This has been pretty successful.
The first episodes were shown on a back channel - but now they are putting it on after games on their main channel and repeating it a few times - so must be rating well.

I suspect they'll do it again, but I hope next time they start with a much larger group from a lot of different backgrounds. Giving these young guys 3 months of top level coaching and training should turn out some very good prospects.

This year it looks like they are doing it on the cheap because they didn't know if the show would rate, but it's clear the show does rate, and could do a lot better if they spend a bit more money.

Yeah they must have local players filling in the gaps who are just their to fill up the 13.

It's a good show though no doubt. The union player who run on the last tackle play twice seems to be a right knob.

Actually kinda wish we had something like this for super league rookie on sky. If it was well produced I think it could do pretty well.

Honestly would not be shocked if we saw the other code do something like this first though

A stats sheet popped up for a second or two in the last episode and at the bottom of the list of names was 'player 7' and 'player 14' with the latter playing about 30 minutes so must be locals making up the numbers or giving the forwards a breather.

The NRL is the greatest rugby league competition in the world, and one of the greatest sporting competitions on the entire planet. It is better attended and more watched than the so-called Aviva Premiership. This program "NRL Rookie" may well be the most important piece of reality TV ever seen in the UK. We are all privileged and honoured to be able to witness it twice a week. Thank you Sky Sports. Thank you Rupert Murdoch.

While I will fight RLs corner as much as possible, even I couldn't agree with this.

So the players making up the numbers, aren't they having the opportunity to put themselves in the shop window as well?

They surely can't keep playing games, can they? before long they'll have more making up the numbers than actual players.

It's hard for us as viewers to get a feel for a players true ability because they generally just show a few of the highlights for each player and you're never sure about the quality of the opposition, but appreciate it's a tv show so they can only show bit's and bats.

The other difficult aspect is rugby league is such a together, team sport. You really need to work for each other, yet they are also competing against each other so there's always that potential for a player going for their own glory to the detriment of the play or the team. You got some legends of the game judging though i suppose and they are getting a read out of stats so it should be pretty fair.

I thought first week, 28 cut to 14 for second week, including Johnstone gone, and then he came back in the second week to take it up to 15, since when three have gone.

Which competitions are greater? You can count the major US sports because they have such a huge market, esp the NFL, but also ML Baseball and the NBA. That leaves football's English Premier League, La Ligue, La Liga, Bundesliga, etc.

For a sport which dominates only half of Australia, the NRL has performed magnificently. It is ranked the most watched rugby competition on the planet, which gives it a serious world ranking.

You're right! My bad!

Word of warning, don't look at wiki/the official site to check, they're a few episodes ahead of us!

Does anyone think the pro teams play in 2nd gear vs rookies.

I am surprised how wide the scorelines are in favor towards the rookies.

I've wondered that. You can't really tell from the highlights shown. It'll look close or like they're getting battered and then it will come up H/T Rookies 28-0 opposition

Bad luck Luke. Didn't think he'd win, think it will go to one of the more flair players, but harsh on him all the same going that way.

Yeah just struggling to see how the rookies beat the the pro under 20's shows with relative ease.

Dunno, just wondering if the pro sides intensity isn't at the level when they play NRL competition. When they played Melbourne the coach said they put 30 points on Brisbane the week before. I was expecting the rookies to get absolutely hammered.

Another thing is how many points do you get for a try in touch rugby? The rookies got battered and then the final score was 4-0

Sure there was at least 3 tries scored by the Aussie side

Seemed a big powerful lad. Bit more regular coaching could be the making of him. If I were a SL club, I might offer a couple of these guys a short-term trial stint even if it was just for publicity.

Quote ="Roy Haggerty"Seemed a big powerful lad. Bit more regular coaching could be the making of him. If I were a SL club, I might offer a couple of these guys a short-term trial stint even if it was just for publicity.'" Luke had a trial at Salford. Not sure how that went, he could still be there but I've got no idea. www.skysports.com/rugby-league/n ... bobsledder Personally think that Jordan Martin will win it. He's only 21 and looks a good player from the highlights already. I also like Gary-John Hill but he struggled vs the Ex NRL players and is 27 and may not get a look in at an NRL club if there's already young props coming through.

