Finals Week 3

Haven't most grand finals the last few years been unappealing?

It just seems like you either have to buy a team and rely on their individual brilliance to carry you or play the most boring conservative spoiler football to stand a chance these days.

I think the last time I was looking forward to a game (as a neutral of course) was the 2009 Grand Final. I really dug the Eels side that year with Grothe Jr, Inu, Mortimer, Kingston, Lowrie, Smith, Hindy, Mannah, Mateo, Moi Moi playing good footy and Hayne leading the ship. The Hayne Plane hype may have rubbed people up the wrong way, but I thought it was drawing some great houses and I have fond memories of the Bulldogs/Eels prelim and the Tigers/Eels play-off.

Speaking of that time...

How good was this?



Yow Yeh!
 
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Big Pete said:
Haven't most grand finals the last few years been unappealing?

It just seems like you either have to buy a team and rely on their individual brilliance to carry you or play the most boring conservative spoiler football to stand a chance these days.

I think the last time I was looking forward to a game (as a neutral of course) was the 2009 Grand Final. I really dug the Eels side that year with Grothe Jr, Inu, Mortimer, Kingston, Lowrie, Smith, Hindy, Mannah, Mateo, Moi Moi playing good footy and Hayne leading the ship. The Hayne Plane hype may have rubbed people up the wrong way, but I thought it was drawing some great houses and I have fond memories of the Bulldogs/Eels prelim and the Tigers/Eels play-off.

Speaking of that time...

How good was this?



Yow Yeh!
Click to expand...


Every month or 2 some ball bag decides to post this video and break the collective hearts of the forum. What's next you masochistic bastard? I'm off to cry in the corner....

**** he was good.
 
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It's been billed as SOO 4 on channel 9 news.
 


Plenty of crappy shark movies for it to be billed as.
 
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Well guess it doesn't matter, either way it will be a turd of a game.
 
I can see a real boring slugfest of a game with a score line of 14-12. The forwards will hog the ball, Fifita will do something stupid and the refs will penalise the shit out of the storm. The Storm got their rub this week so no one will sympathise with them next week when the refs crack down on them. Smith and Cronk will still most likely win it as well they just know how to win.
 
With no disrepect to Cronulla I'd say its going to be a powder keg in the Shire. A lot of emotion.
Can the Sharks keep their composure?

On the other hand I think we are the only team to have actually really rattled the Storm.
 
The Melbourne Storm have asked the NRL for a please explain after an embarrassing refereeing error that could have had major ramifications on the outcome of Saturday night's preliminary final.
While it didn't end up costing them, the Storm have asked the NRL why Cameron Smith was forced to attempt a conversion – and missed – 10 metres wider from where Cheyse Blair had scored in the 60th minute of the match against Canberra at AAMI Park.

In a finals series that has been marred by controversial officiating, the NRL avoided another black eye given the Storm held on to book their passage into the grand final, but it still could have a major impact on the selection of the referees for the decider between Cronulla and Melbourne at ANZ Stadium on Sunday.
The blunder could have proved costly, given Smith missed what should have been a simple conversion that would have taken Melbourne out to an eight-point lead with a quarter of the match remaining.

However, a penalty goal soon after gave Melbourne the eight-point buffer they needed to win the game, and they held out a late resurgence from the Raiders to claim a 14-12 victory.
NRL referees boss Tony Archer conceded a mistake was made but admits the fracas that ensued was a distraction for the on-field referees.

"The conversion was taken from a position several metres wider than it should have been taken," Archer said.
"Players from both sides became involved in a small fracas following the ball being grounded by Melbourne Storm, and the conversion was taken from the position where the referee dealt with that fracas.

