NRL Round 9 – it was the best of times, it was the blurst of times, and now the Wooden Spooners continue to cast their eye over the biggest and best weekend of rugby league so far this season with the 2024 NRL Round 9 Results & Headlines.
Going beyond the scores, the Wooden Spooner’s Headlines gives the extra insight in the NRL that only the Wooden Spooners Team can, and exclusive stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether that’s because some if not all of them aren’t based on facts is probably relevant but has never stopped the “Fox League Writers” and similar from doing the same.
2024 NRL ROUND 9 RESULTS
Thu | South Sydney | 12-42 | Penrith |
Thu | Manly Warringah | 24-26 | Canberra |
Thu | Brisbane | 18-40 | Roosters |
Fri | Bulldogs | 22-14 | Wests Tigers |
Sat | Gold Coast | 20-22 | Melbourne |
Sat | North Queensland | 26-28 | Dolphins |
Sun | Newcastle | 14-8 | Warriors |
Sun | Cronulla | 20-10 | St George Illawarra |
2024 NRL ROUND 9 HEADLINES
UN-NAMED SOUTHS BOARD MEMBER SMUGLY POINTS TO ADAM REYNOLDS’ LATEST INJURY AS JUSTIFICATION OF NOT OFFERING THEIR FORMER STAR HALFBACK A LONGER DEAL, DESPITE BRONCOS MAKING THE 2023 GRAND FINAL AND SOUTH SYDNEY CURRENTLY BEING THE WORST TEAM IN THE NRL AND SACKING THEIR COACH DIDN’T FIX ANYTHING.
Fair to say that not offering Adam Reynolds the contract he wanted for his long term club is one of the worst off field efforts at an NRL club in recent seasons. And although Reynolds didn’t quite lead the Broncos to a premiership, they are a sh!tload closer to it now since he arrived, and more likely than Souths to win one in the next five seasons.
Despite all that, our Wooden Spooners sources, which was essentially a bug under the boardroom table at South Sydney HQ, can confirm that one board member continued to justify letting Reynolds go. This was minutes after the Jason Demetriou decision had been made.
Thankfully Latrell Mitchell will be coming back for smooth sailing.
DOLPHINS GET AHEAD OF THE WAYNE BENNETT CURSE BY APPOINTING THE NEW COACH WHILE WAYNE BENNETT IS STILL THERE
Wayne Bennett is the NRL’s ultimate double edged sword. He brings success and builds great clubs, but when he leaves they fall in a heap.
Except ironically in Newcastle, where their mascot the Knights would be best equipped to deal with any type of sword.
The Dolphins, as ever, are working smart off the field and believed the best thing to do was to sort of replace Wayne Bennett as Head Coach before he leaves, so the curse is actually in play while Wayne Bennett is still there, but because he is still the coach they are getting the benefits from him still being the coach.
Sounds simple? You know it.
KASEY BADGER’S PERFORMANCE PROVES REFEREES OF ANY GENDER CAN HAVE AWFUL GAMES
The best referee is one you can’t remember. Like the one who reffed the 2023 Grand Final. Did a great job, looks like Max Futcher from Channel Seven news in Brisbane, can’t remember his name. So that’s good.
The Bulldogs-Tigers game ended up being the big talking of the weekend for how the referee lost control of the game and a few decisions were questionable.
Like anyone who has an off day in the NRL, you are going to get a hard time. Referees being no different to players, coaches, and people who do embroidery on NRL jerseys to celebrate rugby league milestones.
As long as it is criticism and not social commentary or suggestions for their private life.
So Kasey Badger’s off day merely proves that refereeing is open to all. Hopefully she gets more chances for people to forget that she refereed at all.
Every week some players out-do themselves with skill, speed, spirit. Winning games, taking plaudits, earning respect.
And others are just gooses. Here is this week’s “winner”.
THE BUNKER
One does wonder how with all the technology they still get things so wrong.
Perhaps it’s just time to eliminate them from all decision making, except for an expanded Captain’s Challenge program.
DIS-HONOURABLE MENTION – David Klemmer
Q. Would it be easier to get rid of the bunker and swap it for flipping a coin?
A. Yes.
Our NRL Social of the Week is usually from the excellent Simpsons Related NRL Memes Facebook Page which is a must for those who love NRL, Simpsons and a laugh.
We love Ray Stone. He’s tough. He works hard, and he deserves his own section of a weekly NRL thing. So where better than the Wooden Spooners weekly ab out the best and worst of the NRL. Note: he’s in the best section. Always.
Although, he’d probably hate the attention.
RAY STONE’S STATS
RAY STONE HATES….
- Conceding tries.
- Not scoring tries.
- Winter.
RAY STONE……
does not sleep. He waits.
Wayne Bennett is on the market to coach an NRL team next season, but which one? The obvious one is Souths, but is it? So the Wooden Spooners team have developed a metric to work out which lead is the most likely to take him on next season.
There’s five key factors – current season losing %, recent losing %, the Wayne Factor, how much trouble the current coach is in, and the ladder position.
Here’s the current calculations.
Parramatta are closing in on South Sydney for the Wayne Bennett Cup, and maybe the Cowboys are outsiders worth keeping an eye on. But all reports say that Souths and Wayne Bennett are meeting next week, so this new section may be short-lived.
PLUS…….
Wayne Bennett recites Man From Snowy River for Midday Melodies at the Redcliffe RSL.
The NRL stirs up emotions and the occasional villain, some who boil the blood more than others. So our Wooden Spooners headlines will keep an eye on the NRL’s Most Punchable.
5 – TYSON GAMBLE
4 – JAROME LUAI
3 – REECE WALSH
2 – REED MAHONEY
1 – PAUL KENT
Two instances in the last few weeks has seen sh!t stirring hooker Reed Mahoney move into second for the current NRL’s Most Punchable.
Reece Walsh slips down, as he is a little quieter when the Broncos don’t win. Others in the top five have also been quieter but give them time. And maybe Origin.
No one beats Paul Kent though. Not even a tree.
THE BUNKER’S GREATEST HITS – CURRENT ROUND
The Bunker always gets a bad wrap, so we thought we should celebrate their best work every week.
Regards. Fb.