The Grapple

Our heroes are besotted with the idea that the NRL is now featuring more unchecked forward passes than international rugby.Perhaps they’ve been getting stuck into the Dolphins private stash, but it’s difficult puzzling out how exactly an illegal sponsorship made it onto the jersey, only to be covered and then peeled off in the Darwin heat.Tributes are paid to sharks, storm and bulldogs great Dale Finucane- the latest player to have his career terminated by repeated concussions.A tunnel stoush is examined, and credit is duly given to the match review committee for getting one right. We can’t all be perfect, according to our heroes.And they are helpless to arrest a shocking run of tipping, remarking at some of the blowouts in the NRL and blaming anyone but themselves.Also credit where it’s due- as we introduce ‘the clapple,’ due acknowledgement of a job well done by some of the NRL’s newest players- overcoming adversity, nerves, and inclement weather to hold their heads up and keep on fighting.

It is a time of transition right across the Rugby League Galaxy.Our heroes are thrust once again into the bitter conflict around rules, the interpretation of them, and the need for weekly apologies from those who enforce them.Some big name players are moving between clubs, codes and countries; offering plenty of opportunities for critics to ignite their lightsabers and swing wildly at the game in general, while the job security of coaches is now the subject of a weekly assurance narrative.One club is bringing a Darth Vader like figure in to enforce the word of law, and the Grapplers assess the value of installing a villain to do a heroes work. We wonder if Liam Neeson is available?And what on earth is an indirect war of words? We'll ask that question, possibly in our best Sean Connery voice.

Our heroes are doing their best impressions of Ancient Greek mathematicians this week, as they crunch the numbers on some leaked NRL claims of on field prosperity and superior product, amid a crippling injury toll. A stirring debate over the beauty or ugliness of tries off kicks ensues, as does a discussion of the best or worst ever half time sprays. A new prop is introduced to the set, with the hopes a plastic master Yoda can help the guys become better tippers.

And immortal ponderings ensue, as they try to work out whether an all time great with a middling club coaching record can command respect at the bunnies.

This week our heroes are joined by the guy legendary commentator Ray ‘Rabbits’ Warren dubbed “faster than a gazelle”. NRL superstar, origin hero, and all round good guy Chris Walker has some incredible stories to tell, and he shares them candidly; traversing life, footy, his ridiculous footballing bloodline, and the perils of drinking the night before a Wayne Bennett led army boot camp.  It’s a chat not to be missed. The narrative turns to the pros and cons of proposed kick-off banning, all time try saver tackling (cough Tom Dearden), Panthers talking more than cliche’s, and the NRL’s latest man mountain. Hypocrisy is celebrated as usual, as the Grapplers grapple with their own sense of self, failed auditions, Al Pacino, and heaps of other crap.

Luck is the operative word this week, as our heroes are joined by NRL legend and current Cowboys GM Michael Luck. The 226 gamer helps navigate the literal minefield  that is the NRL casualty ward, and the hosts tops are very nearly blown on the Rant-O-Metre. We find out just how eager teams are to line up for Las Vegas next year, and you might surprised by the answer. Hypocrisy abounds as usual with general critique of league commentary, the glory of Leichhardt Ovak is toasted, the AFL drug scandal is addressed, and excuses are made for another week of average tipping. Like share, subscribe, tell everyone you know. It’s The Grapple, and it’s still going.

It is a time of confusion in the rugby league world, and our heroes boldly go forth to decipher meaning in the meaningless.Expletive laden on field interviews and unapologetic hypocrisy from our hosts, sideline interviewers who don’t watch the games they’re interviewing about, broadcast agreements that have been in place for years described as being abrupt changes, rule interpretations being described in the most sleep inducing fashion imaginable… nothing is clear ahead of round 3 of the NRL season.What is clear is that very few halfbacks are safe in struggling teams, that retro jerseys are the absolute best, and that the NRL might do well to consider some new voice over talent. Wonder if Rabs Warren will come out of retirement?It’s not just rugby league this week- as the grapplers tackle
everything from world rugby, the Matilda’s, and the cringe fest that is Brisbane’s Olympic buildup.Like, share, tell everyone you know. It’s bloody grap-tacular.

This week, our heroes do their best to understand why a simple conversation between coach and player must be media-mutated into an ‘internal blow up/ club in peril’ narrative.They assess the care factor around ‘entertaining slug fests,’ aka ‘footy players having an early season boxing match,’ and dive into the difficulties a coach faces when wanting to recall a player dropped for discipline,  but essential to a team not being crap.Fake flick passes and soaring meat pie costs are also on the menu, as are dictionary definitions.. as we try to deduce the difference between the terms ‘recalcitrant’ and ‘reconciliatory,’ and apply them both to suspended roosters prop Spencer Leniu.

As the NRL continues to challenge the Klingons for interstellar domination, our heroes conduct a stringent post mortem on the happenings of the "Vegas Experiment.” It’s a tumble down the rabbit hole of on field magic, carnivale-like surrounds, key learnings, what  should have "stayed in vegas" and what really should not have ever made the trip over in the first place. Amongst the platitudes of success is the comforting thought that we can now go almost a full calendar year without having to endure Elvis's “Viva Las Vegas .As the gaze finally turns back to Terra Australis, we look at some of the highly imposing names running around in reserve grade week one, who we think is going to hit the ground running in eason 2024... plus two new and exciting segments!It’s global, it’s inter continental, it’s the Grapple podcast. Settle in, grab a pickle juice and subscribe to your weekly fix.

'Las Vegas' is the location on everyone's lips this week, and the Grappler's debut sees our heroes connect with one of the beating hearts of Rugby League in the USA - PCRl El Presidente and Coach of the LA Mongrel Ady Cooney.

Turns out there's more than just two games of footy happening in Sin City this week.Back home we pay tribute to a great rugby league man Daryl Van de velde who  we tragically lost during the week.Strap in and subscribe, this junk is coming at you weekly!  

From the bowels of a mysterious high performance bunker in Brisbane, comes the first preseason trial run of the Grapple Podcast.

It's all about the money as our heroes recap 2023, speculate wildly about the NRL's billion dollar future, and ponder how far that billion would get someone under the bright lights and oxygen pumps of a Las Vegas Casino floor.So strap yourself in as this all new take on Rugby League, sport, and goodness knows what else tackles the sandhills, sweats it out in the gym, undergo's a series of brutal physical assessments, before throwing up last night's KFC on the dead ball line.