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About Glenn Jackson
About Glenn Jackson
Glenn Jackson is a recent addition to our league stable but is by no means a greenhorn. He spent seven seasons at the game's bible, Rugby League Week, before joining us at the beginning of last year. He hates the way footballers have become so cliched, and does his best to find the personality and the purpose behind the robot. Still, he is just happy to be covering first grade, believes reporting is truly a game of (column) inches, is ready to step up for his teammates and will always give one hundred and ten percent.
Young talent lost in void
The career path for Toyota Cup graduates is far from clear, writes Glenn Jackson.
Finals hero raises age-old question
John Kennedy. Around St George Illawarra, the question being asked - apart from what is his middle initial - is where will he be playing next year?
Anthony Two-teams hurts World Cup
RUGBY league's showpiece World Cup is facing its first - but possibly not last - credibility test after Anthony Tupou was called into the Australian squad just hours after he trained with Tonga.
Shock and awe: another Campese pulls on green and gold
EVEN when he's talking to family, David Campese can't resist being critical. Just hours after his nephew, Canberra five-eighth Terry Campese, became the second Campese to be picked for his country in a footballing code's World Cup, he couldn't resist a shot.
Ballin promotes the brand as Eagles fans flock to the banner
Not only has the remarkable scoreline in last Sunday's grand final been written into the history books, it has now been written into Matt Ballin's chest.
Sea Eagles toast the house that Max built
AND so the Manly players partied in a penthouse. Entirely appropriate - not only because they have reached the pinnacle of the premiership, but also because of where they have come from. On their knees with the executioner standing over them, axe in hand.
Sea Eagles can't bring themselves to say goodbye
STEVE MENZIES' premiership farewell was not goodbye, it was only au revoir. After he left Manly as a title winner following the 40-0 thrashing of Melbourne, Menzies is set to be invited back to the club following his stint in the British Super League with Bradford to work on the club's staff - with chief executive Grant Mayer saying he would be "crazy" not to hire him.
Hasler's five-year plan for domination
THE morning after the night before was one of sore heads, croaky throats and strange get-ups for many, but for others, it was about getting straight back to work.
Elias ups the ante sky high: Manly's cultural heritage on the line
THERE'S lifting the stakes, and there's blasting them into the stratosphere. Former Balmain hooker Ben Elias has urged Manly to make their second consecutive grand-final appearance on Sunday count - because the future of their club could depend on it.
Hall gets his shot at major trophy
HAVING been Manly's 18th man during their defeat in last year's
decider, Glenn Hall doesn't carry quite the same baggage, nor
possibly the same desire for redemption, that the players who did
take the field have been lugging on their backs this week.
Forget Selleys, Geyer can fill every gap
IF EVER you had any doubts about Matt Geyer's utility value,
consider this; for each of his four grand finals, culminating in
his last on Sunday, he will have started in a different position
each time.
Smith vows to leave nothing behind
WHILE one Smith will be forced to watch from the sidelines, another
has promised to "empty the tank" for suspended skipper Cam Smith
and the rest of his teammates.
Bellamy's not sorry for focusing on toppling Manly
SORRY still seems to be the hardest word, but if we take Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy at his own word, maybe it doesn't. Maybe he has no intention of apologising for his post-match rage against the judiciary, which cost his club $50,000.
Manu and the Mob: why I had to escape
IF FATE had played a different role in his life, not to mention
family, Sika Manu could have been behind bars this weekend, not
front row in a grand final.
Fair cop - but I'm still a scapegoat, says Smith
MELBOURNE skipper Cam Smith believes the NRL has made a statement
in its war on the grapple tackle through his suspension - but he
has one for officials in return.
The moment of magic that made Folau a marked man
IT HAS been a highlight of the centenary season and will be one of
Melbourne's biggest weapons in Sunday's grand final, but centre
Israel Folau believes he is being illegally prevented from
repeating his State of Origin leap.
Kaufusi dedicates farewell to absent friend
CAM SMITH won't be alone this week. Antonio Kaufusi, the Melbourne prop, has been in the skipper's position before and has vowed to do it all for his vanquished teammate.
Mad Mick wants just one more
HE ARRIVED in Melbourne as Mad Mick, a wild man, but he will leave it not only as plain old Michael, but, get this, a family man. A name change, a game change and, off the field, something of a lame change. He says he's boring now. One man, a missus, three pets - but still the potential for as many premiership rings.
Mental block? Watmough's prepared to crash through the wall
PROVING that a year-old wound is yet to to heal, Manly second-rower
Anthony Watmough has admitted that he and his teammates were
overawed in last year's grand final, but warned Melbourne that
history won't repeat.
Manly in name and nature
ASKED on Saturday night about the mindset of his side after
disposing of the Warriors, Manly coach Des Hasler said: "It wasn't
subdued, it was probably controlled."
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