Warriors April 12 Warriors vs Roosters April 18 Storm vs Warriors April 25 Warriors vs Eels May 3 Warriors vs Bulldogs May 8 Titans vs Warriors May 16 Warriors vs Storm May 23 Warriors vs Broncos June 5 Raiders vs Warriors June 14 Warriors vs Cowboys June 27 Roosters vs Warriors July 4 Bulldogs vs Warriors July 10 Warriors vs Titans July 17 Broncos vs Warriors July 25 Warriors vs Panthers July 31 Warriors vs Knights August 9 Rabbitohs vs Warriors August 15 Warriors vs Sea Eagles August 21 Cowboys vs Warriors August 29 Sharks vs Warriors September 5…

LADDER FINISH 14 FINALS FINISH N/A North Queensland are still going through a rebuilding phase after the retirements of Matt Scott and Johnathan Thurston. The unforeseen sacking of Ben Barba hit them hard and, combined with a series of unexpected injuries, left them floundering last year. Still, the Cowboys underperformed and the pressure is on to improve significantly The acquisition of fullback Valentine Holmes, combined with an already talented roster filled with representative players, means they should be challenging for the top eight. New signings Esan Marsters and Reece Robson will add some more depth to Green’s squad. THE GAME PLAN The Cowboys are in the midst of creating a new style with Holmes coming in and the emergence of young half Jake Clifford. Much of their game-plan has been…

KARSTEN BRUMME How did you find your club’s 2019 season overall? Bad is the nicest way to spell it, with a world class pack and Morgan as captain I expected way more. Especially as most of this team made it to the grand final two years ago. What surprised you at your club last year? The lack of depth in the roster, especially in the backline. To play Coen Hess at centre for big parts of the season was awful. What disappointed you? We didn’t have any creativity for most of the season. The games were so predictable, and nobody tried to change anything. Who should the competition keep an eye out for this season? Reuben Cutter and Valentine Holmes. Reuben is a young promising 9, who showed his skills…

MITCHELL MOSES What’s been the most impressive or exciting thing in pre-season? Just the way we’ve come back and trained. Coming off the back of the season we had last year, obviously we’re happy – but also not happy with how we finished off the year. So we’ve come back, wanted to go a bit better and trained harder. Everyone’s come with a good attitude and ready to rip in. Do you feel like you’ve taken ownership of the team now? I was hoping to do that last year, so hopefully I can build on that and take it into this year as well. Build on my game really. I find if I’m playing good footy then the rest of the team is playing good footy. A lot of that…

Panthers vs Roosters March 14 Dragons vs Panthers March 20 Storm vs Panthers March 28 Panthers vs Broncos April 4 Panthers vs Raiders April 12 Panthers vs Tigers April 19 Knights vs Panthers April 26 Titans vs Panthers May 3 Panthers vs Sharks May 10 Raiders vs Panthers May 17 Eels vs Panthers May 24 Panthers vs Knights June 7 Tigers vs Panthers June 12 Panthers vs Sea Eagles June 26 Broncos vs Panthers July 2 Sharks vs Panthers July 10 Panthers vs Souths July 16 Panthers vs Titans July 24 Warriors vs Souths July 31 Panthers vs Dragons August 7 Panthers vs Cowboys August 13 Bulldogs vs Panthers August 23 Sea Eagles vs Panthers August 30 Panthers vs Eels September 6…

LADDER FINISH 3 FINALS FINISH 4 It was a huge year and one to savour for the Bunnies, with a changing of the guard and the emergence of a new side under Bennett. Greg Inglis, Sam Burgess and John Sutton have now all retired, paving the way for a new era without three colossal figures. The Rabbitohs were a joy to watch in 2019 but fell one game short, losing to eventual grand finalists Canberra, but showed plenty throughout the campaign. With the signing of Latrell Mitchell, to combine with Cam Murray, Cody Walker, Adam Reynolds and Damian Cook, Souths have the nucleus of a team than can dominate the competition in the years ahead. THE GAME PLAN Bennett’s teams have always usually been based on defence and effort, and…

DANIEL ROFF How did you find 2019? Pretty pleasing insofar as we were competitive throughout and have what I hope is a solid platform to build on for the coming season. Falling one game short of the grand final was tough, but overall we did very well. What disappointed you? Shouldn’t every fan be disappointed their team didn’t win the minor premiership AND the grand final?! The end being the most important thing... Obviously the retirement of Sam Burgess is huge. He has been our lynchpin for some time and will be almost impossible to replace. What surprised you last year? There wasn’t a regular season home game at Redfern Oval! What are your expectations? To win the competition! But, short of that, to beat the Roosters in every game.…

