We were wrong. Before his AFL career begins, Hunt plans to wear a shirt with sleeves for just a bit longer by playing rugby union for six months with Biarritz in France. This means that if all goes according to plan, Hunt will have played three football codes at a top professional level in the space of a year. So far, he seems to be enjoying the journey.

Some have already been questioning the intent behind Hunt’s frequent code-hopping. We won’t speculate on what’s behind the sport-swapping, but if it’s all about the publicity, Hunt may want to get Nike on the telephone. After all, this is starting to look very familiar to some of us in the United States:

The similarities grow even eerier when we recall that Hunt is a big fan of basketball and the NFL.

Here’s hoping things go well for the multi-talented athlete. Fortunately for Karmichael Hunt, there shouldn’t be any sign of “Rabbits” Warren (see video in link) or Fuifui Moimoi (see second video in link) in Biarritz or the AFL.

Among the most memorable Eels players for the American audience week in and week out must have been Tongan-born Fuifui Moimoi (who is also eligible to play for New Zealand internationally). He got audiences’ attention with hits so big that they can only be appreciated fully with the aid of science (sometimes a little too big), though his memorable name may have garnered as much notice from new viewers as his tremendous play.

If you found yourself becoming a new fan of Moimoi’s, but were as captivated by the cult figure’s interesting moniker as you were by his tremendous efforts, you’re not alone. Moimoi is the subject of a song focused on his name and acheivements, as seen below:

We assume he doesn’t mind the song because it will be playing when he enters the boxing ring for a charity match (the bout has been delayed by the Eels’ success). If you’re not a fan, though, you can see examples of Fuifui’s imposing play without the soundtrack:

Now and then, of course, Moimoi is on the receiving end as well:

Here’s hoping Spike TV and other U.S. networks see fit to show us more of Moimoi and the NRL’s other luminaries in the future!

An exciting year will also help to live up to the promise of the sport’s recent television promotions, such as this ad for the new season (before the campaign was scrapped as another scandal looms over the NRL and featured player Brett Stewart):

Similarly, Reg Reagan alter ego Matthew Johns is pitching club memberships with the promise of fun for all:

The thriller of the 2009 ads, though, is no doubt this ad for the upcoming State of Origin series:

Will the matches live up to the hype? Let’s hope so! Of course, no discussion of NRL promos is complete without the classic “That’s my Team” campaign from a few years back:

On the heels of the Kiwis’ first ever Rugby League World Cup win, Marshall has expressed an interest in playing union. It is possible, though, that he may stay in league by playing union in Japan during the league offseason.

The possible move, considered by some to be strictly a cash grab, may not be on given that Marshall has no union offers yet. That said, the speculation continues.

So is Benji Marshall good enough to play two codes at once? You be the judge:

All rugby league eyes will turn now to the Rugby League World Cup, but early next year Leeds and Manly-Warringah will face off in the World Club Challenge, an annual exhibition contested between the NRL and Super League champs. Leeds also visited the United States early this year for an exibition match with he NRL’s South Sydney Rabbitohs, though sadly a repeat visit seems unlikely after South Sydney spoke poorly of the trip’s effect on their 2008 season. We can still hold out hope, though!

Below are a few moments from the Rhinos’ win this weekend:

While we’re at it, here are some highlights from the 2007 grand final as well:

Shorty after the final, the Sea Eagles promised they’d be back, and they’ve made good on their promise. Today’s 2008 grand final once again featured Melbourne and Manly-Warringah, but that was where the similarities ended as the Sea Eagles came away with a 40-0 win.

What a difference a year makes. This video, put together by a fan to tease the Storm and back the Sea Eagles, ended up being prophetic:

Although the Warriors’ strong run seems to have boosted their following in New Zealand, its end will no doubt have all attention back on the Kiwis’ favorite code. We’ve talked before of rugby union’s proportionally massive following in New Zealand, and it’s been rewarded lately with success. Americans who don’t follow rugby may be more familiar with other ambassadors from the smaller nation, but the New Zealand All Blacks have been so successful over their history that they are a key national icon, though they have had suprisingly bad luck in bringing home World Cup wins–a fact not missed by All Blacks detractors. Now, they hold the top spot in the International Rugby Board world rankings, have just clinched a fourth straight Tri-Nations title, and will be the side to beat as the tour Europe in the coming months.

