The experiment worksSouth Sydney fans might be feeling hard done by this morning, but the NRL All Stars concept showed its worth as a pre-season showcase event on Saturday night.
The Bunnies will likely be without superstar centre Greg Inglis for the start of the season after he injured his ankle scoring a try for the Indigenous All Stars on the Gold Coast.
But the experimental rules used in the game showed why it has merit as an annual fixture in the long term.
The power play rule may never see the light of day in the regular NRL season, but former Dragons coach Wayne Bennett has endorsed the ‘six again’ rule for minor indiscretions around the ruck.
If nothing else, Bennett believes the rule change offers the whistleblowers an easy alternative and a way to avoid the harsh criticism from the members of the press box.
‘‘It’ll stop a lot of the rubbish that goes on in there,’’ Bennett said after his side beat the Indigenous All Stars 36-28.
‘‘The refs are in a tough place with this and I think it’s a way out for them. If they gave away all the penalties they should in a game then you guys (the media) would beat them to death.
‘‘That’s not going to happen. They hate reading about themselves more than I do. So this way is a way out for them where the game has great continuity still.
‘‘It puts you under great pressure defensively. I think it’s a way of the future.’’
The rule allows the attacking team a restart of the tackle count if they are awarded a penalty for ruck infringements like holding down.
Hero worship
With the flowing brown locks and big frame, Dragons recruit Alelea Vea is poised to become a cult figure among St George Illawarra fans.
Vea firmed as a contender in Steve Price’s team for the round one clash against former mentor Wayne Bennett and Newcastle after an impressive pre-season training campaign.
The former Melbourne Storm forward, along with ex-Gold Coast player Will Matthews have been included in Price’s 22-man squad for the trip to Perth to play North Queensland on Saturday.
Dragons supporters will gain more clues as to Price’s plans for the NRL season out of the Cowboys game and the Charity Shield, after using a selection of fringe and development players at WIN Stadium against the Bulldogs.
Vea was picked for Perth ahead of Dragons prop David Gower, who is also fighting for a bench spot among the start-studded forward pack.
Hurting Hawks
After suffering their biggest loss in 23 years, life doesn’t get any easier this week for the struggling Wollongong Hawks.
The Hawks crashed back to earth with a 41-point loss to the Gold Coast on Saturday night, managing just 50 points, which is the second lowest total in the club’s history.
With their wings clipped, the Hawks now face the defending champions and competition leaders New Zealand at home on Saturday.
While the loss would test the belief of the faithful, they can take some heart knowing one of Wollongong’s five victories this season came on the Breakers floor earlier this season.
How they respond to the crushing loss will be a firm indicator of just how much fight they have left in them this season.
Top class
Albion Park junior Luke Wilkshire cemented his place among the greats of Australian soccer after earning a lucrative new deal with Russian club Dynamo Moscow.
Wilkshire reportedly signed a $10 million contract to extend his stay for two more years, making him the highest paid Australian player.
The 30-year-old defender said it was an easy decision to make.
‘‘’It was really a no-brainer,’’ he said.
‘‘I’ve been here for three-and-a-half years, it’s a great club, I’m very settled, we have a good team and we’re in a good position in the league.’’
Wilkshire is targeting another World Cup with the Socceroos in Brazil in 2014.
‘‘Hopefully, we qualify; that’s the plan … that’s our goal,’’ he said.
Washout woes
Somehow, out of last week’s gloom, South Coast cricket curators and officials managed to ensure there was play on Saturday.
After a week of rain on the Illawarra and South Coast, players awoke on Saturday morning to a steamy but largely sunny day
However, Cricket Illawarra had already called off all games after all grounds were declared closed.
Down south, Lake Illawarra successfully defended their one-day crown with an eight wicket win against Warilla at Howard Fowles Oval.
The big wet may have made life tough for Warilla batting first, but at least they avoided a washout.
In the Illawarra competition, teams are now scrambling for a top two finish so they will survive in the event of a washout come finals time.
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