The NRL Infinite Files – Finals Week 3
Coach of the Year
In my team of the year column last week, a few of you may have noticed I’d given coach of the year honours to Parramatta head coach Brad Arthur. After being eliminated from the finals in straight sets, I decided to change my mind (which I do a lot, mind you).
After a tenuous year in charge of a North Queensland side which was forced to use a total of 35 players in season 2017; Paul Green has done what was seemingly impossible, guiding his wounded Cowboys side to a preliminary finals berth and are now just 80 minutes away from their third grand final appearance in 13 years.
How do the Cowboys do it?
With great heart, of course. The culture Paul Green has built in North Queensland is reminiscent to that of the all-conquering All Blacks. With injuries galore and others playing busted, North Queensland have shown they’re not a one-man team in season 2017. Whoever has put on a jersey for the Cowboys this season has bought into the clubs’ self-belief and done his job. With effort comes reward and now the club are just 80 minutes away from another grand final appearance.
It makes you think, if a side like the Warriors believed in themselves and played for each other as the Cowboys do…
Can Brisbane beat Melbourne?
Yes. But it won’t be easy. It is indeed Melbourne’s premiership to lose. Brisbane are one of the NRL powerhouses and can never be written off. Coached by Wayne Bennett and with the Storm under all the pressure; Brisbane are a real chance of securing the upset victory over the Storm this Friday night – The club is also bolstered this week with the return of Kangaroos fullback Darius Boyd.
A Melbourne loss on Friday night would go down in the history books as a bigger choke than Parramatta’s 2001 campaign.
A big no no to Israel Folau’s NO stance
Former Australian and Queensland representative centre, Israel Folau, was met with a wrath of criticism on social media last Wednesday afternoon after tweeting “I love and respect all people for who they are and their opinions. but personally, I will not support gay marriage.”
Israel, if you really love and respect all people for who they are than vote yes. The result isn’t going to affect you in the slightest. Let those people whose opinions you so apparently admire be happy!
Trent Hodkinson doing the Newcastle community proud
Trent Hodkinson was today announced as a nominee for the 2017 Ken Stephen Medal. With all due respect to the other nominees, it will be an injustice if Trent does not receive the award.
Through his program Tren7’s Kicks for Kids campaign in which he visits sick children in hospital before writing their names on his kicking tee for his weekends game with the Newcastle Knights – Trent met 15-year-old Hannah Rye. After featuring on his Round 3 kicking tee, Trent kept in regular contact with Hannah and her family and when Hannah’s cancer was diagnosed as terminal, Trent approached his club and asked if he was able to attend Hannah’s Year 10 formal as her partner.
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