Wrap - A Tough Week for the McGregors

1. NRL. Isn't it great to see a touch judge fiasco back on the table. Manly v Parramatta too. I was starting to worry that touch judges were completely irrelevant. Hard to believe the FOX commentators who instantly believe themselves to be correct, but the NRL very quickly admit errors nowadays and nothing changes. The one ref system is working well, but clearly fewer 'six again' calls are being made and they are not consistent. One game varies a lot to the next. If you are unfit as a ref, you call fewer of them.

2. Josh Reynolds. Obviously struggling the poor bloke and has been dudded a recall at Canterbury too. Not a lot of good happens after 1.00am however, so hard to believe. Police have been known to get a bit of celebrityitis on occasion. Fancy the media publishing that when they knew his test was not positive. Rothfield should hang his head and apologise.

The way the Tigers gave in to the Gold Coast may have the fans thinking they should all turn to drugs to ease their pain. Maguire is on borrowed time too. Too cranky and not a clear strategist at tough times.

3. St George-Illawarra. A few questions to ask them:

(i) Who recruited Ben Hunt?
(ii) Why play Hunt at hooker, displace your captain Cameron McIness and then bring in Isaac Luke into the team too?
(iii) Who recruited Isaac Luke? Great in his day, but fading sadly.
(iv) Who recruited Corey Norman from Parramatta when they already had Gareth Widdup?
(iv) Do they need James Graham - or Tyson Frizell (gone to the Knights) more?
(v) In a team with no pace, can Ben Dufty be left on the sidelines?
(vi) For a club who have always had great centres, is Lomax ahead of his time? Jack Bird was a junior that they never held onto too.
(vii) Will the Sims lads who left Newcastle be returning there?

It sounds like there needs to be a clean out in a few places...but this is very expensive - not just at the coaching level. The shadow of Flanagan lurks closer.

3. Connor McGregor. A tough week for the McGregors. How many retirements can someone have? Greg Inglis has made a comeback... the big boxer and sandwich maker George Foreman had a few...John Farnham has had most.

4. Erin Molan. Is Erin's bubble bursting? She has been a target to many for a while given her high profile, but disrespecting Pacific Islanders is not a good survival tactic when they dominate the NRL. The spellings and proliferation of vowels is unusual to us and difficult to pronounce.  John Keihanaikukauakahihuliheekahaunaele is a tough one, but this has been around since the 12th Man made cassettes. Different era now. Hopefully a quick apology results. Can't imagine Rabs would be happy being dragged into this nonsense.

5. Newcastle Knights. A top performance v the Panthers the week previous missing injured stars Pearce and Connor Watson. Then to turn it on to the Raiders was exceptional too. Ponga is one the Cowboys should never have let escape them. He is a superstar. The new coach at the Knights has started well. Bradman Best has been a revelation too. A shame Nathan Brown didn't get to see this eventuate.

6. Super Rugby. NZ are back with crowds and all. Virus defeated. Well played! Great PM too.

7. Premier League. Back on June 17 and much anticipated to see if Liverpool win... surely, even if their women's team has been shunned and now relegated.