Grapple: 5 November 2020

6.05-6.20: Segment 1: GA and Mal Lucas
Queensland scored a stunning State of Origin victory at Adelaide Oval last night after the Blues led the game 10-0 at half time but with rookie players AJ Brimson and Xavier Coates scoring two tries in as many minutes to pinch a lead in the second half, then some Cameron Munster magic sealed the result with a great play but we’ll dissect the game with Macca after 6.20 and everything else that’s news in rl

Plenty happening in the NRL player market now that players who are off contract from 2022 onwards are free to negotiate with rivals

The NRL aren’t impressed by the Storm players’ choice of attire as they celebrated their grand final triumph. Players wore t-shirts showing six premiership rings to symbolise six premiership wins – even though the club was stripped of two of those titles for salary cap rorting.

West Tigers coach Michael Maguire has verbally agreed to a two-year extension, keeping him at the club until the end of 2023. Maguire had a mixed year at the helm. His delay in accepting the extension is said to be due to interest in the Storm job which will become vacant if Craig Bellamy retires at the end of next season. The Tigers’ powerbrokers back him as their man to end their nine-year finals drought and 15-year premiership drought and have given him free rein to overhaul the roster. Benji to Cowboys?
Coming up after the break we’ll be joined by our resident NRL expert Greg ‘Macca’ McCallum– dissect SOO 1 and discuss the top 10 highlights or lowlights of season 2020- all that and more here on the Grapple 101.5fm sports

6.22-6.38: Segment 2: GA, Mal Lucas and Macca  – 3-way turf talk

SOO 1: Review

· Halfback and MVP Daly Cherry-Evans credited Bennett’s halftime speech for the stirring comeback win.

· Controversial little finish there towards the end

· Game 2: prediction

· ARLC chairman Peter V’landys believes the post-season State of Origin series will “rate the roof off”, but conceded the NRL has not decided whether to persist with the experimental format in future years. Next year’s Rugby League World Cup is scheduled to commence in October, which suggests the 2021 State of Origin series would almost certainly return to its traditional mid-season format but as the number of COVID-19 cases in Great Britain continues to climb, it’s uncertain whether the event can go ahead. The NRL will make a call on the scheduling of future State of Origin series within days of Game Three.
· Where to for SBW now that Toronto have failed in their bid to be re-admitted to the Super League after clubs voted against allowing the Wolfpack back into the competition in 2021. The Canadian club withdrew from their inaugural season in the top flight in July, citing financial problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic, but expressed the hope that they would return next year. However, a meeting of the Super League board rejected their submission by eight votes against four with one abstention. They played in front of crowds of 9,000 in their Championship season but hopes of capitalising on the signing of Sonny Bill Williams for 2020 were scuppered by an inability to play any games in Toronto.
· Season 2020 unlike any other:

PROJECT APOLLO TAKES NRL TO THE MOON

WARRIORS MAKE INCREDIBLE SACRIFICE

FLAGSHIP CLUB SINKS TO ALL-TIME LOW

COACHES COP THE BRUNT OF CHAOTIC YEAR

HAVE WE SEEN THE LAST OF THE G.O.A.T?

YOUNG GUN’S CAREER COULD BE OVER ALREADY- Sharks youngster Bronson Xerri

SHOCK DRUG BAN ROCKS FINALS

Eels star Michael Jennings returned a positive A-sample

RESILIENT STORM CONQUER ALL

MID-SEASON CHANGES PROVE A HIT… MOSTLY

INGLIS COMES OUT OF RETIREMENT

HIGHEST PAID PLAYER AXED FOR RESERVE GRADER AT DRAGONS

NICE GUYS BANNED FOR BRAIN SNAPS-TOWNSEND AND PROCTOR

PANTHERS FLY HIGH… THEN CRASH AND BURN

SCHOOLGIRL SCANDAL ROCKS THE DOGS

TIGERS LEGEND SACKED IN THE PAPERS

LATRELL PROVES NO.1 DOUBTERS WRONG

RETURN OF A LEGEND… FALLS FLAT-SBW

YOUNG GUN JUMPS SINKING SHIP TO JOIN RIVAL-DAVID FIFITA

Women’s SOO:
· The women’s State of Origin clash will take place at Sunshine Coast Stadium on Friday, 13 November with kick-off set for 7.45pm. The Blues have won the past four interstate fixtures. Exclusive preview next Thursday at 6.40 with our very own Amy Bock plus we’ll select our best ever SOO teams-should be interesting but-
Coming up after the break more rugby league here on the Grapple on 101.5fm sports

6.42-6.58: Segment 3: GA and Mal Lucas

Player ratings:

NSW BLUES PLAYER RATINGS

1. JAMES TEDESCO 8

2. DANIEL TUPOU 7

3. CLINT GUTHERSON 6.5

4. JACK WIGHTON 6

5. JOSH ADDO-CARR 8

6. LUKE KEARY 6

7. NATHAN CLEARY 6

8. DANIEL SAIFITI 8.5

9. DAMIEN COOK 8

10. JUNIOR PAULO 8

11. BOYD CORDNER 6.5

12. TYSON FRIZELL 5.5

13. JAKE TRBOJEVIC 8

14. CODY WALKER 6.5

15. PAYNE HAAS 5.5

16. CAMERON MURRAY 5

17. ANGUS CRICHTON 6.5

QUEENSLAND PLAYER RATINGS

1. AJ BRIMSON 8.5

2. XAVIER COATES 7.5

4. DANE GAGAI 9

18. KURT CAPEWELL 8.5

5. PHILIP SAMI 6.5

6. CAMERON MUNSTER 7.5

7. DALY CHERRY-EVANS 7

8. CHRISTIAN WELCH 7

9. JAKE FRIEND 8.5

10. JOSH PAPALII 8

11. FELISE KAUFUSI 7

12. COEN HESS 5.5

13. TINO FA’ASUAMALEAUI 7.5

14. BEN HUNT 7.5

15. LINDSAY COLLINS 7

16. JAI ARROW 7.5

17. JAYDN SU’A 7

Big afternoon on Saturday in Auckland when 2 Warriors will back up from the NRLW campaign to represent the Kiwi Ferns in their clash with Samoa.