Roy Masters
Roy Masters is a Rugby League Columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald
LEAGUE
When it comes to money, not all clubs are equal
Roy Masters THE AFL has a future fund and the Rugby League Commission plans one, seeking $200 million in savings over the life of the new broadcasting contract.
League
Lack of Plan B compounds copycat conundrum
Roy Masters Basically, there are two ways for a rugby league team to use the ball: go through the opposition, or around them.
League
Hot topic: should the season kick off at night?
Roy Masters Islands in the oceans may drown and the Antarctic ice shelf melt but climate change takes on an immediate meaning for coaches when it affects the scheduling of games.
Roy Masters
Short-term goals win out for Bellamy, Storm
Roy Masters Craig Bellamy has opted for immediate short-term team success in Melbourne over guaranteed long-term personal security and stability with St George Illawarra.
Battle stations: Egos, intrigue complicate the bidding for NRL radio rights
Roy Masters The battle for next year's NRL radio rights is akin to the game itself: a clash of super-sized egos, with many detours and dummies, ruled by uncertain officials, with the result not certain until the...
Roy Masters
A bittersweet victory for the players' coach
Roy Masters Twice in the jubilant Storm dressing room, the coach Craig Bellamy confessed to a strange emptiness.
Coaches, not subterfuge, are the finals X-factor
Roy Masters 'They obviously want an all-Sydney club grand final,'' one NRL club official texted immediately after the Sea Eagles' controversial victory against the Cowboys a week ago.
Canterbury's crafty defence has opposition seeing double
Roy Masters THE Bulldogs have one of the best defensive records in the NRL, preventing the opposition scoring tries from within 20 metres of their own line.
Politicians insult rugby league by treating it as AFL's poor cousin
Roy Masters Both the Raiders and the Sharks need to win today's elimination final at Canberra Stadium to shore up future support from contrasting stakeholders. Each club has what the other wants.
Roy Masters
Whistle-shy referees could affect finals results
Roy Masters It's a truth acknowledged by most rugby league fans that referees keep the whistle in their pockets at semi-final time.
Storm must pick big pack to counter Manly brawn
Roy Masters Two months ago, none of the other semi-final-bound teams wanted to meet the Bulldogs in the grand final.
League's Super fund
Roy Masters WHEN Channel Nine boss David Gyngell let out a sigh of relief at the ARL Commission's declaration it had awarded the Nine/Fox Sports consortium the broadcasting rights, the emission of emotion from...
Why succeeding often means failure
Roy Masters IT'S preferable to be the coach who follows the coach who follows the legend. Just ask anyone who followed Jack Gibson, particularly after his appointments at Eastern Suburbs (two premierships) and...
Fullbacks on the rise in the modern-day pecking order
Roy Masters Magpies greats, such as Noel Kelly and Tom Raudonikis, will gather at the SCG today for the foundation club's annual reunion, before shuffling across to Allianz Stadium on arthritic knees to watch...
