League Unlimited

YET ANOTHER STICKY SITUATION

Ricky Stuart's declaration that Trent Barrett is not available for in the end-of-the-season Quad Series is an example of hypocrisy at it’s finest. That's a complete "one-eighty" from the belief system that Stuart wanted all and sundry to adopt when he was Australian coach.

Now he wants to flick an ideology that he so passionately fought to uphold simply because this time round it doesn't suit to have one of his star Sharks' players be involved. Stuart's attitude that player selection for the Kangaroos squad should be on his terms, is completely unacceptable.

He should be censured for comments that "fly in the face" of the NRL's policy of all contracted players being available for selection unless they have officially retired from representative football.

But yet again the governing body has either been slow to react or not reacted at all. Look at last year's World Cup. After losing the "unlosable", Stuart unleashes a verbal barrage against match officials Ashley Klein and Stuart Cummings in the lobby of a hotel in front of horrified onlookers and then it's several days before he is forced to apologise and resign in disgrace.

This is no different to a parent letting their child get away with a misdemeanour that previously brought a reprimand. In both instances it legitimises and in a way endorses inconsistent behaviour.

If the NRL/ARL fail to act than it will be another case of an inflated ego dictating to the governing body. Allow that to occur, and it's akin to the "inmates running the asylum".

And to think we all thought the man known affectionately as "Sticky" had matured.

MOI OH MOI WHAT A PLAYER

Parramatta prop Fui Fui Moimoi is not only the form forward in the NRL, he would be among the five best players for season 2009.

And despite the superlative form of teammate Jarryd Hayne, on a consistency basis in terms of week-to-week football, the big Tongan has been easily the Eels' best. Early in the season when the side was going very poorly, Moimoi was turning in performances that had him among the top three or four players on the field even in defeat.

Moimoi has "bent the line" more often than any other prop in the game. And it's been no coincidence that a searching run from Hayne has come immediately after Moimoi has fractured the defensive line with one of his block-busting surges.

New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney would be excited with the prospect of having the most destructive prop in the NRL as the cornerstone to his pack for the end-of-the-year Quad series against Great Britain, Australia and France.

The Kiwi pack is shaping up to be a very powerful unit particularly now that Roy Asotasi is recapturing his best form. The dynamic Isaac Luke will complete what will be a terrific front-row that will have the support in the back-row of the likes of Frank Pritchard, Sika Manu, Ben Matulino, Simon Mannering, Jeremy Smith and Adam Blair.

New Zealand's biggest problem is the halves with only an in-form Benji Marshall assured of one of the spots. They could shunt Jerome Ropati in from the centres or look at Ben Roberts, who has been a revelation for the Bulldogs.

The three-quarter line has the potential to be the most explosive in international football with monster wingers Manu Vatuvei and Taniela Tuiaki on the flanks and a centre combination of the chunky Junior Sau and the fearless Steve Matai. On a score of physicality, such a foursome would cause enormous headaches for their opponents be it with or without the ball.

Sam Perrett would appear to have the inside running for the fullback position. The elusive Perrett has been the one shining light for the Roosters where time and again he has been his team's top performer.

ON THE HUNT FOR A BUSINESS PLAN

The defection of Karmichael Hunt to Australian Rules is a blow to rugby league that cannot be ignored. As the saying goes "the worse that one can do is do nothing".

The stakeholders in rugby league seem to place little importance in making it public knowledge where the game will be in five, 10 and 20 years time. The biggest threat facing rugby league is that the AFL has always been more progressive and more proactive than the NRL and the reason is simple - the AFL is working off a strategic plan whereas in the case of the NRL, it's policy on the run with no apparent structure in place.

For some inexplicable reason the AFL struck a media deal that dwarfs that of the NRL's. And that shouldn't be the case when even Aussie Rules tragics will admit that rugby league transfers to television infinitely better than their game where much of the action is on the peripheries.

Rugby league is made for the small screen whereas AFL is a game which is best appreciated watching from the stands. It is only then that you can get a complete understanding when a team is trying to construct an attack. No matter how many cameras they use or how creative the producer gets, it is impossible to capture all of the action of an Aussie Rules game.

David Gallop needs to show some leadership by producing a detailed business plan that clearly illustrates what initiatives are being implemented to ensure that the game will prosper well into the future.

BENNETT EARNS BROWNIE POINTS

How many premierships would the Dragons have won had Wayne Bennett and not Nathan Brown, been in charge? My guess is at least two and quite possibly as many as four or five.

Brown had some wonderful rosters to work with yet not only didn't win a title, was incapable of getting the side to the grand final. Imagine what Bennett would have done with players of the ilk of Mark Gasnier, Jason Ryles, Luke Bailey, Trent Barrett, Brett White, Chris Houston, Lance Thompson etc etc.

The Dragons administration clearly erred in appointing one of their own who had only just retired as a player. Brown struggled to establish a "demarcation line" between himself and his players having been a teammate to many within the first grade squad.

That was never more evident than the infamous sideline face-slapping incident involving one of his marquee players in Barrett. The young coach failed to control his emotions that day and it should have been a signal to the powers-that-be that the decision to appoint Brown was doomed from the beginning.

But rather than admit that a mistake had been made and set about correcting it as quickly as possible, Peter Doust and co allowed the situation to fester much to the detriment of both the Dragons and Brown.

In the end the position became untenable for "Brownie" and now that he has been moved on to make way for arguably the game's greatest ever coach, everything points to a very rosy finish to the year for all Dragons supporters. At worst, you'd say they are specials to be one of the sides contesting this year's grand final.