That ought to take some of the sting out of the Warriors’ loss, also shedding a bit of light on why it’s hard for rugby league to gain a foothold in the land of the All Blacks.

This video shares a few moments from the All Blacks’ storied history:

Meanwhile, as the Warriors bow out of the 2008 NRL season, here’s one of their greatest moments from a memorable year (if you’re in a hurry, the excitement starts about 3 minutes and 30 seconds into it):

The Melbourne players have been off alcohol since the middle of August. On the other hand, the Broncos’ recent night-time misbehavior has led to allegations of sexual misconduct for three players after a washroom incident and public embarrassment for typically well-behaved captain Darren Lockyer after he tackled a nightclub manager about a week later. Lockyer’s apology was accepted by the nightclub), and the players in the other incident have yet to be charged with any crime, but the incidents clearly indicate that the Broncos were spending a lot of time out for a playoff-bound club. The last-minute playoff result is being seen by some as justice for both the teetotalling Storm and the partying Broncos, and that’s a valid conclusion given that alcohol clearly exacerbates the wear and tear of a long rugby league season.

The Broncos may not have set the right example this year, but hopefully, their failure–and Melbourne’s resurgent success–can show players young and old the way ahead.

To give an idea of how close it was, here’s a clip of the end of the match, as well as some post-match footage. Did the clubs’ differing alcohol policies make the difference? Post if you have an opinion.

In most competitions’ playoff arrangements, the Warriors’ 18-15 win would spell doom for Melbourne, but Storm followers have been gifted a second chance by Kenneth McIntyre. McIntyre was a rennaisance man who was a lawyer, historian, and mathematician during his life and is perhaps best known for claiming that Australia was first discovered by Portugese travelers. Somehow, he also found time to devise the playoff system used in the National Rugby League since 1999 (though it was originally adopted by the Australian Football League, which no longer uses the format).

As an alternative to typical “knockout” playoff formats where winners advance and losers are eliminated, the McIntyre system presents a higher likelihood for the top two seeds to appear in the grand final and more possible combinations of sides that can appear against one another in the grand final. Here’s how it works:

• Eight teams are seeded based on regular-season performance. In the first week, the qualifying finals are played: 1st vs. 8th, 2nd vs. 7th, 3rd vs. 6th, and 4th vs. 5th. The two lowest-seeded losers are eliminated after this week. For example, if the 7th and 8th seeds lose, they are out. If the 7th and 5th seeds lose but the 8th and 6th seeds win, then the 7th and 5th seeds are out. If the 8th, 7th, 6th, and 5th seeds all win, then the 3rd and 4th seeds are out. The 1st and second seeds, though, cannot be eliminated.
• After the qualifying finals, the remaining six teams move on to the semifinals (which may seem oddly named given that the matches before the grand final are called the semifinals in most other playoff formats). The top-seeded winners from the first round get to sit out the semifinals while the other four sides play, which matchups determined by qualifying performances. The two semifinal losers are eliminated.
• Then, the preliminary finals begin. The sides that got to rest during the semifinals host the two semifinal winners, with the losers of each preliminary final eliminated.
• The remaining two sides then play in the grand final, with the winner named champion.

It all looks like this. The upshot is that the sides who did well in the regular season are rewarded with favorable matchups, a greater likelihood of a second chance if they lose in the first round of the finals, and a greater likelihood of a week off if they win in the first round.

Criticisms of the McIntyre system were common well before today’s upset win, and they will no doubt continue, but the Warriors’ shock win seems to have added some new excitement to the system by showing how much an upset win can disrupt the finals matchups and predictions.

In any case, the Storm must be pleased about the McIntyre system, as it means their season is not yet over. The Warriors, meantime, must be happy simply to be playing next week.

It’s easy to see why, given that Storm players have been involved in two of the most exciting tries in rugby league this year. First, Greg Inglis set up an Australia try with this magical move in a test match against New Zealand:

Then, Israel Folau scored a pair of tries for Queensland in the third match of the State of Origin series, the second of which was gravity-defying:

It will be exciting to see what these and other Storm stars will do in the upcoming NRL knockout matches. Of course, not everyone is a Storm backer, as you can see in this insurance company ad from a few years back featuring some Brisbane Broncos: