It’s beginning to look like a three horse race for the premiership

[SBD82]

Where do I start? Even having the best coach in the game is an advantage. They get looked after in so many ways.

We have advantages too. We make the finals most years these days. We have depth other clubs dream of. We wouldn't be exempt from it. I'd go for a draft instead with bottom teams getting first pick (the AFL system) but can't see the wider NRL community going for it. The AFL only get away with it because it doesn't get challenged. But either way, the same teams playing in GF after GF is not going to do the game any good at all.

Seriously though, what are their advantages? You can hardly count the coach, because your club could just as easily have scouted him. It’s not as though he had connections to Melbourne prior to being recruited.

Why should they be penalised for good management? My team has shocking management. I want them to do better, not drag down those that are doing well.

 

[Rhyno]

Not even 3, it's down to 2, and big shock who they are.

Storm and Eels

 

[moffla]

yeah nah, Saints '09 they barely won the MP and looked shot heading into the finals. Parra looked invincible in '01 just like the Storm do this season.

Disagree

2017 we were invincible.

This year there is a team that can match us at full strength.

Storm/Roosters is very much 50/50

 

[TheFrog]

As an aside, In the past 20 years, the following (11/18) teams have won the AFL.

West coast
Richmond
Western Bulldogs
Hawthorn
Sydney Swans
Geelong
Collingwood
Port Adelaide
Brisbane Lions
Essendon
North Melbourne

In the same 20 years the following (11/16) teams have won the NRL:
Roosters
Melbourne
Sharks
Rabbitohs
Manly
Dragons
North Qld
Bulldogs
Panthers
Tigers
Knights

In the past 10 years these (7/18) teams have won the AFL:

West Coast
Richmond
Western Bulldogs
Hawthorn
Sydney Swans
Geelong
Collingwood

While in the NRL it’s these (7/16)
Roosters
Melbourne
Sharks
North Queensland
Rabbitohs
Manly
Dragons

On what do you base your argument that the draft is creating a more even competition?

Going back to 2006 (14 seasons, assuming it is inevitable at least one of Roosters and Storm will make the GF this year), one or both of the two dominant clubs have appeared in every decider except two (2014/15, unless I'm mistaken). I'm not all that up on AFL results, but I'd be very surprised if they have a similar record. It seems to change more.

 

[SBD82]

Going back to 2006 (14 seasons, assuming it is inevitable at least one of Roosters and Storm will make the GF this year), one or both of the two dominant clubs have appeared in every decider except two (2014/15, unless I'm mistaken). I'm not all that up on AFL results, but I'd be very surprised if they have a similar record. It seems to change more.

I’ve seen that stat, and while it’s a significant stat, I think it’s more a reflection of the professionalism of bellamy’s Melbourne than anything. The roosters have had strong periods, but have been nowhere near as consistent as Melbourne. Even when they made the GF in 2010 it was difficult to say that they were the 2nd best team that year.

These are the teams (11/18) in that time period that have played in an AFL GF:
West Coast
Collingwood
Richmond
Adelaide
Western Bulldogs
Sydney Swans
Hawthorn
Fremantle Dockers
Geelong
St Kilda
Port Adelaide

And for the NRL (11/18)
Brisbane
Melbourne
Manly
Roosters
Dragons
Warriors
Bulldogs
Rabbitohs
North Qld
Sharks
Eels

Edit* there was also the 2011 GF without roosters or Melbourne.

 

[justdave]

Storm are beatable with a certain game plan. Sharks have shown how to do it by being grubby and messing about at play of ball to put them off their game. Surprised more teams havent used the approach.

So you’re saying to beat the Storm, play like the Storm do. Play grubby, f**k around with the play the ball and get your captain to have the occasional chat to the ref about deserving a penalty at important times throughout the game?

 

[SBD82]

So you’re saying to beat the Storm, play like the Storm do. Play grubby, f**k around with the play the ball and get your captain to have the occasional chat to the ref about deserving a penalty at important times throughout the game?

You’re lucky enough to have a team that doesn’t need to. I think the Manly blueprint works too. Get walker talking and getting in their heads, offloads from Tapau and AFB to put doubt in their gang tackling, get Jurbo owning the ruck and use Turbo’s X-factor.

 

[adamkungl]

Winning the premiership, making the GF, making the top 4 and making the top 8 should all carry a salary cap penalty (obviously smaller going down) that persists for 10 seasons. Something like $70k for the premiership, 35k for the GF, 25K for top 4 and 20k for top 8 (probably percentage based). If after 10 years it isn't working, increase the penalties. Something has to be done about the same clubs enjoying perennial on-field success. It makes for a very unsatisfying competition. The AFL have the draft with bottom teams having first pick and that seems to work, but we've got nothing.

This might just be the worst opinion i've ever seen

 

[TheFrog]

This might just be the worst opinion i've ever seen

Not surprising you'd say that at all.

 

[justdave]

You’re lucky enough to have a team that doesn’t need to. I think the Manly blueprint works too. Get walker talking and getting in their heads, offloads from Tapau and AFB to put doubt in their gang tackling, get Jurbo owning the ruck and use Turbo’s X-factor.

I agree mostly. Walker’s pulled in his head a little bit though but I like him at 5/8, he’s running straighter. Turbo’s is having one of his patches where his hands are letting him down but yeah, when he gets it all correct he’s got the X.

We just don’t have the consistency at this stage to do it week in week out like the top 3

 

[thorson1987]

Not surprising you'd say that at all.

Well he is right.

 

[adamkungl]

I don't believe Albert died for this

 

[This Year?]

Disagree

2017 we were invincible.

This year there is a team that can match us at full strength.

Storm/Roosters is very much 50/50

We will see come finals time!

 

[TheFrog]

Well he is right.

Well of course Storm and Roosters fans would think everything was hunky dory, just like Dragons fans did 60 years ago. Another period of stagnation for the game.

 

[moffla]

Well of course Storm and Roosters fans would think everything was hunky dory, just like Dragons fans did 60 years ago. Another period of stagnation for the game.

So you want to punish clubs for being good?

 

[yobbo84]

Because some clubs have advantages over others, and the same old teams winning it year in and year out makes for a boring competition. And the AFL do it successfully with the draft. Note Brisbane leading the AFL.

The Panthers have 17 million juniors and a Leagues Club worth about the GDP of a small country. Your club should run itself better.

 

[WaznTheGreat]

Wazn couldn't even win a three horse race

 

[Jean Capdouze]

It’s only a two horse race now. The Melbourne Storm will play the Mighty Eastern Suburbs Roosters in the Grand Final, Melbourne will lose.

 

[The unknown]

Eels

Maybe in 2039

 

[DC_fan]

It’s beginning to look a lot like a two horse race between the Roosters and the Storm.

I have written off my team the Rabbitohs. The way they are playing at the moment they will struggle to make the top 4.