"While the circumstances were unique, it is a reminder that all officials need to be vigilant around every aspect of the game."
The incident occurred while Canberra fullback Jack Wighton was in the sin bin for a professional foul, with Blair slicing through the 12-man defensive line and running around closer to the posts to better the position for his skipper.
However referees Matt Cecchin and Alan Shortall sent it to the bunker to review for a possible obstruction, and were also sidetracked by an all-in push and shove that erupted behind the Raiders' in-goal area.
The break in play and the distraction of the two teams coming together saw Cecchin incorrectly point to the spot after it was deemed to be a try, forcing Smith to take his crucial kick 10 metres in from the sideline instead of 15 metres to the left of the uprights.
The Storm skipper and bench were unaware of the error at the time and didn't raise it with the match officials, who all missed it in the chaos of the events that unfolded nearby.
However, Melbourne officials in the stands picked up on it and have been left concerned by the decision.
Had Smith's miss cost the Storm victory, that concern would be replaced with outrage, however they managed to hold on to a two-point lead for the final four minutes to set up a mouth-watering showdown against the Sharks.
Referees Ben Cummins and Gerard Sutton are widely considered the best two referees in the game, however the officiating of the controversial Broncos-Titans final on the opening weekend of the play-offs has cast doubt over Sutton's position.
Cecchin, who was the official who pointed to the spot, now faces a nervous wait to see if he will be given the whistle for the decider after his involvement in the error in Melbourne on Saturday night.
Click to expand...

Melbourne Storm complaint may rule referees out of decider after basic error
 
Horseheadsup said:
On the other hand I think we are the only team to have actually really rattled the Storm.
Click to expand...

Well the Cows and the Raiders both tried to play them like we did by moving the Storm forwards around but the wet weather in both games really didn't suit that style of play.

If it was a dry track then I don't think the Storm win either of those games.

If the GF is dry and the Sharks use the ball and not allow the Melbourne to turn it into a grind then I think they will beat the Storm.
 
In 2013 Cronulla were at 5.8 penalties per game.
This year it averages 8.2.
 
IF the NRL’s biggest pest Michael Ennis was caught doing this to an injured opponent, there would be outrage.

But when it comes to Cameron Smith, many fans view him as a protected species.
The Melbourne skipper has come under fire in the build up to Sunday’s NRL grand final after an incident involving Canberra’s injured captain Jarrod Croker last Saturday night.

Smith was filmed appearing to shove an unsuspecting Croker to the ground following Cooper Cronk’s try in the 32nd minute.

The incident wasn’t picked up by the match commentators initially, but was snapped by eagle-eyed fans who later posted it on social media.
Smith is spotted running over to shove Croker in the back, and fans were upset that he appeared to make contact with Croker’s badly injured left leg.
Croker had been carrying an injury to his knee and ankle from the 10th minute after he was accidentally cleaned up in some friendly fire by a teammate.


Players immediately came charging in from both teams after Cronk’s try, but it is not known if it was Smith’s sneaky push that sparked the melee.
Fans were furious with Smith.
“Wow, that’s so bad!!” one wrote.
“I don’t like Smith. At all,” said another.
Many comments were far less complimentary and cannot be printed here.
The view from many was that this incident involving Croker was just another example of Smith pushing the boundaries.
While Ennis is not the type who ever attempts to mask his actions, Smith is known to be far more subtle among his rivals. Even after this incident he stood back when the melee started, seemingly surprised at the commotion.

Only a few weeks ago Smith accused Brisbane of not playing in the spirit of the game after Anthony Milford milked a penalty for throwing the ball at a player laying in the ruck.
A recent Daily Telegraph fan poll voted Smith the player supporters most love to hate.
Smith polled 22 per cent of the votes, finishing ahead of Josh Reynolds (21 per cent), Paul Gallen (15 per cent) and Ennis (14 per cent).
Smith knows he won’t have the crowd on his side on Sunday.
“From the little we have seen from down here (the Sharks) have a huge amount of support down there,’’ Smith said on Monday. “I saw parts of their game the other night and all I could see was Sharks fans in the ground.
“There has been a lot of excitement building down there throughout the year. So there should be. There is going to be plenty of Sharks fans on Sunday.’’


Smith has already said the Storm would be ready for Ennis to be at his “scheming best” when the two cross paths on Sunday night.
Smith and Ennis have had their share of run-ins over the years, with Ennis causing controversy in the 2014 elimination final between the Storm and the Bulldogs.
Ennis was accused of disrespecting Smith when he patted the Storm skipper on the head after Smith made an uncharacteristic blunder. But no doubt the Sharks will be just as wary of Smith.
Not only is he known for his ability to influence refs, but he is regarded without peer when it comes to the art of the rugby league wrestle.
The incident involving Croker certainly won’t win him or the Storm any extra support come Sunday night.
Click to expand...

No Cookies | Daily Telegraph


Anyone got footage of this incident?
 
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