Set of Six: The biggest grubs in the NRL
Some players just have a special knack for getting under everyone’s skin. Jarret Filmer pays tribute to the six most notorious grubs currently in the NRL.
John Hopoate. Les Boyd. Danny Williams. The history of rugby league is littered with enough rapscallions and rogues to fill the First Fleet. Their names of these grubs echo through the ages almost as loudly as the Immortals.
A true rugby league institution, a grub is probably best defined as the sort of player who pushes the rules to the limit, engaging in the sort of dirty and aggravating play that makes him adored by his own fans and despised by everyone else. A true grub is as cherished for his competitive streak as he is vilified for his dirty acts.
The retirement of Mick Ennis has left a void at the top of the NRL grub food chain. ‘The Menace’ was a grub par excellence. Indeed, his tenure as the NRL’s pre-eminent irritant was so enduring and indelible it seems possible no future grubs will ever live up to his filthy legacy. But nature abhors a vacuum. Here are his six nearest counterparts.
1. Josh Reynolds
No list of NRL grubs could be complete without the man whose nickname is simply ‘Grub’. Reynolds demonstrates a trait common to many of his fellow grubs: an almost pathological competitiveness that has the unfortunate tendency to boil over into outright filth. His trademark act of grubbery is the foot trip. Reynolds is notorious for flailing a leg out when he has been wrong-footed by a sidestep, an act which he claims is an involuntary reaction. The frequency of his attempted trips suggests he is either a grub of the highest order or he has about the same control over his lower extremities as an epileptic Morris dancer.
Greatest Act of Grubbery: While Reynolds is most renowned for his tripping, perhaps the grubbiest act he has committed was his faux-Hopoate on Aiden Sezer, a shout out to the most perfidious incident of grubbiness in the history of the NRL. Reyolds claimed it was a joke between friends, but there are few acts grubbier than a finger up the bum.
2. Russell Packer
Packer isn’t just a grub on the field – in 2013 a brutal assault saw him jailed for the sort of off-field savagery that would make even Greg Bird blush. His cheap shot on the Panthers Peta Hiku earlier this season shows that while Packer has got his life together off the field he is still a monster on it. While there are certainly heart-warming aspects to how Packer has seemingly put himself back on the right track, he’s still not a bloke you want to see outside the kebab shop at three in morning.
Greatest Act of Grubbery: Assault convictions aside, the grubbiest act Packer has committed on a rugby league field was when he dropped to a knee, slid his George Gregan out the leg of his shorts and relieved himself on the field. Anyone who treats the hallowed turf with the same sort of respect that a Labrador shows for a lamppost is a grub of the highest order.
3. Cam Smith
While Packer and Reynolds are examples of a gladiatorial fury that burns white hot, Cam Smith is the Hannibal Lecter of grubs – cool, calculating and cerebral with just a hint of the cannibal lurking beneath.
Cam Smith’s reputation as perhaps the biggest winner in the history of the NRL is tarnished by his capacity for grubbiness, a trait often glossed over by Queenslanders and Melburnians. Smith has turned whingeing at the referee into an artform, while his Melbourne Storm teams have spent the better part of a decade contorting the definition of a legal tackle into a pretzel. Between the ‘chicken wing’, the ‘crusher’ and the ‘prowler’ an entire menagerie was necessary to describe the Storm’s grubbiness. Smith is the grub-in-chief who uses his reputation to paper over the Storm’s transgressions and bully the referees to overlook his side’s filth.
Greatest Act of Grubbery: While Smith is usually quite stealthy in his grubbery, his most egregious act of filth was blaming Alex McKinnon for the tackle that left him paralysed while McKinnon lay prone on the field. To be fair the Storm skipper didn’t know the full extent of McKinnon’s injury at the time, but it’s still pretty grubby to be more focused on avoiding a penalty than on an opponent’s wellbeing.
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4. George Burgess
The Burgess brothers could have been included as a single entry but in recent times George’s grubbery has clearly exceeded that of his brothers. While his older brother Sam perfected the ‘squirrel grip’, George specialises in a wide variety of raw-boned, northern England grubbery that includes shoulder charges and using his elbow as a battering ram. Burgess’ increasing grubbiness seems to run parallel to his diminished effectiveness as a player – as though he is trying to compensate for his failing form with greater acts of thuggery. George is currently side-lined for a bone-rattling shoulder charge that left Brisbane playmaker Anthony Milford severely whiplashed and turned him into an internet meme. If Burgess continues with his repeated acts of grubbery he faces the prospect of infringing his way out of the NRL.
Greatest Act of Grubbery: In 2015 Burgess copped a contrary conduct charge for heaving a water bottle at Roosters forward Kane Evans – while sitting on the bench. It’s a high-level grub that can earn a suspension while sitting on the pine.
5. Kenny Edwards
Edwards might not yet be one of the most notorious grubs in the NRL, but he is certainly trying. A troubled player who bounced around several clubs before making his first-grade debut, Edwards’ grubbiness seems to stem from his inability to control his temper. He returned from a seven-match suspension for domestic violence last weekend only to became the first player to be sin-binned for slapping an opponent. He was then caught on camera taking out his fury on a chair in the Eels locker room. This is hardly the first instance of grubby behaviour from Edwards – while playing for the Dragons NYC he was accused of biting an opponent, and he’s been a regular visitor to the judiciary ever since. It’s almost like Edwards is playing grub bingo – the way he is going he’s only an eye gouge and a ‘Hopoate’ away from a full house.
Greatest Act of Grubbery: Edwards managed to get banned for a season in the Gold Coast lower grades when he wasn’t even playing. While acting as a trainer for Southport Tigers under-17’s he apparently repeatedly incited his side to fight the opposition. It takes a special kind of grub to cop a huge ban for encouraging grubbiness others.
6. Paul Gallen
In recent years the Cronulla Sharks have been ‘Grubs R Us’, employing the likes of Michael Ennis, Andrew Fifita and Greg Bird while also being embroiled in the peptide scandal. There is just something about the blue, black and white that inspires players to commit breathtaking acts of filth. Perhaps the biggest grub of them all is also the best Cronulla Shark of all time: Paul Gallen.
‘Gal’ is a classic grub. He takes almost puritanical umbrage when anyone mentions that peptide scandal and then plays innocent while dishing out a relentless mix of stiff arms and high shots. He scores highly for his ability to pull off some of the dirtier underhand filth in the game and then act with righteous indignation when anyone suggests that he might have overstepped the line. Last weekend’s diving scandal highlighted exactly how massive a grub Gallen truly is – not only is he willing to blatantly bend the rules of the game, he acts with complete indignance when he is called out on it.
The most telling factor in Gallen’s grubbiness is how much he loves the filth. He positively revels in it, and if his grubby antics manage to upset the opposition then so much the better. Cronulla and New South Wales fans describe Gallen as ‘tough’ or ‘uncompromising’. Everybody else calls him exactly what he is: King of the Grubs.
Greatest Acts of Grubbery: Gallen has committed a slew of grubby acts, both on and off the field. Some examples: elbow-dropping Josh Maguire, ripping stitches out of Anthony Laffranchi’s bandaged face and racially abusing Mickey Paea. But perhaps the grubbiest act he has committed was verbally abusing a young fan during the peptide scandal. Pulling out stitches is one thing but it’s hard to blame an act of filth on ‘white line fever’ when it happens in a hotel lobby. Grub.
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Why cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to comments