Matthew

@cric_blog As a host no one beats Ritchie but as a commentator he isn’t in the top 5

Richie Benaud. Honourable mentions: Michael Holding Ricky Ponting Tony Cozier Ian Bishop Tony Greig Ian Smith Bill Lawry Ian Chappell Mike Heysman Mike Atherton Nasser Hussain Ravi Shastri x.com/i/status/20513…

@icelandcricket As a host none better than Ritchie but as a ball by ball commentator he isn’t in the top 5

The correct question is who is the second best after Richie Benaud.

@BobWillis2389 @icelandcricket I agree as a host none better than Ritchie but in the box Bill was way ahead. The Shane Warne ball of the century is a perfect example of Ritchie not being the best

@icelandcricket Lol no. Benaud wasn't even the best in that comm box. Lawry far superior. Benaud was, ironically, just more media savvy.

@SkyNewsAust How can tax cuts be inflationary? Whats the difference if I spend it compared to the government? Still measured the same

Jim Chalmers is expected to announce a major tax offset many could see as "inflationary", as the RBA is poised to lift rates again on Tuesday. skynews.com.au/australia-news…

@RealMarkLatham @sydwestagribus They saying is red sky at morning Shepard’s warning

@sydwestagribus Nice, but quickly turned to rain

Sunrise #WesternSydney

@aussiebeastmode @SCWhisperer It’s a good point that if you take out the Panthers and the Dragons it’s pretty even every team could beat any other team on their day

@SCWhisperer The top 4 teams at seasons end all sit this year in the bottom half of the table. You have 4 points separating 10 teams. Arguably the closest season yet. Yes Penrith are a standout and dragons are trash but look at the AFL , Super Rugby , EPL , NFL , their comps are far worse

Spent the weekend properly thinking about this and I keep coming back to the same point. The NRL product is in the worst spot I can remember. In trying to manufacture “entertainment”, the game has actually become less enjoyable to watch. It feels forced. High scoring doesn’t equal quality, and right now there’s too many games that just aren’t competitive. The gap between the top and bottom is massive. Some clubs recruit and develop well, others look completely lost, and the result is too many one sided games that are over early. And now we’re adding two expansion teams into that environment? The talent pool is already stretched. If anything, this risks making the bottom end even worse. It’s not just about more teams or more points. It’s about balance, quality and making games feel like they matter again.

@ReadingThePlay I’m sure that the TV deal being negotiated would have nothing to do with statements like this?

So here’s the elephant in the room. 🐘 Was told this week by someone who works in the tv media space that the drop off of viewers in the final 30 to 40 mins of #NRL telecasts each week now significant, and in some instances at alarming levels. The blow out results and touch footy shit style of game turning people off, literally. All for one more try and tv commercial more on average than last yr. Major concern for both media opps is that in many instances a game is a lead into a major revenue show (like news bulletin or Matt Johns Show, etc) and so they in now so many instances they also now getting big drop off numbers. Getting 9 tries a game and a few more commercials won’t mean jack shit in the future if the second half of your coverage is in free fall and your audience lead ins to key network shows plummeting. We’ve let the tv and NRL game execs break down the original, traditional fabric of the game.

@SteveMascord 1996 Monday night game had a big crowd but otherwise your probably right

All those saturday nights of the Roosters playing the Broncos at the SFS in front of empty seats since 1988 ... and look at this!

@CamMagicMan Do we really want to go back to watching Melbourne wrestle all the way back to the top of the ladder. ?

Maybe, despite all the rule criticisms, including my own criticisms of the NRL... crowds are up, ratings up & the ladder absolutely unpredictable... is the "doing it right" & are we just shouting at clouds bc we dislike change 🤷🏽‍♂️

@friendtolepers @BradWalterSport I agree. I grew up in Bathurst regular -6 frosty mornings but I have never been as cold when standing on that Hill on a Saturday night in early 2000s Got to the car the the radio said it was 8 degrees currently

@BradWalterSport I have never felt colder than I felt standing on that hill. I used to walk to school in the depths of a London winter, frozen puddles cracking under my steps, wasn’t as cold as the sea breeze blowing over that hill.

Is there a more beautiful stadium in Australia?

@RealMarkLatham @llihhcruhc1 @JamieMagill5 No argument’s he is a legend of the game.