PAUL VAUGHAN 2019 was a tough year for the club. What do you think went wrong? Yeah, it was a bit of a lean year for the boys. I think there was a couple of things that didn’t go our way. I think defensively we weren’t up to standard. And we had a few key players out, which didn’t help. Gaz [Widdop] had a long-term injury and obviously missing one of our best forwards was pretty tough as well. What have you and team been working on during pre-season? The boys are training really hard, the standard’s definitely lifted and I think we’ve been focusing on, like every other club, getting that fitness base. And there’s been a lot of defence-orientated drills. There’s been some key personnel changes, have you…

Panthers vs Roosters March 14 Roosters vs Sea Eagles March 21 Rabbitohs vs Roosters March 27 Roosters vs Titans April 5 Sharks vs Roosters April 11 Warriors vs Roosters April 18 Dragons vs Roosters April 25 Roosters vs Cowboys May 2 Roosters vs Storm May 8 Roosters vs Knights May 14 Roosters vs Raiders May 23 Cowboys vs Roosters June 6 Roosters vs Broncos June 11 Raiders vs Roosters June 28 Roosters vs Warriors July 4 Roosters vs Dragons July 12 Tigers vs Roosters July 17 Roosters vs Bulldogs July 25 Sea Eagles vs Roosters August 2 Eels vs Roosters August 8 Roosters vs Sharks August 14 Storm vs Roosters August 21 Roosters vs Rabbitohs August 28 Broncos vs Roosters September 4…

LADDER FINISH 9 FINALS FINISH N/A It’s been nine long years since the Tigers made the finals under Tim Sheens. Since then the club has recycled through four different coaches, constant drama and countless players, but with Maguire in charge now there finally seems to be something good building at Leichhardt. At last, they seemed poised for a successful spell. Maguire is getting the roster he wants and getting the Wests identity back, with the likes of veteran Benji Marshall. In the Leilua brothers, Adam Doueihi and Billy Walters, the signings have been solid and the Tigers are becoming hard-nosed and strong again. The future may well be bright. THE GAME PLAN Luke Brooks is still the main man at the joint venture and most things revolve around him. At…

LUKE BROOKS The Tigers have some big signings in BJ Leilua, Luciano Leilua and Adam Doueihi. What do you make of them and what will this trio bring to the club? We’ve recruited some great players in the past couple of weeks and I’m excited to be able to play with them. Adam is a bit of a quiet kid but he’s definitely a great player. I’ve watched him over the years at the Rabbitohs and he’ll definitely get plenty of game time over here. It’s great to have another local junior in the side – he played his junior reps at Balmain so it’s good to see him back in these colours. I think we’re ready to play some football as a team now. We have a bit over…

The Clubbies are proud to announce the Heart Foundation is our partner for the Masters Award this year. The Heart Foundations is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to fighting the single biggest killer of Australians – heart disease. Tragically 48 Australians lives are lost every day to coronary heart disease. For 60 years, the Heart Foundation has led the battle to save lives and improve the heart health of all Australians. Its sights are set on a world where people don’t suffer or die prematurely because of heart disease. Every day, its work includes: Funding world-class cardiovascular research Guiding health professionals on preventing and treating heart disease Educating Australians about making healthy choices Supporting people living with heart conditions Advocating to government and industry to improve heart health in Australia. Since…

Cowboys vs Broncos March 13 Broncos vs Rabbitohs March 20 Titans vs Broncos March 29 Panthers vs Broncos April 4 Broncos vs Cowboys April 10 Broncos vs Sharks April 17 Eels vs Broncos April 24 Sea Eagles vs Broncos May 1 Rabbitohs vs Broncos May 7 Broncos vs Dragons May 15 Broncos vs Bulldogs May 21 Warriors vs Broncos June 5 Roosters vs Broncos June 11 Broncos vs Storm June 26 Broncos vs Panthers July 2 Raiders vs Broncos July 11 Knights vs Broncos July 19 Broncos vs Warriors July 25 Broncos vs Eels July 31 Tigers vs Broncos August 9 Broncos vs Titans August 16 Broncos vs Knights August 22 Storm vs Broncos August 29 Broncos vs Roosters September 4…

