The draw for the National Rugby League premiership season, may be found here.

Poms flog Kiwi's in series whitewash.

Not long to go now till the season trials begin.

Trials? How does that work?

Don't they have a set number of teams each year?

Saw the Bronx getting around in army fatigues the other day. I wonder if they are they playing their trials in Afghanistan ... ?

HAHAHAHAH

Trials? How does that work?

The pre season trial games are friendly (supposedly) games against a variety of other teams, that the coaches (and selectors) use to determine the form and fitness of their players, and put them in either premiership, 1st, reserve, or other grades, and to develop and refine combinations, tactics etc.   

Ohhhh.... so they aren't entry trials... just player trials?

Yes, just player trials.

I can't believe that the media are still carrying on about what they are calling "Jonathan Thurston's drunken binge".

It's over a week now and every where he goes reporters keep asking him about it.

In case you don't know what happened, here is the story in a nutshell.

Thurston goes to a night club, (in Townsville) for a night out and forgets to take or loses (not sure of details) his keys. He gets home and cant get into his unit, so (being a bit under the weather) he goes to sleep outside.

The local constabulary find him asleep and a bit groggy, so they put him in the slammer for a few hours to sober up. He faces the magistrate the next morning charged with being intoxicated in a public place, (in front of his unit) and the magistrate thought that it was so serious that he didn't even record a conviction.

However the TV and print media have so little to do that they have been persuing Thurston since last weekend for a comment. (which he has ignored).

*Note to the media* "Get a life, you wankers".

LOL! Must be a slow news week!

First game of the season is on Fri night, Rabbitoh's V Roosters.

And... Titans V Cowboys. 

Every year I'm finding it harder to get enthused about the Narelle. Give me something to work with ...

I was gonna ask what the Narelle was....

.....then it clicked

I'm tired of hearing about Lockies knee or Thurstons groin or Petro's contract or whatever Chris Walkers just done ...

Yeah... The media have only a few 'superstars' to concentrate on

... and no Saturday football anymore.

really??

Not on the box. Unless you've got fuxtel. I dunno.

Hallelujah!

I reckon the Jets are going all the way this year.

They will be home to Wynnum this Saturday and my beloved Eastern Suburbs Tigers are home to Burleigh.

Go the mighty Seagulls!! (Wynnum)

The Jets will crash and burn.

Tigers V Bears? (dunno)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well the 2008 season is over, and the Manly Sea Eagles crushed the Melbourne Storm (the reigning premiers) 40-0 in the grand final..

Next year is a bit harder to predict, with many players and coaches retiring and/or switching clubs.

Let's hope that 2009 is a better year for the league and that the onfield action is not overshadowed by the off-field antics of those associated with the game..

Have a look (and listen) to Manly Warringah here..

At least the Mexicans didn't win it again..

I can't believe that score!

(It was over before I woke up, but I'd have liked to have watched that!)

Yeah, it was a weird year in that sense wasn't it? Less focus on the game itself

I found the final to be a conflict of disinterest. All I wanted to see was one team rip the other one a new arsehole. Good result.

Yeah