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On the field, the spectacle sparkles
AFTER a distinctly ugly build up, this season's NRL kick off reminded everyone that while rugby league may have some off field issues, on the field it is in sensational shape.
There were two games on the UK telecast last weekend, the Queensland derby, with the Broncos sinking the Cowboys in front of 50,000 in Brisbane, and Saturday's rain-soaked clash between Manly and the Bulldogs in Sydney.
Both matches were fast, skilful and physical, with Canterbury's thrashing of Manly - a contest between last season's wooden spoon team and the reigning Premiers and World Club Challenge winners - underlining the depth of the Australian competition.
It was a great start to first grade coaching for Kevin Moore, the former Halifax stand off and Chris Anderson's brother in law.
That game also threw up a new shooting star to watch: Jamal Idris, the Bulldogs' giant 18 year old centre.
The former junior international athlete did what Leeds had failed to do a fortnight earlier, trampling straight over a couple of Manly defenders to score the first try and looking freakishly strong from start to finish.
Remember the name.
IT will be interesting to see who takes their seats in the Sky TV commentary box at the Shay tonight.
Last week, when the Vikings hosted Toulouse in a damp-squib of a Championship opener, we had Terry O'Connor providing the expert analysis alongside the accomplished Bill Arthur.
Yes, that's Terry O'Connor, Widnes' director of rugby, commentating on a side he put together using namesake Steve O'Connor's millions.
No disrespect to Terry, a fine player with Salford, Wigan and Widnes, but if that's not straining the bounds of media credibility I don't know what is.
Given the importance of tonight's contest, Sky should leave Terry to take his seat in the directors box and draft in the excellent Phil Clarke instead.
Or at least provide a bit of balance by giving Fax's football director Martin Hall a microphone as well.
I WASN'T surprised by Terry Matterson's post match eruption at Wheldon Road last weekend.
The Castleford coach was upset because his side had just lost a game that was there for the taking against Huddersfield.
But what had really got his goat was what he perceived to be the Giants' propensity to employ the infamous grapple tackle.
Matterson reckoned his players heads were wrestled with on more than one occasion.
And I would be surprised if you could not pick out a few instances of Giants players sailing pretty close to the equally controversial chicken wing technique, where the opponents' arm is used as a lever.
It's open to question whether this was by accident or design.
But the irony is that Huddersfield's new Australian coach Nathan Brown was one of the most vocal critics of Melbourne Storm's controversial approach during his time with St George Illawarra.
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Weather for Halifax
Saturday 11 February 2012
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Temperature: -2 C to 0 C
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