October 24, 2017
Diet and sport, one of the most openly diversely interpreted ways of ensuring well-being within the human body, can promote perfection with mind, body and results given, applied in the correct way.
To help with perfection, websites, tips and experts all preach the promotion of diet in sport, and rightly so. A well thought out, thorough plan of the correct nutrients your body requires is undervalued by many of today's participants.
Expert dietary advice is no more sought after than in Rugby League; a high impact, explosive contact sport designed for the not so faint hearted.
Glycogen, one of the most valued components of a Rugby League players dietary requirements, can be recognised when players 'carb up' the night before a game.
According to Sports Diets Australian one of the leading advice websites for Rugby League dietary information "Glycogen stores have been shown to reduce by 40% over a professional competitive rugby league match."
According to KidsHealth "Glucose is the main source...
October 18, 2017
Unfortunately, the short-sightedness of many Rugby League fans is outstanding.
Expansion has been the Achilles heel of Rugby League, with examples like the French 'Vichy Government' crippling "Rugby à Treize" ensuring recreation was once impossible. Today however, we now find ourselves like rabbits in headlights with the possibility of expansion facing negativity from within.
Throughout Rugby League's illustrious history, the pressure was applied from outside our beautiful game. The RFU was no stranger to this, ensuring Rugby League was only played along the M62 corridor, but now we find ourselves performing the RFU's work for them.
The Canadian expansion with the Toronto Wolfpack has been groundbreaking, record making and revenue raising.
Eric Perez has not only picked Canadian RL off the ground, he has set a bench mark for the whole of North America. The increasing fan base, North American exposure, corporate sponsorship and the grass roots Rugby League development has seen Toronto Wol...
October 10, 2017
As the World Cup squads are announced one after another, I can't help but feel let down by Wayne Bennett's selection. The Ireland squad honestly looks capable of beating England, and that isn't being disrespectful to Ireland as they have a team which will honestly cause some damage this World Cup, it indicates just how far down in my estimations England are currently sitting.
Since 2013, blood has been on the lips of the English after the Sean Johnston masterpiece try and who can blame them? But with a team selection so lifeless, a transfusion is needed.
The Kiwi's have some fresh faces to the New Zealand side with Kidwell pulling the strings, replacing Stephen Kearney back in 2016. Jason Taumalolo who has been the heartbeat of the Kiwi Rugby League side has blindsided Kidwell with his shock move back to Tonga RL, along with co-stars David Fusitu'a, Sio Siua Taukeiaho and Manu Ma'u.
Tongan RL has gone from strength to strength over the past few years, and they are now looking increas...
September 12, 2017
In Rugby League we're partial to a few bad decisions more often than not, but who's at fault? Is it the referee's? Or are they being failed by the RFL?
Many within the Super circles would suggest a handful of referees aren't fit for purpose - and who would disagree when you see their performances week in week out - but on the other hand, referees retiring mid-season during a shortage and you're bound to see something give sooner or later wouldn't you reckon?
The only failure within the Rugby League press is to not identify this issue and ask better from the RFL, Instead the RFL are using this as a fund raising exercise while coaches grow slightly more vocal about the declining standards.
What are we going to be left with if this isn't addressed? A heavily debated potential fix during a grand final because of bad decisions? Or maybe better, a win this time against New Zealand in the Semi-Final of the World Cup in Australia later this year.
The NRL boast 19 Referees whereas the RFL settle...
August 6, 2017
Unfortunately, mental health is one of the greatest stigmas surrounding Rugby League at this present moment in time, whether you acknowledge it or not. From players having 'career breaks' to wide spread drug abuse, the symptoms are there, but unfortunately the doctor isn't at their desk.
What gets left unnoticed for so long can result in the destruction of players lives, whether that be their careers or themselves. No more so than the great Terry Newton taking his own life as a result of mental health issues due to a consequential ban for growth hormone back in 2010.
Drug use within Rugby League is one of those very symptoms. Both Super League and NRL haven't been shy of a scandal in the past 12 months with Salford new recruit Manu Vatuvai and friend Conrad Hurrell admitting that they mixed a concoction of pain killers and energy drinks during his time at NZ Warriors, with also previous legends such as Andrew Johns admitting to the Herald Sun of his "12 year drug hell" where he opened...
July 29, 2017
Opinion Piece: Should Wigan & Hull have 2 referees for their friendlies and first game of the season because, 'when in Rome' right?
The NRL have operated on a 2 referee system now since 2009 and have seen the speed of their game far surpass the Super League, to the point of which attendances are declining, the speed of Super League always falling short of its Australian counterpart and therefore the England National Team always missing the mark on the big stage!
Of course the World Club Challenge at the start of the year was like a small brain fart, we needed to tell ourselves we can the match NRL clubs despite the difference in standards between the 2 competitions. But it was too much of a brain fart for Warrington to handle because their heads are still farting since they beat Brisbane infront of a packed Halliwell Jones Stadium.