LADDER FINISH 4 FINALS FINISH 2 Not since 1994 had the Raiders been in the big one. While the Roosters may have finished victorious, Canberra threw everything and the kitchen sink at them and walked away with a lot of credit. No one tipped the ‘Green Machine’ to enjoy such a great season in 2019 and their Pommy contingent was at the very heart of it. Smart recruitment, from both England and New Zealand, and canny coaching have made the Raiders a tough team that never gives up. There is pride in the club again, after some very rough days, and this year they could go one step further. THE GAME PLAN Perhaps only Melbourne relies more on its hooker than the Raiders. Josh Hodgson is the quarterback of this…

ANDREW MALISZEWSKI How did you find your club’s 2019 season? The Raiders exceeded expectations. We made the grand final and played some brilliant footy along the way. There were thrills, spills and loads of entertainment. What surprised you at your club last year? The quality of our new players such as Englishman John Bateman and Kiwi Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad. Bateman was brilliant and Nicoll-Klokstad was a reliable presence at the back. Both both made a huge difference to the team. What disappointed you? Losing the grand final. It was our first since 1994 and we went so, so close to winning it. What are your expectations for 2020? To go one better and win the grand final. We have the players, the coach and now the experience of getting to the…

AIDEN TOLMAN How did you see 2019 for the Bulldogs overall? The way we finished, we couldn’t have done much better. Our last 10 games, I think we won seven or eight and we played some really good footy. We really focused on our defence and that’s what won us games. We didn’t score too many points in those last 10 rounds but we really defended well, we kept other teams to a really low score and we got the job done in most of them. It’s very pleasing signs, but in saying that, we started off really poorly – we won three from 15 and it put us in the position we’re in. We need to start this season better than what we did, we need to start off…

Rabbitohs vs Sharks March 14 Sharks vs Storm March 21 Sharks vs Knights March 28 Bulldogs vs Sharks April 4 Sharks vs Roosters April 11 Broncos vs Sharks April 17 Sharks vs Sea Eagles April 23 Tigers vs Sharks May 1 Panthers vs Sharks May 10 Sharks vs Cowboys May 16 Knights vs Sharks May 24 Sharks vs Titans June 5 Dragons vs Sharks June 14 Eels vs Sharks June 27 Sharks vs Raiders July 5 Sharks vs Panthers July 10 Sea Eagles vs Sharks July 19 Storm vs Sharks July 24 Sharks vs Tigers August 2 Sharks vs Bulldogs August 7 Roosters vs Sharks August 14 Cowboys vs Sharks August 20 Sharks vs Dragons 27 August Sharks vs Warriors September 5…

LADDER FINISH 16 FINALS FINISH N/A Disastrous, dour, dreadful – all adjectives that apply to the Gold Coast. They took out the wooden spoon, won a measly four games and sacked their coach Garth Brennan in July. And it didn’t get any better after Brennan got the axe. The Titans finished 14th in 2018, so this is not a flash in the pan. The club has deep-seated problems with poor recruitment, mishandled junior pathways, under-performing players, low crowds and a lack of identity. Mal Meninga and new coach Holbrook have to find a way to get the Gold Coast up the table – the future of the club depends on it. THE GAME PLAN The Titans had virtually no gameplan in 2019 because of the fall from grace of Ash…

JACK LOGUE How did you find your club’s 2019 season? 2019 was the least I’ve enjoyed following a footy team that I can remember and I grew up following the North Sydney Bears! What surprised you most at your club last year? The biggest surprise for me was that our woeful administration actually hired the right coach in picking Justin Holbrook over Kevin Walters to replace Garth Brennan. What did you find most disappointing over the season? The lack of effort from our high profile signings such as Shannon Boyd, Bryce Cartwright and Tyrone Peachey. Given last season's tribulations, what are your expectations for the 2020 season? I’d expect us to finish in the bottom four so I’ll be happy with anything above 12th.…

CURTIS SIRONEN Manly surprised everyone in 2019 by making the semi-finals and finishing sixth on the table. How did you find the season as a whole? I had a great time. By far my most enjoyable year in footy. It’s a great club and we have a squad that is not only competitive but can challenge for a premiership. Everyone gets on great and Des knows how to get the best out of us. What was it like working under new coach Des Hasler, who took over from Trent Barrett? He’s fantastic. He has a great personal relationship with his players and genuinely cares for them. He turns you from a footy player into a full on full time professional - even away from footy. Des is about making us…

Sea Eagles vs Storm March 15 Sharks vs Storm March 21 Storm vs Panthers March 28 Storm vs Rabbitohs April 2 Storm vs Titans April 11 Cowboys vs Storm April 16 Storm vs Warriors April 25 Storm vs Dragons May 3 Roosters vs Storm May 8 Storm vs Eels May 16 Warriors vs Storm May 23 Storm vs Raiders June 6 Knights vs Storm June 13 Broncos vs Storm June 26 Storm vs Tigers July 3 Titans vs Storm July 11 Bulldogs vs Storm July 18 Storm vs Sharks July 24 Rabbitohs vs Storm July 30 Storm vs Cowboys August 6 Eels vs Storm August14 Storm vs Roosters August21 Storm vs Broncos August29 Raiders vs Storm September 5…

