The Rugby League Digest

In this installment we discuss the abominable '97 Blues jerseys, Tom Raudonikis as coach, QLD feeling flat, spin galore, NSW hooking dramas, disappointing Orign crowds, the Aaron Raper incident, Daryl Rodgers, cattle dog, Chris Close the voice of reason, the Super League Tri-Series, scheduling mayhem, remembering Peter Jackson, spin cycles, Ribot Norton, the epic Tri-Series final, Noel Goldthorpe's career, Bill Harrigan's follies, the legacy of the Tri-Series, and much, much more! 

In preparation for next Wednesday's return of the Super League War series (Monday on Patreon), we have put together all 5 parts of 'Chapter 34 - The Telstra Cup' in a mega omnibus ep.If you feel like a refresher on the lunacy that was the 1997 Super League club season, or if you have a drive to the Central Queensland Corridor looking for NRL expansion sites, feel free to jump on board!

In this concluding episode of 'The Telstra Cup' we discuss the semi finals, ANZ Stadium, Princess Diana, Taking the grand final to Brisbane, grand final week celebrations, ET's stirring speech, the excellence of Bill Harrigan, our Olivia, Human Nature, our love for Steve Renouf, John Plath's contribution, Ray Warren's professionalism, the overall feeling of Super League's only domestic season and much, much more!   

In the penultimate episode of our 1997 Super League season recap we look at the grand finalists Cronulla and Brisbane. A likeable Sharks outfit up against a Broncos team looking for redemption after three seasons of disappointment. 

In this the third installment of chapter 34, we discuss Penrith in 1997, Gower the prodigy, Tony Puletua, Ryan Girdler being more than a super boot, an oddly in-depth debate on rugby league’s sexiest man, Matt Adamson, the Bulldogs season, their halfback woes, Hazem El Masri breaks out, hitman Haumono, Halligan the dealmaker, Steve Price, crowd violence, intra-familial disputes at the family club, Canberra’s decline, Mal taking the reigns, hookers galore, Mullins’ star falls, the greatness of Laurie Daley, Clyde and Stuart’s departures, Noa Nadruku insanity and much, much more!

In this second installment of ‘The Telstra Cup’, we discuss the ill-fated Perth Reds through the lens of three genuine rugby league bad boys, Scott Wilson, Julian O'Neill and Mark Geyer. We discuss the tragedies, nuance, and the redemption arcs, both real and imagined, highlighting a very real human side to Super League War!

In the first installment of ‘The Telstra Cup’ we discuss the Cowboys, Tim Sheens and the coaching merry go round, player clean outs, John ‘Chicka’ Ferguson, The Adelaide Rams, Liz Dawson, Kevin Campion, being cast aside, the Warrior’s board, Phil Blake, Steve Kearney, Lee Oudenryn, the sacking of John Monie, the Warriors' financial woes, privatisation and much, much more!

In this concluding episode of ‘Two Tribes’ we discuss the ARL's preseason trip to East Japan, the ARL World Sevens vs the Super League World Nines, Super League jersey designs and numbering system, a Baz Luhrmann opening night, underwhelming opening rounds, slippery balls, the ARL’s Yanni effect, mass ticket giveaways on both sides, Topper Stadium, Wonderland militants and much, much more!

In part two of 'Two Tribes' we discuss the ad campaigns of both competitions, the ARL ramps up nostalgia, false anniversaries, Ron Casey lunacy, Super League goes all in on the sizzle, Cubby Checker, Dionne Warwick, Rodney O, great Aussie companies, hit and miss rules changes, the video referee, Hollywood Harrigan, the ARL's 40/20 rule, an Eric Cox update, and much, much more!