Grand final match thread.

[The Brizz]

I was fairly neutral going in and was desperate for a really good close match, from my point of view both sides received some baffling decisions and some of the decisions made demonstrate how over complicated they have made what should be a pretty simple sport. The match was awful to watch from a neutral point of view because of the officiating even though I still enjoyed the toughness and closeness of the first half.

People give football (soccer) crap about being stuck in the past with its hesitancy to add video into the equation but by keeping the rules pretty bloody clear and simple the game is easy to follow and the referees aren't left retarded grey areas to decipher. The amount of appallingly bad decisions in an average league match is just crazy especially when you consider they have given them more ref's and help from upstairs while soccer has kept its officialdom almost exactly the same (barring more input now from the 4th official).

Simple answer is to strip the rules down because right now the game is far too complicated and you only have to listen to the frustration in Rabs' voice as he tries to decode some of these rulings to know the game has changed for the worse.

 

[ningnangnong]

Away from the actual game of footy, I want to mention something else.

Not sure if you saw it on telly, but at halftime they had a Black Hawk fly into the stadium, do a 360 turn and then fly away. Think they do it every year, don't they?

Anyway, I''ll you what, it was an extremely moving experience. There was just a different atmosphere for that minute or so when the helicopter was floating in the stadium.

Such a shame they do it at halftime, when a lot of people have gone for a wiz or to buy some food. They should do it in the half hour leading up to kick-off, so it gets the recognition it deserves.

 

[Fozz]

They did it in 2007, delivering the trophy.

 

[Dexter]

Agree Brizz, but I think a lot of the complication comes from the commentators, namely Gus, he has a knack of argueing things and making his point of view valid but all it does is confuse issues and then things are argued in the press and rules changed to accomodate these points of view.

Ppl cannot accept that mistakes will be made and the more they try to make things perfect the more complicated things become.

 

[Ghibli]

Personally, I think it had to be a try because there is no way the ball was coming loose unless Sowards legs dislodged it.

So you think that if a player is going over for a try, and is hit hard in a tackle in the process of scoring and the ball dislodges, then it should be play-on for the attacking team?????

 

[The Brizz]

Personally, I think it had to be a try because there is no way the ball was coming loose unless Sowards legs dislodged it.

So you think that if a player is going over for a try, and is hit hard in a tackle in the process of scoring and the ball dislodges, then it should be play-on for the attacking team?????

See this is exactly what I mean, where is the reward for making the last ditch effort in defense? A lack of ball security rewarded the Roosters with a try when if that had have happened on halfway it would have been a scrum. Too much inconsistency and complication in the rule.

 

[m1c]

I actually thought Carney played pretty well. Pearce was the one who went MIA, nearly spat out my steak when Johns had him as his pick for the CC medal after this.....

Mitchell Pearce, Halfback 80mins: ATTACK: 1run (6m), 0 offloads, 1 Tackle bust, 0 Line breaks, 0 Line break assists, 0 Try assists, 10 kicks (434m).

Mitchell Pearce, Halfback 80mins: DEFENCE: 21 tackles, 10 missed tackles, 0 pens conceded, 1 error

Got ripped a new one by Creagh

 

[Dexter]

Personally, I think it had to be a try because there is no way the ball was coming loose unless Sowards legs dislodged it.

So you think that if a player is going over for a try, and is hit hard in a tackle in the process of scoring and the ball dislodges, then it should be play-on for the attacking team?????

No not all, the difference being Soward played at the ball, he dislodges it, that was his only play and it was play on from that point .

 

[schmix]

Away from the actual game of footy, I want to mention something else.

Not sure if you saw it on telly, but at halftime they had a Black Hawk fly into the stadium, do a 360 turn and then fly away. Think they do it every year, don't they?

Anyway, I''ll you what, it was an extremely moving experience. There was just a different atmosphere for that minute or so when the helicopter was floating in the stadium.

Such a shame they do it at halftime, when a lot of people have gone for a wiz or to buy some food. They should do it in the half hour leading up to kick-off, so it gets the recognition it deserves.

I haven't been to the grand final for a couple of years now, but the black hawk was definitely a regular thing up until 2007. I'm pretty sure it was usually done before the game too because I remember missing it more often than not (or seeing it from outside the stadium). I always loved it when I actually did get to see it.

 

[Professor47]

Biggest choker of the Grand Final was Todd Carney. If the NSW Origin selectors are seriously considering him for next year, look no further than yesterday's game. He choked. He couldn't handle the big game pressure.

Meanwhile Soward was yet again the consummate professional. Played a perfect hand in the GF.

IMO he has to be the NSW 5/8.

Disagree. Didn't put himself in the game but I think 'choke' is harsh. First GF, conditions didn't suit him. Obviously the underdog team by a fair margin (IMO) - if anything it would have been gigantic if he could have grabbed the game by the throat and lead them to victory but come on... he's only a kid when it comes to big games. Wasn't it his first final series? I definitely think a few years from now some of these young players will have huge, HUGE influences on their teams.

 

[Nashy]

Away from the actual game of footy, I want to mention something else.

Not sure if you saw it on telly, but at halftime they had a Black Hawk fly into the stadium, do a 360 turn and then fly away. Think they do it every year, don't they?

Anyway, I''ll you what, it was an extremely moving experience. There was just a different atmosphere for that minute or so when the helicopter was floating in the stadium.

Such a shame they do it at halftime, when a lot of people have gone for a wiz or to buy some food. They should do it in the half hour leading up to kick-off, so it gets the recognition it deserves.

I haven't been to the grand final for a couple of years now, but the black hawk was definitely a regular thing up until 2007. I'm pretty sure it was usually done before the game too because I remember missing it more often than not (or seeing it from outside the stadium). I always loved it when I actually did get to see it.

Channel 9 did a tribute to the lost diggers when the chopper flew in.