Rugby league’s ridiculous mixed messages on gambling – The Sydney Morning Herald

Arewe really talking about police allegations of players sharing with punters information regarding team changes, and about the NSW Blues staying at The Star casino, as if they are two completely different issues?

We're not suggesting any wrongdoing from the Blues but England's Football Association certainly saw a contradiction between endorsing gambling and simultaneously trying to fight it.

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The Eels combine for a superb try against the Storm in Melbourne.

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Some Moses Mbye brilliance helped the Bulldogs snatch victory away from the Knights at Belmore.

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Bulldog Moses Mbye charges down a kick and runs away for the game winning try against the Knights at Belmore.

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Parramatta took another step towards finals football with a convincing win in Melbourne.

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The Panthers caused a boil over when the Sea Eagles travelled out west.

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Dane Gagai believes his Newcastle Knights teammates have been thrown in at the deep end, but insists they are improving as a side.

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The Sydney Roosters have defeated arch rivals the South Sydney Rabbitohs 14-12 at Allianz Stadium to consolidate their spot in the top four.

The Eels combine for a superb try against the Storm in Melbourne.

On June 22, the FA ended all sponsorship with gambling firms, saying: "The decision was made following a three-month review of The FA's approach as a governing body taking betting sponsorship, whilst being responsible for the regulation of sports betting within the sport's rules".

Have cake, eat cake, etc. Of course, people will say straight-laced footballers and money-generating punters can be kept at arm's length. Then the same people book a State of Origin team into a casino.

What an added bonus it would be to your night out on the roulette tables at Pyrmont if you saw a star player hobbling off to hospital and were able to get on the Maroons right there and then! NSW are at Kingscliff this week.

Pie (Eater) in the sky

Set of Six is proud of its mantle as rugby league's leading (along with Discord) pie-in-the-sky column.

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So how about this levitating pastry: if we're going to let Origin completely overshadow every other form of rugby league for two months each year, can't we at least leverage thatbrand to do more than fill the NRL's coffers? Like, can interstate football support the expansion of ... interstate football?Can't a fraction of the squillions the series makes be spent on a second-tier Origin for the other states?

Surely putting Brenton Lawrence in a South Australian shirt alongside local amateurs is a more cost-effective way of promoting the sport there than reviving the Adelaide Rams.

Likewise, when Will Chambers' Queensland career is over, wouldn't it be nice to see him play for Northern Territory once or twice? Oh that's right, rugby league fans don't care about the other states.

Meanwhile, the other codes' fans are FROM those states. One reader suggested that the Affiliated States team to play England before the World Cup should be bolstered by NRL stars great idea!

Chambers Will stay

Queenslandcoach Kevin Walters has ruled out a switch of sides of the field for centre Will Chambers as has been widely mooted for Origin III at Suncorp next Wednesday. "No unless there is an injury in the game," Walters told Triple M over the weekend. "We thought Will did a good job on Jarryd Hayne[in game two] and Darius Boyd did an equally terrific job on Josh Dugan. So Michael [Morgan]will be the left centre and Will Chambers will start for us on the right-hand side."

Walters said the Maroons believed halfback Cooper Cronk would play on next year. "He's been very coy about his future," Walters said. "There might be announcement after the game."

Das Bunnings

We've been critical of the NRL for failing to look over the back fence in the past so credit where it's due: the rest of this season's games will be shown for free online in every country that does not have a rights deal. Hong Kong-based company rugbypass.com will provide the service and of course in future years they have the option of charging.

Commentators beware: everything that is said during the breaks is broadcast on the website. On Friday night we heard Ray 'Rabbits' Warren welcome a guest called Tanika into the box, make reference to his grandson and checked that Goulburn was still in group eight. The same goes for Nine games on Fox Soccer in the United States. However, for Fox games the Australian commercials are broadcast in these regions. One can only wonder what Ukranians make of Bunnings Warehouse.

Cause of concern

Whingeingabout referees is almost compulsory in rugby league but there were a couple of genuinely concerning incidents over the weekend. One was Robbie Farah passing the ball into an off-side player on Friday night and there being no penalty; when the same thing happened on Saturday at Pepper Stadium, the whistle was blown.

Then there was George Burgess' laughable play-the-ball at Allianz Stadium, facing Bondi Beach.Bill Harrigan, recognised as the game's greatest referee, earlier this year on radio called for NRL head of match officials Tony Archer to resign and repeated the call recently in London, where he is doing Oztag coaching and promotion.

Humanise referees

Havingsaid all that, it was refreshing to see features on referees in English newspapers during the past couple of weeks. How much do you actually know about Gavin Badger or Henry Perenara? Are their career milestones properly recognised? Perhaps if you had some insight into who they are as people, you'd be less inclined to blame them for your team's ineptitude.

Referees don't do interviews and NRL media accreditation expressly forbids reporters from approaching them. Speaking at a function in London, Harrigan said: "MattyCecchin, yes he's doing grand finals. He's done State of Origin. But does he have something else that makes him stand out from other referees? It seems referees now are like they want them to be: seen and not heard." You might think it's a good thing there'll never be another Bill Harrigan. I'm not so sure.

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Rugby league's ridiculous mixed messages on gambling - The Sydney Morning Herald