Quote ="Roy Haggerty"Seemed a big powerful lad. Bit more regular coaching could be the making of him. If I were a SL club, I might offer a couple of these guys a short-term trial stint even if it was just for publicity.'" Luke had a trial at Salford. Not sure how that went, he could still be there but I've got no idea. www.skysports.com/rugby-league/n ... bobsledder Personally think that Jordan Martin will win it. He's only 21 and looks a good player from the highlights already. I also like Gary-John Hill but he struggled vs the Ex NRL players and is 27 and may not get a look in at an NRL club if there's already young props coming through.

[list=[/list Quote ="SecondRowSaint"Luke had a trial at Salford. Not sure how that went, he could still be there but I've got no idea. www.skysports.com/rugby-league/n ... bobsledder Personally think that Jordan Martin will win it. He's only 21 and looks a good player from the highlights already. I also like Gary-John Hill but he struggled vs the Ex NRL players and is 27 and may not get a look in at an NRL club if there's already young props coming through.'" Looking at his Twitter feed seems like he isn't at Salford .

[list=[/list Quote ="SecondRowSaint"Luke had a trial at Salford. Not sure how that went, he could still be there but I've got no idea. www.skysports.com/rugby-league/n ... bobsledder Personally think that Jordan Martin will win it. He's only 21 and looks a good player from the highlights already. I also like Gary-John Hill but he struggled vs the Ex NRL players and is 27 and may not get a look in at an NRL club if there's already young props coming through.'" Looking at his Twitter feed seems like he isn't at Salford .

Keith Rupert Murdoch!



As for the program it seems to be heavily edited to make games look closer to me. The one where they held a player up over the line (did he really?) and went straight down the other end in the dying seconds to win the game seemed a bit too contrived for me.

Missing a curfew was idiotic, the lad had gone so far then messed up by going back out. In that situation you'd never do anything to give a coach a chance to drop you.

Didn't realise Lou Goodwin was a highly rated lad at the Roosters either, Freddy mentioned that they offered him a big contract when he was 20 bad turned it down.

Yeah read Lou Goodwin struggled with the travel. Crazy how some young players just walk away from a deal.

Seeing that player cut from missing curfew was wow!! Never expected it at all, he was an idiot though.

I think the young guy Jordan will get a trial at NRL clubs no matter what happens.

Next to go will be Reece Joyce imo. Early on I tipped Jordan Martin to win it as he has abit of the wow factor about him, but I don't think his heart is in it enough to beat Lou Goidwin who I think is the most NRL ready. Hyde's age is his downfall.

You were correct, I agree with the rest of your post, Godwin will win it, Be shocked if Martin didn't get a contract, in fact I think there are a few that will get trials out of it including Lee, Joyce and the kid kicked out for the last night, who I reckon would have been in the top 3.

Shame about Hyde, left it too late and as Freddy said, shocked he hasn't played NRL.

It's been an excellent program.

Something funny is going on with Chris Hyde.
He is the form player in the Newcastle Rugby League comp this year, playing for Macquarie United Scorpions.
The Newcastle Knights have had an injury crisis in the hookers and have called up 2 from that comp to their reserve grade side, 19 year old Joey Morris, and then 28 year old Chris Adams, who is now playing firstgrade because of injuries to the first choice hookers.
It will be a bit ironic if Hyde hasn't been able to get his big break because they have to wait till the TV show finishes before they can use him.

I don't really understand the timing of this programme? The other week they were at the 2015 NRL GF and now there's a live final almost 10 months later. Have the final 3 been waiting to find out who wins all that time?

Bit strange before that episode I presumed that it started some time this year and was building to now so that they could start next year, what have the rookies been doing since then? What if they got injuries, poor Chris Hyde could be 30 by the time his contract would start.