LADDER FINISH 11 FINALS FINISH N/A After years of rebuilding, 2019 was supposed to be the time for Brown and his men to shine, the season where they made the top eight and made significant improvement. But it was another disastrous year for the Knights, one of underachievement and inconsistency that ultimately cost the coach his job. Newcastle has the roster and the players to be semi-finals contenders and there is no longer time for excuses. New boss O’Brien will not have it easy, but in the likes of Mitchell Pearce and Kalyn Ponga, he has the raw materials to work with. THE GAME PLAN Much revolves around the NSW halfback Pearce and the Queensland fullback Ponga. Those are the two key figures who dominate the game-plan. Both are potential…

ROSS GILSHENAN How did you find your club’s 2019 season? The season overall was again very disappointing after so much hope in the pre- season. What surprised at your club last year? What surprised me was the capitulation of the team after posting six wins and finding themselves in the top four, then losing the next seven. We fell away badly. What was it specifically that disappointed you? The lack of commitment and steel by the players was a real concern. What are your expectations for 2020? The Knights have a decent roster and have now played enough games together to at least finish 2020 in the top eight. I’m excited to see Bradman Best, he looks like he has got what it takes to be a real star in…

GERARD BEALE How’s pre-season going? It’s been really good. We’ve had a big change in the way we are training, we’ve got a new head trainer now and what he’s brought in with a lot of speed and power work. It’s been a fresh taste for us. The boys are hitting their targets well, which is a good sign. How are you recovering from your knee injury? I’m going really well. Slowly joining in with the skills and all that, it’s a good feeling. I’m aiming to be back playing for our last pre-season game. Even before then, or a few weeks after then, it’s one of those injuries where it’s a week-to-week thing. For me it would be good to go into the season ready for round one, but…

Cowboys vs Broncos March 13 Bulldogs vs Cowboys March 19 Cowboys vs Eels March 28 Knights vs Cowboys April 3 Broncos vs Cowboys April 10 Cowboys vs Storm April 16 Cowboys vs Bulldogs April 25 Roosters vs Cowboys May 2 Cowboys vs Titans May 9 Sharks vs Cowboys May 16 Cowboys vs Souths May 22 Eels vs Cowboys May 29 Cowboys vs Roosters June 6 Titans vs Cowboys June 12 Warriors vs Cowboys June 27 Cowboys vs Knights July 12 Dragons vs Cowboys July 18 Cowboys v Sea Eagles July 25 Cowboys v Raiders August 1 Storm vs Cowboys August 6 Panthers vs Cowboys August 13 Cowboys vs Sharks August 20 Cowboys vs Warriors August 29 Tigers vs Cowboys September 4…

LADDER FINISH 5 FINALS FINISH 5 The Eels haven’t won a title since 1986 and last made the grand final in 2009. It’s been a long time between drinks and more recently they have yo-yo-ed each year, picking up wooden spoons in 2012, 2013 and 2018. But last year was a good one for the club, dismantling Brisbane with a record score in the semi-finals before disappointingly bowing out against Melbourne. The Storm have proved to be the Eels’ nemesis in recent campaigns, but the nucleus is there now at Bankwest Stadium for the club to really push for greater honours. THE GAME PLAN The focal point for the blue and gold is halfback Mitchell Moses and fullback, and captain, Clinton Gutherson. Those are the two key cogs Parra cannot…

MATTHEW BELL How did you find your club’s 2019 season? I was grateful to have a team to be proud of again. A major improvement from a dismal six wins and the wooden spoon in 2018. What surprised you at the club last year? The development of Mitch Moses. After the maturity he showed last year, it appears the sky is the limit. What disappointed you? The injury that robbed Dylan Brown for half a season. I’m hopeful Brown will form part of a relatively young spine that has me excited for years to come. What are your expectations? We should make the top four. After finishing fifth last year and weighing up the gains and losses, I can’t find any reasons why we won’t be better again this year.…

JOSH MANSOUR 2019 was a rollercoaster year for Penrith. How do you reflect on it? We definitely learned a lot, individually, but as a team as whole. There were a lot of periods where we needed leaders – especially me. Being one of the senior leaders in the group I needed to be more proactive and speak up, not only through actions but to communicate with the boys. There was a lot of adversity last year, which we just didn’t deal with, on and off the field. It definitely affected us as a whole. In saying that, we’re coming into this new season with a completely different attitude and mindset, and more hunger than anything. We just want to have a bigger year and be more successful than we were…

