NRL 2021 Grand Final

[broncsgoat]

Giant raspberry noises to this.

Penrith were given 6 agains in attacking positions and Rabbits on the first to start the uphill climb. If anything, the Rabbits were the better and fitter team for staying in it as long as they did. The intercept came from tiredness. Penrith were kissed on the peen since the start of last season and the only time I doubted them winning the GF was their loss early in the finals run.

 

[Kimlo]

All in all, happy for Penrith to win it. It beats having Melbourne/Roosters every year.

It's despicable that the game rewards who cheats the most but that's rugby league now. Hopefully Walters is taking notes and practices cheating in the pre-season.

 

[McHunt]

The better team won, but Souths put up a hell of fight.

 

[Big Pete]

Come on Pete. I know you like to stay impartial, but to say that Souths need to bend the rules to win is exactly the issue we all have with Penrith

But that's not an issue exclusive to Penrith. Souths had the same opportunities to exploit the rules, which they did and they weren't good enough.

It's two entirely different conversations. On the face of it, there was no grand conspiracy in the current meta the Penrith's defence and kicking game puts them above every other team in the competition.

The conversation that has far more merit is the current state of the game and whether it's broken. Right now the risk-reward of being off-side is far too unbalanced and it's too easy to pin teams down.

 

[Morkel]

They're not gifted advantages. Every team has the same opportunity, nobody can keep it up at the pace Penrith can because they have the best kicking game in the competition and the best back three at making metres out of trouble. Souths had every opportunity to bend the rules and they couldn't because they were too exhausted.

You said it yourself all year that there have been a couple of teams that have "adapted" to the new rules, but it was never an even playing field. The only reason certain teams adapted the tactic was because only certain teams were allowed to.

The NRL has always done what suited its own agendas. In this case, dying talent pools because rich/strategically-important teams have been able to poach instead of develop for too long. The rhetoric over the next few weeks will be "this is the reward the Panthers have reaped from developing talent", followed by "teams need to be rewarded for developing talent". They are as predictable as they are short-sighted.

 

[Wolfie]

I personally think something is going on thst has stacked things in the favour of Penrith. I get every team could have the same opportunities to do what they do, but I don't think they actually do get them. There is no way their line speed can be that fast every game for 80 mins. They are rarely back 10 meters.

I think tonight Sutton just had no control over the ruck, and I think Penrith got some favourable calls, but you have to have luck sometimes to win a grand final.

 

[Big Pete]

You said it yourself all year that there have been a couple of teams that have "adapted" to the new rules, but it was never an even playing field. The only reason certain teams adapted the tactic was because only certain teams were allowed to.

The NRL has always done what suited its own agendas. In this case, dying talent pools because rich/strategically-important teams have been able to poach instead of develop for too long. The rhetoric over the next few weeks will be "this is the reward the Panthers have reaped from developing talent", followed by "teams need to be rewarded for developing talent". They are as predictable as they are short-sighted.

That's a credit to those teams and if the other teams were capable of performing to those standards they would likely receive the same rewards.

I just don't see how this is any different to any other year of the competition. The best teams tend to make their own luck and 'receive calls' without it being a conspiracy.

The other ugly truth is that some fans are just petty and can't accept a team they dislike won a premiership legitimately.

If there was a conspiracy, the whole idea of the set restarts was to penalise the wrestle and destroy the Storm's defensive systems. Except the rules had the opposite effect and Melbourne won the premiership one year and then went onto equal a record for the most amount of consecutive wins. Whatever conspiracy was set in place clearly backfired.

 

[Morkel]

That's a credit to those teams and if the other teams were capable of performing to those standards they would likely receive the same rewards.

I just don't see how this is any different to any other year of the competition. The best teams tend to make their own luck and 'receive calls' without it being a conspiracy.

The other ugly truth is that some fans are just petty and can't accept a team they dislike won a premiership legitimately.

If there was a conspiracy, the whole idea of the set restarts was to penalise the wrestle and destroy the Storm's defensive systems. Except the rules had the opposite effect and Melbourne won the premiership one year and then went onto equal a record for the most amount of consecutive wins. Whatever conspiracy was set in place clearly backfired.

Do you really think the NRL would actually do anything to nobble the Storm? It was a gesture aimed at appeasing fans of teams that Aren't The Storm, while simply giving another avenue to add discretion to calls. If the NRL were genuine about it they would have weathered the media crusade a couple of years ago and upheld their foul play crackdown.

With the 6 agains, you have calls being made that for the most part can't even be scrutinised by replays and even if they are, it's too late to overturn them. They are an absolute dream innovation for games that are effectively refereed from the bunker, with the on-field ref just the puppet blowing the whistle. The way the game has gone, I find it almost impossible to believe that games are refereed impartially, that calls are made on merit, and not on the jerseys or the tip sheets handed to the refs before each game. Even more weight is added to that when black and white calls (like any high contact will be penalised for Safety & Legal Reasons) being thrown out the door when it puts a certain result in jeopardy.

And yeah, for sure, I'm under no illusion that I'm not petty and disollusioned, but I am also an absolute stickler for rules and parity. Nothing pisses me off more than rules being broken, and worse, those offenders being allowed to get away with it. I watch that shit like an old lady watches their street through their curtains.

 

[Super Freak]

clearly, Sutton (or the bunker) couldn't penalise the Panthers for the high shot on Gagai, because it had the potential to **** up the script for Vlandys ...

but damn it's annoying since the Flegler hit that cost us our second win over the Roosters this year, was a far softer hit than that one.

but hey ref one way all year (at least since magic round) ... then change it when it doesn't suit their plans in the GF ... definitely a professional outfit the NRL /sarcasm

He wasn't penalized because Gagai's head was only a metre off the ground. He slipped into it. That's why it wasn't a penalty, which you could hear during the broadcast.