The pull on British based players such as the likes of Burgess Brothers (Sam, George and Tom), James Graham or even Joe Greenwood wanting to excel themselve...
July 13, 2017
Are the days of Nigel Wood over? Some would argue that his days as head of the RFL (Rugby Football League) or even the RLIF (Rugby League International Federation) have expired past by the use by date many years ago and has somehow managed to hold on to his position virtually unchallenged. Some would argue that the great spin in the media is nothing short of hot air with very little substantially returning.
Today we seen the announcement of Aberdeen Rugby League, Scotland’s largest Amateur Rugby League team fold as the lack of participation numbers forced their hand to wind the club up, which now see’s Scotland’s domestic competition reduced to a rather astounding 3 teams. Aberdeen RL once boasted 3 teams which would have to regularly play against each other as teams were few and far between within the
Northern regions of Scotland and considered too far to attempt to travel to represent Scottish Rugby League in the Newcastle region where the closest established league was approximately 9...
July 6, 2017
In 1895, the great game of Rugby saw a divide - split down the middle due to differences in how the game should be played, rewarded and viewed. A direct rift which, drawn on a map, could be identified as the North/South of England divide.
The reason for this, professionalism. The more affluent areas in the South viewed professionalism as a disgrace to the game whereas the Northern, working class communities needed professionalism to survive from week to week.
Over the years after the split, many northern rugby clubs put their differences behind with the RFU and re-joined the Rugby Union but for those that didn't, the Rugby Football League was created.
The Rugby Football League offered a different type of rugby, one of which where the ball wasn't caught up in the middle of the park and unheard of for minutes on end. They took 2 players off each side to create space around the park, and introduced a “play the ball” rule to prevent the ball being lost under a pile of bodies. This proved...
December 10, 2016
Less than a week after securing the World Driver’s Championship title, Nico Rosberg shocked much of the Formula One paddock by announcing his retirement from the sport.
Citing a desire to spend more time with his family, Rosberg confirmed on Friday that he would not be driving in the 2017 Formula One Season to defend his title. Having achieved his childhood dream, he stated in a Twitter video addressed to his followers that he was ‘not willing’ to repeat the commitment that was required for his 2016 championship-winning season and that stopping racing ‘just feels completely right’.
His Mercedes team-mate and lifelong friend and rival Lewis Hamilton, however, was not surprised by Rosberg’s retirement, stating at the FIA Prize Giving in Vienna that he understood the German’s reasoning but would miss having him in the team.
The last-minute decision has left the Mercedes team in a difficult position. With most of the teams and drivers in the paddock having already secured contracts for the 20...
December 9, 2016
Greetings Comrades. Would you be interested in contributing to The Prole Star?
The mainstream media is not fit for purpose - now more than ever it is vital to support independent media projects like ours.
We believe that The Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn has not had a fair hearing. This is because the mainstream media is controlled by a very small number of rich individuals - and their vested interests are plain to see.
We intend to challenge this bias as an independent media outlet, shared through social media, appealing to the masses with sport and entertainment, but having a political agenda to offer our readers a point of view which is in their interests, and not in the interests of corporate power.
In the long term we plan to form a cooperative company, owned and democratically run by its members. All our members and contributors can ask to be added to our Bio Page.
We are looking for people to help in a range of roles, from writing and promoting to recr...
November 4, 2016
Just over a month ago “The Prole Star” was little more than an idea between two people. Today it has a website, a Twitter and Facebook page and most importantly, a small team of writers. Our short term goal is to build up our Social Media platform and create a large following to share our articles. This will allow our writers to share their work to a much larger audience than they would get from blogging or writing Facebook statuses alone.
Our long term goal is to form a non profit making media cooperative with a membership that anyone can join. Every member will have a say in how "The Prole Star" is run, in keeping with our democratic traditions. Even our name is the result of a collective decision. We intend to create a media organization, which in contrast to the current situation, will be inclusive to working class people.
Never forget what history has shown can come from a grass roots level. We are looking for people just like you. Complaining about the status quo, but ta...
October 18, 2016
Are you a massive football fan? Or maybe rugby is more your scene? Whether you’re an experienced writer, or you just enjoy voicing your opinions on Facebook and Twitter, this opportunity could be for you.
Mainstream newspaper sales are on the decline. Newspapers are losing as many as half a million readers on average every year. Instead, we are starting to see the rise of online independent media outlets, shared through social media. Here’s part of the thinking behind ’The Prole Star’.
We constantly see people writing impressive statuses on Facebook, on a range of subjects. Some people get a popular following. But as individuals there is a limit to how far this can go. And in a way it seems that, by just writing on Facebook alone, these talents are wasted. So if you’re going to write on Facebook for free anyway, why not volunteer to write for an independent media outlet to get your name out there and gain recognition for your writing? Surely voices are stronger when combined with that...
