Ever since I first laced on a boot to play rugby league, rugby union has looked down its nose at us when it comes to the international arena.
The rah rahs point to Australia’s dominance on the world stage and laugh out loud that it’s like beating your grandma in an arm wrestle.
They joke that while their game is truly global, league is played by a handful of countries hastily cobbled together to be blown away by the Kangaroos.
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But over the next few weeks, the 13-man code will showcase just how far the game has come at international level when Australia hosts the World Cup.
It comes a year before rugby union’s own World Cup is also staged here.
While I’m not suggesting interest levels will be higher for a league World Cup than for those who prefer box kicks and scrum after scrum, I think us leaguies will put on a show that will turn plenty of heads.
Sure, there will be some blowout scorelines just like there are in the rugby version.
But I think our World Cup will be much more competitive than theirs and is sure to create plenty of interest, even among those who like to pretend it’s an inferior product.
Australia has won 12 World Cups, including the last three, and again stand as the team to beat.
Any side featuring Harry Grant, Cam Munster, James Tedesco, Liam Martin, Reece Walsh, Latrell Mitchell, Sam Walker and Tom Trbojevic deserves favouritism.
But the gap in quality between us and the rest of the world is narrowing.
And I can tell you from first-hand experience, the expectation to win when you’re playing for the Kangaroos is enormous.
Losing is simply not an option and the pressure will be on the home team like never before.
New Zealand, who we play in the tournament opener on Thursday night, is the major threat.
Their squad is dripping with class and grunt, from Kalyn Ponga at the back through to Jahrome Hughes in the halves and James Fisher-Harris up front.
I can’t wait to see the likes of Naufahu Whyte, Erin Clark and Xavier Willson rip and tear.
Tonga and Samoa are equally blessed when it comes to quality players.
The Tongans have one of my favourite enforcers in Addin Fonua-Blake at prop, explosive backrowers Haumole Olakau’atu, Kulikefu Finefeuiaki, brilliant halfback Isaiya Katoa and pace at the back through Tolu Koula and Jojo Fifita.
And how about the crazy good Samoan line-up.
Stephen Crichton, Spencer Leniu, Jarome Luai, Sua Fa’alogo, Connelly Lemuelu, Brian To’o, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow…the list goes on and on.
Remember, Samoa made the last World Cup final.
And the Pacific Island teams will also enjoy huge support wherever they play, which is another reason to believe one of them could go all the way.
England and Fiji won’t win the Cup but they too will flex some muscle and ensure the big four don’t have everything their own way.
AND DON’T GET ME STARTED
Jack Gibson always said winning starts at the front office.
If that’s the case, the Perth Bears are losing big time and are a long way behind their rivals heading into next season.
CEO Anthony De Ceglie is the latest to pull the plug, resigning five months before a ball is kicked.
If you believe the rumours, he was a dead man walking anyway.
His sudden exit comes after head of football David Sharpe quit in April.
There’s also been speculation over coach Mal Meninga’s position, with the big fella having to constantly deny talk he won’t be in control when the 2027 campaign begins.
Not surprisingly, the bookies have the Bears clear favourites to run last.
It looks the easiest money you’ll ever make.
Any new franchise will have teething problems but the Bears look miles off the pace, especially when measured against some of the other new kids on the block
The last franchise to enter the NRL – the Redcliffe-based Dolphins in 2023 – hit the ground running.
They’ve just made the finals for the first time in only their fourth season, finishing one win away from the grand final.
And then there’s the PNG Chiefs, who come into the comp in 2028.
They’ve signed a heap of quality players and appear to have a really strong off-field structure in place
You can’t really say the same about the bad news Bears.
Aside from their off-field dramas, the playing roster really worries me.
When November 1 rolls around, they need to land a big fish instead of the tadpoles they’ve signed.
I’d be going all out for Cameron Munster if I were them.
Offer him $1.5m a season and build a team around him.
You’d have to wait until 2028 but it would be the statement signing they so desperately need.
