TACKLE 1: A measured response required

The NRL needs to be measured in its response to the feisty brawl that took place on Friday night between Manly and Melbourne. There is no doubt it got out of hand and that there will be deserved fines for both clubs and suspensions for at least three players but the NRL should not bow to public pressure over the "ugliness" and the "unsightliness" of it and get too heavy-handed. Rugby league is a physical sport and to lose that physicality to appease the so-called "soccer mums" would do a great disservice to the sport. Glenn Stewart deserves at least two weeks. He was the fourth man into the original brawl and he waited for Adam Blair after being sin binned. Blair deserves the same for throwing the first punch in the original fight and then challenging Stewart again. Brett Stewart should be the one in real trouble. He took a fight between two players and escalated it into a brawl by running 30 metres, "here comes the cavalry" style, and launching himself at Blair. A four-week suspension would not be undeserved. Players involved from the bench should also come under scrutiny. But this should be taken for what it was: a wild fight between two rivals chasing down top spot in the throes of a long season. There is no need to overreact and water down the physicality of the great spectacle that is rugby league. Brawling is outlawed but there was little thuggishness in any of it and that is what league really needs to eradicate. 

The Canberra Raiders 19-18 loss to Penrith on Saturday night, Alan Tongue's farewell game and the 30-year reunion for the Raiders' old boys, was a new lowlight for the Raiders in a season of despair. The club could not even lift for the farewell of their beloved skipper, were totally inept with the ball and hardly better without it. Yet coach David Furner's position is under no scrutiny. Saturday's loss took Furner's record to 29-44 (39.7%), making him one of the 34 coaches since 1990 to have a record below 40%, putting him in such company as Paul Langmack, Alan Jones and Bob McCarthy. Only nine coaches have a sub-40% record and coached more games. It has been a horror season for the Raiders, who fell from top-four hopefuls to a chance at the wooden spoon. Yet Furner is a protected species. It is apparent he is not the man to lead the Raiders and the club won't improve until he is fired. 

TACKLE 3: Petero hits the mark

Petero Civoniceva is one of the most thoughtful and highly respected figures in rugby league. He doesn't jump to conclusions, he doesn't shoot his mouth off and he doesn't lend his name to absurd statements. So for Petero to come out and call for the sacking of Penrith's board means there is something seriously wrong at the Panthers. That has been obvious since John Lang left and it was the main reason Phil Gould was brought in to clean house. If the Panthers are to become a force again, Petero's advice should be taken and a new board put in place. Their dilly-dallying on Matthew Elliott was extraordinarily harmful and their failure to consult the playing group over coaching changes caused significant division at the club. The likes of Mark Geyer should spend more time listening to Petero and less time protecting a group who have done an extraordinary disservice to the Panthers. 

TACKLE 4: Hopes should be high at South Sydney

Win, lose or draw this weekend, a finals berth or not, there should be plenty of hope for the future at South Sydney with Michael Maguire arriving to coach the Bunnies next season. After a slow start in 2011, the Bunnies face a must-win game against Newcastle this Friday that will determine their finals hopes. South Sydney will almost certainly have a finals spot locked up by this time next year with Maguire shaping as rugby league's next great coach. Having learnt at the knee of Craig Bellamy, Maguire has made an immediate impact since taking over from Wigan, leading the cherry-and-whites to their first Super League title since 1998 in his first season and this year has them favourites to go back-to-back. The Riversiders also claimed their first Challenge Cup in nine seasons on Saturday with Wigan dominating Leeds 28-18. Souths may need a halfback, they may need to improve their defence and they may need to overcome a sordid recent history but the future is bright for the Rabbitohs faithful. 

TACKLE 5: Nine screws league again

The failure of the Nine network to show the Storm-Sea Eagles game live into Melbourne and other non-traditional states once again proves Nine is not a suitable broadcast partner for the NRL. The Storm-Sea Eagles clash was a battle between first and second, between two arch-rivals, with the minor premiership on the line. It played out in just an intense manner with the wild brawl set to be one of the lasting images of the season. With Seven telecasting the forecast blowout between Fremantle and Collingwood, many Melburnians would have given rugby league a shot, at least through the first half when the AFL match had not even started. Nine does nothing but inhibit rugby league's growth and should not be considered by the new commission when the television deal is negotiated. The commission must also ensure a deal is done with Foxtel that all matches are simulcast on pay television live as they will be for the AFL from 2012 so that league fans across Australia can get access to matches live. 

TACKLE 6: Ben Barba's magical try

It has been a most difficult season for Canterbury custodian Ben Barba. Having taken the No.1 jersey from Luke Patten at the beginning of the season, Barba has been electric in attack, scoring 19 tries to sit second on the top tryscorer list. But it has been his form under the high ball that has been a major concern at Belmore with Barba lacking both confidence and competency defending the bomb. Seeing Barba's magical try on Saturday night though, it is easy to see why Canterbury have stuck with Barba at fullback. Barba scored the most miraculous try of the season when grounding the ball millimetres from the deadball line while mid-somersault, all his body beyond the deadball line. Barba has his failings but Canterbury will be well served sticking with Barba at fullback.