OPINION
Do not think for one minute there is an off-season in rugby league anymore.
Rugby league is in the headlines and how.
Everyday in print, on websites and on social media it is there.
Turn on free-to-air television or Pay-TV and the lead item you would expect at this time of the year would be cricket or the A-League.
Wrong.
It’s the league world happenings then news about the cricket, the A-league, the AFL and summer sports.
Cricket Australia’s only saving grace is the Big Bash League to keep them in the headlines this summer.
The West Indies tour is about as appealing as listening to Bill Shorten chat about climate change.
I can never recall a busier off-season in 2015 with NRL player news, rumours, signings, gossip and stories.
The footy coverage is permanent, 24/7, every day of the calendar year.
Here are just some of the things that have been buzzing around recently.
The NRL’s Shane Richardson has outlined some of his strategic plans and ideas for the future of the game.
Sought-after centre James Roberts, who has left the Gold Coast Titans, has been shopped around to several clubs.
Player agents are busier than Santa Claus at this time of the year packing his sleigh at the North Pole preparing for the annual delivery of presents.
Cronulla’s Jack Bird has been in the news - will he or won’t he stay at the Sharks?
Or will he return to the Dragons in 2017?
Dragons veteran Benji Marshall has one year to run on his contract.
One day he’s linked with British Super League club Salford Devils in 2017.
The next day he’s reportedly thinking about extending his time in the Big Red V for another year when his contract expires.
Will Dragons and NSW star Josh Dugan play centre or fullback?
Manly has had a player build-up in personnel to rival Napoleon’s recruiment for the French army in his heyday.
Jason Taylor’s position at the Wests Tigers has come under scrutiny with him the hot favourite to be the first NRL coach to get the boot in 2016.
The list goes on.
It’s an intruiging time.
League fans cannot get enough of the game, all the time, every day, during the season and in the off-season.
