Finals Week One Discussion

[Porthoz]

Re: Finals Week One

Sydney fans are lazy, they can deny it all they like but they are.

First time the preliminary finals won't be played in Sydney.

That's good.. They will actually get good crowds.

Problem solved! :handshake:

P.S. Now watch the Sydney centric media blow up about neither of them prelims being held in Sydney...

 

[Harry Sack]

Re: Finals Week One

Problem solved! :handshake:

P.S. Now watch the Sydney centric media blow up about neither of them prelims being held in Sydney...

The NRL to lobby to have one of the games played in Sydney......just because.

 

[Broncoman]

Re: Finals Week One

Not a bad finals game pretty even contest. Melbourne just know how to close out the big matches and they did so tonight, coming from behind at halftime. The Roosters just didn't look any near their best tonight there were plenty of unforced errors which really hurt you in any game especially in a finals game. The Roosters aren't done for the year though, this game could wake them up like it did to us in 1998. The Roosters still could've won the game if Maloney's kick didn't hit the post.

Cooper Cronk VB Man of the Match

Translation: ...we didn't expect Melbourne to win. Um...just give it to Cooper.

Munster, Duffie, Finucane, Hinchcliffe, Smith, Bromwich...all would have made more sense.

I would love to know how 9 decide their MOM awards seriously it looks like they just randomly pluck names out of a hat at times. Cronk getting the award was an absolute joke.

 

[Alec]

Re: Finals Week One

Roosters will get better once Pearce as back. As much as we like to make fun of him for his Origin performances (and deservedly so), he's been a real quality club level player. His long kicking game will help, and he'll make best use of their forward pack, especially on the edges. He's one of the best halves in picking his line runners, and they've got real quality there with Cordner, Guerra, Aubusson and Taukeiaho.

Just have to hope he doesn't play in Week 2 (and hopefully they lose), or that he'll end up playing in Week 3, is still a little underdone and they end up losing then.

 

[mieko]

Re: Finals Week One

Loyalty and tipping don't mix.

That's why I'm leading the ESPN Tipping Comp. :001_tt2:

Shit mate, that's pretty bloody good. What are you sitting on?

 

[Morkel]

Re: Finals Week One

It's just shitting me watch the Chooks and Dogs get an advantage from tunnel balling the ball through so quickly. They catch the marker going backwards without the risk of dropping the ball by standing up and playing it properly. Topou and Kasiano are the worst but a few of the chooks outside backs got away with atrocious efforts tonight.

They're not even standing up to do them. They've barely started to get off the ground, lurching in to the markers and rolling it. The sets that the commentary team wank over are started by two or three of these in a row.

 

[Morkel]

Re: Finals Week One

I'm not as worried about the Storm as others here. We were in with a shot the whole game without Hunt and our spine shot to pieces.

A year ago we'd have been beaten by 40.

 

[Porthoz]

Re: Finals Week One

This whinge may be to our advantage, if it gets the refs to monitor and penalise their tactics better!

Gotta laugh though when you think where it's coming from... :laugh:

Roosters coach Trent Robinson says referees let Melbourne Storm get away with wrestle tactics

 

[Broncoman]

Re: Finals Week One

Fair points Bman but let's look at that logic for a second.

Would you say that since Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is currently the best fullback in the game that Greg Inglis isn't one of the best players in the game?

What about Paul Gallen? A lot of people would rate Corey Parker above him as a middle forward, but does that make him a lesser player?

Not everybody can be Cameron Smith. However, that doesn't mean they can't still be lethal players in their own right.

You've got to look at it more as, if you had a Top 50 list, how many Cowboys players would make it.

Just off the top of my head...

Johnathan Thurston, Mat Scott, Michael Morgan, Jake Granville and Gavin Cooper would all be there.

Then there's players like Lachlan Coote, James Tamou, Jason Taumalolo and even Ben Hannant who could be there abouts at any given time.

Brisbane have plenty of great players too and I expect this to really go down the wire, but I think the big game experience of JT and Scott will prove the difference.

In the cases of Inglis and Gallen no I don't rate them as lesser players because they are still one of the best running around it's just that RTS and Parker are the best in the business. I didn't say that the Cowboys players are lesser players I think they are very good but there are players I would all take ahead of them apart from Thurston. From the blokes you listed here is who I would take ahead of them or think they are on the same level, apart from Thurston because he is the best halfback in the game.

Matt Scott; Josh McGuire, JWH, David Klemmer, James Graham, Andrew Fifita, Ben Matulino, George Burgess, Aaron Woods, Jesse Bromwich, Sam Moa, Dylan Napa

Michael Morgan; Anthony Milford, James Maloney, Benji Marshall, Daly Cherry-Evans, Blake Austin, Josh Reynolds, Aiden Sezer

Jake Granville; Jake Friend, Michael Ennis, Robbie Farah, Issac Luke, Cameron Smith

Gavin Cooper; Sam Thiaday, Boyd Cordner, Tyson Frizzel, Luke Lewis, Ryan Hoffman, Josh Papalli, Tariq Sims

Lachlan Coote; RTS, Darius Boyd, Josh Dugan, Michael Gordon, Billy Slater, James Tedesco, Brett Stewart,

James Tamou; refer to Matt Scott

Jason Taumololo; Just Corey Parker and Paul Gallen, this kid is one of my favourite players I'm a big fan of his

Ben Hannant; the same as Scott and Tamou as i still see him as front rower.

 

[Browny]

Re: Finals Week One

Funny thing was the refs were calling move very early in the first half

 

[Big Pete]

Re: Finals Week One

So Greg Inglis and Paul Gallen are two of the best players in the business, but theoretically there are players who are better or on their level?

How is that different to any of the Cowboys I named?

 

[Mr Fourex]

Re: Finals Week One

Ferguson seems good for at least one "Give him the ball and watch him beat defenders to score a try" a game.

He is also good for one "arm grab and let someone get round him to score a try" a game as well.

 

[Alec]

Re: Finals Week One

Widdop and Thompson back for the Drags. Huge boost.

 

[Alec]

Re: Finals Week One

Think the Drags will win this.

 

[Big Pete]

Re: Finals Week One

Dragons defence looking fairly soft.

The Bulldogs throwing the ball as they please.

 

[Alec]

Re: Finals Week One

Bulldogs looking better right now. I think they'll start to tire in the 2nd, and the Dragons will start to improve.

 

[Unbreakable]

Re: Finals Week One

Widdop looks to be playing at about 60%

 

[Alec]

Re: Finals Week One

Widdop looks to be playing at about 60%

Yeah, I thought he'd be a big in, but I was assuming he was close to 100%, or at least 80 or so.