Rabbitohs vs Sharks March 14 Broncos vs Rabbitohs March 20 Rabbitohs vs Roosters March 27 Storm vs Rabbitohs April 2 Rabbitohs vs Bulldogs April 10 Rabbitohs vs Dragons April 19 Raiders vs Rabbitohs April 26 Rabbitohs vs Knights May 2 Rabbitohs vs Broncos May 7 Tigers vs Rabbitohs May 17 Cowboys vs Rabbitohs May 22 Knights vs Rabbitohs May 30 Rabbitohs vs Sea Eagles June 6 Rabbitohs vs Eels June 13 Bulldogs vs Rabbitohs June 27 Rabbitohs vs Tigers July 11 Panthers vs Rabbitohs July 16 Eels vs Rabbitohs July 23 Rabbitohs vs Storm July 30 Titans vs Rabbitohs August 8 Rabbitohs vs Warriors August 15 Rabbitohs vs Raiders August 22 Roosters vs Rabbitohs August 28 Dragons vs Rabbitohs September 3…

LADDER FINISH 15 FINALS FINISH N/A Nightmarish is the best way to explain how St George Illawarra has fared in the past 12 months. Nothing went right for the Red V in the past year, either on the field or off it. Jack de Belin’s court case and his eventually standing down from the NRL proved to be a huge distraction. The Dragons squad lost focus and a world-class front-rower. Injuries to Gareth Widdop and others hurt the side as well, and they lost confidence and form as a terrible season went downhill. Surely it can’t get any worse. THE GAME PLAN The Dragons’ spine just didn’t click in 2019 no matter what players McGregor used. With Widdop’s move to Warrington, they will rely on Ben Hunt, Corey Norman, Matt…

BEN COSTELLOE How did you find your club’s 2019 season? Very disappointing – we finished second last! In 2018 Saints made the finals and were a field goal away from making a preliminary final. I had expectations of a similar or better finish. What surprised you at your club last year? In hindsight, the impact Jack de Belin being stood down had on the team. What disappointed you? Attendances! Saints averaged less than 10,000 at home for the first time. That isn’t good enough for our club – Kogarah and Wollongong are small capacity venues and should be sold out every home game. What's your expectations? There’s always hope at the start of a new season, but we’ll struggle to make the top eight. A good start would help to…

NAT BUTCHER You’ve re-signed with the Roosters for another two seasons. Was it an easy decision to make? It was an easy decision to stay here in the end. It’s such a great club, I’ve loved every moment I’ve been here. I’m looking forward to the future. I was happy to re-sign as soon as I could. You’ve been at the club your whole career. What inspired you to join in the first place back in 2015? They just had great systems in place with Robbo and that really hit home with me and what he said. There’s such great players that have come through and were coming through, so it's great to be able to come through with them and through 20s and then into first-grade with them now.…

Dragons vs Tigers March 15 Tigers vs Knights March 22 Tigers vs Bulldogs March 29 Warriors vs Tigers April 4 Tigers vs Eels April 13 Panthers vs Tigers April 19 Titans vs Tgers April 24 Tigers vs Sharks May 1 Tigers vs Raiders May 9 Tigers vs Rabbitohs May 17 Sea Eagles vs Tigers May 23 Eels vs Tigers June 7 Tigers vs Panthers June 12 Tigers vs Dragons June 25 Storm vs Tigers July 3 Rabbitohs vs Tigers July 11 Tigers vs Roosters July 17 Knights vs Tigers July 26 Sharks vs Tigers August 2 Tigers vs Broncos August 9 Raiders vs Tigers August 16 Tigers vs Titans August 23 Bulldogs vs Tigers August 29 Tigers vs Cowboys September 4…

STUART ROSSI How did you find 2019? Ninth place finish was yet another crushing disappointment for fans like me. Irrespective of the turbulent period following the Ivan Cleary exit, a top eight finish was well within grasp but instead the season just became another missed opportunity. What surprised you last year? Players like Michael Chee Kam and Corey Thompson stepping up and becoming two of the key reliable figures in the side. What disappointed you? The erratic levels of performance throughout the season. Some days the Tigers were a genuine top eight side and some days all cohesion appeared to go right out the window. What's your expectations? Off the back of some dynamic talent in Doueihi and the Leilua brothers, the squad now has game breaking spark. So, without…