Game II Discussion

[Huge]

Just watched a repeat of the match sober and still think Gavin Cooper was our best forward and the best forward on the field. I don't quite understand why he is not getting more credit.

Also I have no qualms in saying that Qld were the better side on the night all be it a close contest.

And I don't think Qld win without Biily Slater .

Cooper was fine and I don't really see anyone wanting him dropped. He could have been given a bit more credit but he did well right enough. Very committed in defence.

 

[Huge]

I haven't got the exact wording but Rothfield on 360 was disgusting. He literally said something along the lines of "You can't give a team like QLD 50mins of footy without penalising them, it's not fair to the other side" I mean, FMD. He wants them to make up phantom penalties?

Rothfield said you can't give a side as good as qld 46 minutes without a penalty. He didn't say it wasn't fair. He was however a whinging biased old git trying to highlight 11 instances where he considered the refs got it wrong however Kent, to his credit quickly stamped out that shit. Kent even pointed out the 11-1 penalty count from soo3last year. Rothfield is a disgrace and should never be called a reporter, much better to label him a tawdry gossip columnist.

 

[mrslong]

I reckon Tedesco`s HIA was so they didn`t have to use an inter change . Smelt fishy .

They did it for Fifita in game 1 too, he hurt his leg and was tired so he had a "head injury assessment" Dodgy AF.

 

[mrslong]

Just watched a repeat of the match sober and still think Gavin Cooper was our best forward and the best forward on the field. I don't quite understand why he is not getting more credit.

Also I have no qualms in saying that Qld were the better side on the night all be it a close contest.

And I don't think Qld win without Biily Slater .

Slater's play to stretch his foot back to the in goal to get the 20m tap was almost the play of the game. I don't think Darius does that.

 

[Big Del]

Re watched yesterday . Cooper was doing a lot of things right . That`s why we didn`t notice him . Lots of defense and no mistakes .
Napa went really well in his 2nd stint .

The pass off the ground from Thurston was at least a 1/2 metre fwd . 2 refs and a touchie didn`t see it . WTF ?

The blocking off the ball was ridiculous from both sides .

Refs on orders to ref differently from NRL rules ? Weird concept . SOO and Internationals played under different rules to the Premier competition .

 

[BroncsFan]

Of course it was.

Every team exploits the concussion rule. NSW were trying to defend their lead at the time, so get a fresh player on the field and don't use an interchange.

For me there's a pretty simple solution to that.

If someone goes off for a HIA and is cleared then they have to return to the field at the next possible point and it has to be for the player that went on in their place.

If they don't return after being cleared (i.e. 15mins) then it counts as an interchange.

 

[BroncsFan]

My favourite part was when he called 50/50 penalties "incorrect" because they didn't go to his team.

Haha and his call that every 50/50 went qld's way. I guess the strip on Val's first touch wasn't 50/50 then.

How is rothfield around anyway??? He has literally said himself that he had no journalistic qualifications when he started and it shows with the amount of jibberish he goes on with

 

[Super Freak]

For me there's a pretty simple solution to that.

If someone goes off for a HIA and is cleared then they have to return to the field at the next possible point and it has to be for the player that went on in their place.

If they don't return after being cleared (i.e. 15mins) then it counts as an interchange.

There is a simpler solution.

No free interchange.

 

[BroncsFan]

There is a simpler solution.

No free interchange.

There should be a free interchange for a legitimate concussion, otherwise you revert back to them not coming off because the team has to win.... and that opens the teams, coach and NRL up to legal action through negligence

 

[Morkel]

There should be a free interchange for a legitimate concussion, otherwise you revert back to them not coming off because the team has to win.... and that opens the teams, coach and NRL up to legal action through negligence

I thought Origin now has independent doctors for the HIA rule. So obviously the players have been coached to fake symptoms in order to give the doctors no choice but to take them off.

There is no easy answer. To stop players faking it and then coming back, maybe rule it as no free interchange if they are cleared to return. They only get a free interchange if the player is ruled out, BUT, they must miss the next game.

 

[BroncsFan]

I thought Origin now has independent doctors for the HIA rule. So obviously the players have been coached to fake symptoms in order to give the doctors no choice but to take them off.

There is no easy answer. To stop players faking it and then coming back, maybe rule it as no free interchange if they are cleared to return. They only get a free interchange if the player is ruled out, BUT, they must miss the next game.

For me if the guy coming off for a HIA is cleared then after their 15 min assessment they have to come back on and for the guy who came on for them.

IF they don't come back on after 15 or if they come back but for a different guy then class them as an interchange. That way the only way you get a free interchange is if someone has a legitimate concussion or if they go off for a HIA then come back after 15 for being cleared.

There is very little advantage that can be gained for a guy coming on and off for 15 mins.

 

[Morkel]

For me if the guy coming off for a HIA is cleared then after their 15 min assessment they have to come back on and for the guy who came on for them.

IF they don't come back on after 15 or if they come back but for a different guy then class them as an interchange. That way the only way you get a free interchange is if someone has a legitimate concussion or if they go off for a HIA then come back after 15 for being cleared.

There is very little advantage that can be gained for a guy coming on and off for 15 mins.

They'll still fake it and be rewarded with a free interchange. Getting a 15 minute rest, putting on a gun impact player, and swapping back, is a massive advantage if no interchanges are used up.

 

[Browny]

To be fair to Fafita he did cop a swinging arm from Maguire

 

[Dash]

It should only be a free interchange if the player fails the HIA.