Flegler's was very different. The high shot by Burton would have been penalized if Gagai's head didn't drop so much.

 

[Foordy]

He wasn't penalized because Gagai's head was only a metre off the ground. He slipped into it. That's why it wasn't a penalty, which you could hear during the broadcast.

Flegler's was very different. The high shot by Burton would have been penalized if Gagai's head didn't drop so much.

they've been penalising those all season.

from magic round it hasn't mattered whether the player fell into it or was "only a meter off the ground" ... any contact with the head has been penalised. right up until the 77th minute of the GF when they decide that they will take these extenuating circumstances into consideration again.

don't get me wrong, I don't think it should have been a penalty (however that was pre- Vlandysball 2.0) ... but you can't penalise those all bloody year and then change the way these tackles are officiated because it is a GF.

 

[Morkel]

He wasn't penalized because Gagai's head was only a metre off the ground. He slipped into it. That's why it wasn't a penalty, which you could hear during the broadcast.

Flegler's was very different. The high shot by Burton would have been penalized if Gagai's head didn't drop so much.

That is not how it has been refereed all year. There have been multiple times where players have slipped or been going to ground and if they've been hit high the referees have said every time that it doesn't matter, it's on the defender to not hit a player high.

 

[Organix]

Do you really think the NRL would actually do anything to nobble the Storm? It was a gesture aimed at appeasing fans of teams that Aren't The Storm, while simply giving another avenue to add discretion to calls. If the NRL were genuine about it they would have weathered the media crusade a couple of years ago and upheld their foul play crackdown.

With the 6 agains, you have calls being made that for the most part can't even be scrutinised by replays and even if they are, it's too late to overturn them. They are an absolute dream innovation for games that are effectively refereed from the bunker, with the on-field ref just the puppet blowing the whistle. The way the game has gone, I find it almost impossible to believe that games are refereed impartially, that calls are made on merit, and not on the jerseys or the tip sheets handed to the refs before each game. Even more weight is added to that when black and white calls (like any high contact will be penalised for Safety & Legal Reasons) being thrown out the door when it puts a certain result in jeopardy.

And yeah, for sure, I'm under no illusion that I'm not petty and disollusioned, but I am also an absolute stickler for rules and parity. Nothing pisses me off more than rules being broken, and worse, those offenders being allowed to get away with it. I watch that shit like an old lady watches their street through their curtains.

Not when they are the most supported club in the country (1.2 M supporters)

More than even the Swans.

Melbourne Storm Named Australia’s Most Supported Club - Ministry of Sport

The latest Roy Morgan report has revealed the Melbourne Storm as Australia’s most supported club in 2021 with 1.2 million supporters.

www.google.com

$$

 

[Mightybroncs2k17]

They're not gifted advantages. Every team has the same opportunity, nobody can keep it up at the pace Penrith can because they have the best kicking game in the competition and the best back three at making metres out of trouble. Souths had every opportunity to bend the rules and they couldn't because they were too exhausted.

I really like your point about having the best kicking game and back 3 making meters.

Football doesn't have to be a complicated game and having those two traits really is massive. Good kicking game allows you to start your defensive sets (providing you have a good chase) in a good position. Strong back 3 then allows you to start your attacking sets off strong and in good position.

All you really need to do then is be disciplined! I hope Brisbane can bring that next year with A Rey kicking game led by Capwell chase. Then Oates, Herbie and say Tessi as the back 3 all running for 150+ meters a game. Suddenly your game plan writes itself!

 

[BroncosFever]

Thought Souths desperately missed Latrell last night, they just couldn’t get their sets going.

Seemed like they were heavily relying on a few decisions to have a crack at the Penrith line and being a GF, the refs tend to put keep it in their pocket

 

[johnyE]

Of all the great kicking games and sideline over the black dot conversions we've seen all year , Adam Reynolds misses the one f*****g kick that counts, and funny thing I sat there and just knew he was going to miss it !! . I hope this GF loss now gives him the impetuous and drive to play even better for us . Field position killed the rabbits last night , when they got down that end they always looked like scoring . Penrith just got the rub of the green , thanks to Sutton in what I though was bit of a dour affair. I stopped watching at the 79th , couldn't bother watch those smirking Penrith pricks win the prize.

 

[Browny]

**** me my 11 yr old daughter could see the difference in reffing for the panthers

 

[Jedhead]

There were a few moments in last night's game when incidents occurred and Sutton was sort of like a deer in the headlights. He wasn't sure what had actually just transpired and was therefore hesitant to make a call straight away. You could hear him pleading with the bunker for more information as they were also frantically trying to review the play.

These awkward moments were only few and far between last night but for me it reinforced the claim that the bunker is essentially officiating the game. Last night there were a few incidents that the bunker decided to turn a blind eye to.

Just like the most social networking sites that have been flooded by so much fake news it has made reading news online almost impossible so to is watching a game of NRL. The rules and interpretations change from weekend to weekend. E.g. Kikau's hit on Arrow in the magic round would have been reviewed by the bunker and he would have been sent off (especially if he was wearing a Broncos shirt). Last night he never even got 10 in the bin yet Arrow missed the most of the game.

It's hard to watch my love for the game slowly being snuffed out by short-sighted gamblers who deliberately manipulate the game using short-term 'fixes' which have long-term detrimental effects on the game.

 

[Morepudding]

Gotta love that bennet hasn’t won a comp in over a decade.