???
Forward pass? What try?
The minefield that will be faced by upstanding journalists working for the NRL's new digital arm was highlighted once more on Saturday night when Wests Tigers' Tui Lolohea scored a try against Sydney Roosters from a clear James Tedesco forward pass.
The NRL's Twitter account, as a rule, posts a gif or video of each try within a minute to two. This video clearly would have gone viral - and not in a good way for League Central.
So was it just a co-incidence that only the conversion was posted (conversion gifs usually followed try videos)? Earlier this year NRL.com bowed to pressure to remove a story about Andrew Fifita making comments that had the potential to offend a NSWRL sponsor.
A try is a try, a quote is a quote. We're not talking about tabloid sensationalism. Make no bones about it, this is censorship. There are too many good people in the new NRL digital unit to stand by while it becomes Pravda. It's going to be a fascinating transition.
World Cup boycott threat
As we head towards the end of the stand-off between the game and players in the NRL, at least one country is facing a threat of a World Cup player boycott over wages.
Contacted by Set Of Six, Scotland Rugby League chairman Keith Hogg said: "This probably shouldn't have made its way into the press," and declined to say more.
This column has been following this story for a month now; it has emerged several Scotland players may make themselves unavailable due to what they see as preferential treatment to England stars for the tournament in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea later this year.
"We are not threatening to go on strike but some of us might simply turn down the chance to go the World Cup," an un-named player told League Express.
According to the report, the players had turned down a pay offer of ??400 ($647) per week with no bonuses. England players are on twice that much plus ??3000 ($4850) a win.
England will travel first class; Ireland, Wales and Scotland economy. Competition-wide per diems are smaller than the 2008 World Cup.
International rescue
Who would have thought 15 years ago that a trans-Tasman league Test would trounce the Bledisloe Cup in TV ratings?
This year, the Anzac Test from Canberra attracted 860,000 metro free-to-air viewers and the rugby union Test on Saturday night just 371,000. Yet league continues to pay mainly lip service to international competition when it is clearly a profitable and popular property.
In further evidence of the benefits of expansion, the league Test out-rated the union in Melbourne but union remained ahead in Adelaide and Perth, where there is no NRL team. Saturday night's rugby union audience was comparable to Penrith-North Queensland the previous weekend.
If you add the pay TV audience for the Bledisloe, it comes out at 600,000 which is still well short of the Canberra Test (not live on pay TV).
We are the (league leaders shield) champions
The teams who will finish on top of the NRL and Super League were crowned at the weekend - but everything else about the achievements of Melbourne and Castleford were different.
Cameron Smith described the Storm's second consecutive first-past-the-post title as "pleasing but we know it's not going to mean anything."
Cas' meanwhile, popped champagne corks on a stage in front of flame throwers while "We Are The Champions" played in the background!
The British champions have often been decided at the end of home and away rounds and some still see the grand final as a mere gimmick. Castleford have not finished first in 91 years of trying.
Coach Daryl Powell even said last week the League Leaders Shield was a bigger prize than the Super League Trophy! Traditions take a long, long time to build in sport - and they take even longer to break down.
Public Warriors
What can we 'do about' the Warriors? According to their iconic former hard man Monty Betham, the answer is public ownership, a la the Green Bay Packers.
He posted on Facebook: "No one loves the Vodafone Warriors more than us - the fans. So why don't we buy it? Eric Watson is selling #OurWarriors for 20 million dollars. That may seem like a lot, but considering there are almost half a million Warrior supporters on Facebook alone, if only 200,000 fans put in 100 bucks each, the club could be owned by us - the fans.
"Everywhere I go you loyal diehards are very vocal and share your thoughts with me about the club that WE all love. It's time to make your thoughts count. Please SHARE this post and show your support for us to take the next steps to try and crowdfund the purchase of #OurWarriors. Let's own the colours we have running through our veins and wardrobes! I'm serious people!!!!!"
Pin the WCC on the map
Wigan and Hull's planned Super League game in Wollongong on February 10 has led many to jump to the conclusion that the World Club Challenge will be Down Under next year.
At the moment, it won't be. If either of Hull or Wigan win Super League, they'll go home to play the Aussie premiers. There's one caveat there; Melbourne have previously expressed a reluctance to travel to England.
If the favourites lift the NRL trophy, the game might be here after all ??? or even in a neutral country. UK teams are slugged more than $300,000 to attract NRL teams and Castleford say they'll pay it after deeming it outside their price range last time they were a chance of qualifying.