@matte1579 @llihhcruhc1 @JamieMagill5 True, but he was a batsman who got them at crunch times, like Centenary Test. And his contribution as a team leader to rebuilding Australian cricket post 1972 was immense

@JamieMagill5 How do we rank Australia’s outstanding keeper-batsmen post 1970? Marsh Healy Gilchrist Haddin Carey

@llihhcruhc1 @RealMarkLatham @JamieMagill5 Marsh averaged 26 Since Gilchrist that’s not good enough

@matte1579 @RealMarkLatham @JamieMagill5 That’s not true by a long way. That trend had already been locked in for over two decades. In the 1970s Bob Taylor was consistently England’s best keeper.. But Knott was always preferred for his better batting. Likewise Marsh over Taber in Australia.

@Manuka_Kindling @IllawarraStG @FanaticsNrl Would anyone mention Melbourne crime when signing ?

@IllawarraStG @FanaticsNrl Bears arent scratch. Perth have an established fan base on the east coast but they are pissing into the wind salary cap wise. If I was Mal I’d be pushing PNG headlines everyday.

No one should have favours from the NRL. Not PNG, not Perth. The Dolphins didn’t get any special treatment. When the Warriors joined the comp, we got nothing!!! How about they fund themselves. Utter joke.

@happydraggon @SnoogThe @NRL The game was perfectly fine in 87 before Brisbane and Newcastle came in also In 94 before the Cowboys and Warriors arrives but if you don’t grow you go backwards

@SnoogThe @NRL The game is perfectly fine without PNG ffs

Dear @NRL Do you think people will happily accept that 18 teams have to abide by the same rules, and the 19th team essentially has a wage bill that is twice everyone else What leg will you have to stand on, the next time a Aussie team cheats the SC How is this a fair league?

@CamMagicMan @Easts4Life How long will they actually spend in the compound? Few pre season camps away: away matches could see them away for 3-4 nights at a time: Bye weeks go back home for a week

@Easts4Life To live in what will basically be a private locked down PNG resort for 2 full years wont be for everyone. If they didnt have the taxation benefits to attract at least 10-15 Aussie players to make the leap, it wouldn't be feasible. Players making this leap are pioneers.

Honestly 👏 to PNG Luai is a genius target signing. All the ex Panthers boys seem to spend a lot of time together outside footy. PNG will definitely be targeting a lot more Panthers/ ex panthers players.

@shawncbrown @Trampsmate @StanCollymore I think if I trained for a while I could easily do 17 seconds for a 100m and pretty confident I could do a 2nd 100m in time but it’s downhill after that

@Trampsmate @StanCollymore Nuts! I doubt if I could do 100m in 17 seconds. And I certainly couldn’t do a second 100m, at all!

Set a treadmill at 21kph ( max most will go to) and try to run for 30 seconds on it. That's what he did for 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds. The peak of human physical achievement. Insane, absolutely insane.

@davemeltzerWON My dad told me a story about his dad..Im guessing in the 60’s wrestling came to town he went and watched and then went to the club for a beer or 2. During this he saw all the wrestlers together having a beer together he then realised it was all an act so he never watched again

Wrestling was so much bigger on TV in Australia before Hogan. It had national TV in the 60s under Barnett & Doyle and was the top paying place for wrestlers in the world. And I know historians who said it was even bigger in Australia prior to that.

@DDQ75_ @mrchrisnico @WestsTigers Not really comparable tackles. This one much worse

@mrchrisnico @WestsTigers ryan couchman got 4 weeks for that btw

THOUGHTS: Is @WestsTigers skipper Api Koroisau in trouble for this? Depending on charge, could he $3k — could be three games😬🙏

@tigers4eva05 @The_8thWonder_ It was the 2nd time in 2 sets tigers played dead in the ruck . First time got away with it . Raiders did it once and got away with it . I would call that consistent

@The_8thWonder_ We get done for a six again when Royce couldn’t roll out of the ruck. Canberra did exactly the same, and crickets from Klein. We all just want consistency.

Absolutely love that Benji lambasted Ashley Klein & Chris Butler (2 blokes who have zero feel for the game) in his presser. He called it like everyone saw it. #NRLTigersRaiders