 

[Sproj]

So finally watched a full replay, and can give my ratings:

1. Slater - Yep I didn't want to bring him back but that class you just can't replace, what a legend and deserved to be there. How he still has that speed I'll never know. 8
2. Holmes - I was vocally annoyed about Oates being effectively dropped for Holmes and 80 minutes later, I'm still absolutely gobsmacked as to why. Holmes really looked a rung below Oates and I would love nothing more than to see Oates back in. 4
3. Chambers - He showed why he should have been on the right in game 1, he absolutely owned Hayne and their battle was fun all night. We need him fit for game three because he is a real weapon for us there. 7
4. Boyd - He slipped into left centre seamlessly and I've got to say, there was a bit of Hodges about the way he played all over the field at times, he was fantastic, a real gut punch that he is out for game three. 8
5. Gagai - He is just made for this level, everything he does is with purpose and he is the best rep winger in the game right now, what a big game player he is. He must go to centre so Oates and Holmes can be the left and right wingers respectively. I know we lose a lot from Gagai but we are desperate for a centre. 9
6. Thurston - Busted his shoulder early on and was a passenger there after but you can just see the players lift knowing he is there and that sideline conversion to win it, wow! 6
7. Cronk - He became more and more urgent as the game went on and his belief and calmness seemed to filter through the team. 9
8. Napa - What a second stint!! Actually, his first stint was good too but that second one-two punch with McGuire was needed and turned the game. 9
9. Smith - He was quiet in game 1 but was back to his best in this game. The thing is, he took some wrong options but even when he does, he makes something out of it still. A privilege to watch the best 9 of all time as we have no idea how long he has left in the game, just enjoy his class while we can. 9
10. Wallace - I read he came off puffed but he wasn't and in his one and only stint, he was really, really good. I have no idea why he didn't get back on. So strange. 6
11. Cooper - He was fantastic and a very under-acknowledged performance. He was a rock in defense and did some Cordneresque runs in attack. I really rated his game. 9
12. Gillett - Did not put a foot wrong all night. Even when he gets a missed tackle, he has usually hit his opponent so hard he is going backwards anyway. Some good signs in attack as well. He has another level to go to but the level in this game was better than most can play at their best. 8
13. McGuire - For mine, the player of the match. His second stint with Napa was absolutely inspiring stuff. Would love to see McGuire attack like that for the Broncs too. 9.5

14. Morgan - So nice to be on the right side of that flick pass, goodness me what a play that was for Gagai's second. He was good without being great but certainly is showing he belongs at this level. 7
15. Papalii - I don't know what happened with him in this game. Really needed his urgency and impact off the bench but just seemed to plod while out there. No coincidence Qld was strong at the start and finish when Napa and McGuire were on or off. Need from this guy and he is one who can certainly provide it. 5
16. Hess - Didn't really get too much of a chance to shine but most importantly for the kid, he didn't look out of place in his time out there, despite being in the middle at a time when Qld were under pressure. We will see a lot more of him over the next decade in the maroon jersey. 5
17. Glasby - He shouldn't have been there, cost two tries and offered little. He got a little better as he went on but the damage was done. He sticks in tackles but gets driven back ten metres every time before help arrives. He had some ok runs but nothing at all Kaufusi, Thaiday, Bolton or probably even Sims couldn't all provide as well. 3

Special Mention 1: Jarryd Hayne - Absolute shocker from him, he is playing at the wrong side as centre, please keep picking him there NSW, you are wasting your biggest weapon.

Special Mention 2: James Maloney v Billy Slater - Two grubs going at each other all night, twas highly, highly enjoyable.

Special Mention 3: Dugan or Fergusen (can't remember) got absolutely smashed by Boyd and was unable to compete for the ball, yet play on. Slater gets coat-hangered chasing a bomb and play on. Horrible refereeing. That said, Hayne runs into the backs of Chambers and Slater and no penalty, at least that was the right call.

 

[Number6]

I thought Origin now has independent doctors for the HIA rule. So obviously the players have been coached to fake symptoms in order to give the doctors no choice but to take them off.

There is no easy answer. To stop players faking it and then coming back, maybe rule it as no free interchange if they are cleared to return. They only get a free interchange if the player is ruled out, BUT, they must miss the next game.

For me need incentives to get player off to protect them from concussion always going to gaming but can't punish the real for the con artists. Just put massive fines for clubs and 10 game unpaid suspensions if caught out in a lie and if goes off for HIA even if cleared has to have extensive neuropsychology +\- neurological exams by independent team before playing next weeks game. Also make it socially unacceptable with PR spin.
Paint fakers as monsters endangering safety advances for others. Won't solve the problem but adds safety for players, creates disincentives for bad liars and players will hate doing all those tests just for a five minute rest, teams will hate paying for the tests too.

 

[Morkel]

How do you expose those who fake it? The only immediate effects are behavioural which can easily be faked. Even if they had an MRI on the sidelines (which is impossible) it'd still take too long to properly diagnose anything.

The reality is, you can't accurately spot fakers. To avoid players using it for a 15 minute rest and cheating the interchange, remove that advantage. It was only brought in to stop teams deliberately taking other players out, knowing it'd rule them out for the game (Inglis in Origin). The current rules barely even protect a team that's been wronged, so scrap it altogether. If they pitch it in the name of player safety, and that faking it undermines that, not many people can complain. Especially if a legit concussion still allows a free interchange, but having to sit out the next game (also for safety) punishes those who fake it too.

 

[Nashy]

For me there's a pretty simple solution to that.

If someone goes off for a HIA and is cleared then they have to return to the field at the next possible point and it has to be for the player that went on in their place.

If they don't return after being cleared (i.e. 15mins) then it counts as an interchange.

I would go one step further and remove the team doctors from the decision. Let the NRL doctor to make the calls with no influence from others. Hell, put him in the bunker and do it from there.