NRL Rd 14 2020 - General Non-Warriors Thread

[Blair]

The bio-security breaches are getting to be a real worry. We know it will only take one player, coach, other staff member, etc to catch Covid-19 and the whole season could be turned around, again.

As it is, one of the most high-profile of late was Wayne Bennett's very expensive '20k lunch'! (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08...coach-wayne-bennett-fined-for-breach/12536738).

About ten Broncos are being investigated for being out at a 'pub lunch' (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...-brisbane-broncos-in-doubt-after-covid-breach). The obvious joke there is you could say the Broncos have all been 'out to lunch' for most of the season!

Tonight is a preview of the GF most neutrals don't want, Roosters v Storm.

Will the Panthers set a club record of nine wins on the trot? Or will the gutsy Warriors set their own record with three wins in a row, for the first time since 2018?

Eels v Dragons. The Eels aren't really playing well, are they? But they keep scraping home. A really good side might sort them out now.

Sharks v Titans. A must-win for the team just in the eight. Surely?

Cows v Rabbitohs. Another one where a side just in the eight needs to win.

Raiders v Broncos. Gee, will Brisbane rally? With all the bad press in regard to the Covid-19 breaches? With a coach who could be on his last week in charge? If not, Canberra might do a job on them.

Knights v Manly - Match of the round (sorry, but I'm biased against the opening game of the round). The Knights are looking to finish in the top-four, Manly would just be happy to take it one step at a time, beginning with a win here. Dessie's been a devil in the sheds, will it work this week?

We finish with Tigers v Dogs. Sorry, but Wests have blown it. Go Bulldogs.

 

[TheDMC]

Parra and Penrith have looked the goods this season - but neither have barely had to travel and neither have anywhere near the injuries of most other teams. Would be interesting to see how they fare with a few injuries to key players, or up against a Melbourne, Roosters, and maybe Canberra if fit and firing ant at business end.

I found it a bit off that when we played Manly last weekend there was so much emphasis on their injury toll by the commentators and others, when of course, our injury toll + five players gone home, and everything else, is much worse. Any win for the warriors is a mighty effort at this stage.

How good would it be if we upset the Panthers! They must be due a falter, perhaps think they have already won against us and just need to turn up to bank the points. They would have to drop 20% performance and us play very well though!

Looking forward to the weekend of footy regardless.

 

[Blair]

Parra and Penrith have looked the goods this season - but neither have barely had to travel and neither have anywhere near the injuries of most other teams. Would be interesting to see how they fare with a few injuries to key players, or up against a Melbourne, Roosters, and maybe Canberra if fit and firing ant at business end.

I found it a bit off that when we played Manly last weekend there was so much emphasis on their injury toll by the commentators and others, when of course, our injury toll + five players gone home, and everything else, is much worse. Any win for the warriors is a mighty effort at this stage.

How good would it be if we upset the Panthers! They must be due a falter, perhaps think they have already won against us and just need to turn up to bank the points. They would have to drop 20% performance and us play very well though!

Looking forward to the weekend of footy regardless.

Plenty of smart Penrith people are thinking a loss is a good thing right now.

Personally, I think winning is a good thing and the roll can go on regardless.

 

[Blair]

McGregor is standing down as Dragon's coach this weekend.

He's allowed one last game in charge. I feel sorry for the Eels and am glad we aren't playing the Dragons!

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Roosters on life support now with their injury toll

Seems to me that it will be a comp based on injury luck this season, or being healthy at the right time

 

[Fufu Andronez]

Injuries play a part every year and I'd say whoever wins it this year has done so in probably the hardest circumstances we've seen.

Cream still rises to the top, if you're good enough you'll be there at the business end.

Reserve grade is a must next season

 

[SmashEmBro]

Is it just me or has this year been waaaaay worse for injuries?

Look at Roosters currently, they would have 7 front liners out.

Including out 5 who went home, we've had upwards of 10 players unavailable for a lot of matches.

Manly and Broncos have also been decimated with injury too.

Am I imagining it? Cnt remember a year where atleast 4 teams have had 7+ players unavailable..

 

[Campion]

Is it just me or has this year been waaaaay worse for injuries?

Look at Roosters currently, they would have 7 front liners out.

Including out 5 who went home, we've had upwards of 10 players unavailable for a lot of matches.

Manly and Broncos have also been decimated with injury too.

Am I imagining it? Cnt remember a year where atleast 4 teams have had 7+ players unavailable..

Bellamy reckoned part of it was the six-again rule meaning fatigue setting in and people making poor choices in terms of body positioning when that happens. Also speculated maybe the covid break didn't help with fitness and conditioning.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Plenty of smart Penrith people are thinking a loss is a good thing right now.

Personally, I think winning is a good thing and the roll can go on regardless.

If we beat the Panthers we will make the 8 for sure!!!

 

[JJ]

Bellamy reckoned part of it was the six-again rule meaning fatigue setting in and people making poor choices in terms of body positioning when that happens. Also speculated maybe the covid break didn't help with fitness and conditioning.

Probably part of it, but the likes of Radley, Walker etc went down very early in games...

lots of factors, shit luck a big one

 

[Blair]

If we beat the Panthers we will make the 8 for sure!!!

As Big Ken would say, I'm excited!

(That's that TV ad 'Big Ken', not the Warriors' one).

 

[Big Marn]

As Big Ken would say, I'm excited!

(That's that TV ad 'Big Ken', not the Warriors' one).

cant say im familiar with that ad. must be an aussie advert.
this is an old advert that always makes me laugh.

 

[Blair]

cant say im familiar with that ad. must be an aussie advert.
this is an old advert that always makes me laugh.

Big Ken* was a big, crass Queenslander who draped himself in an Aussie flag and tried to flog off cleaning products on late-night TV.

Actually, it's 'Big Kev' not 'Big Ken', so forget the Ken Maumalo reference.

 

[jaseg]

Probably part of it, but the likes of Radley, Walker etc went down very early in games...

lots of factors, shit luck a big one

Absolutely, shit luck is nearly always the biggest.

I'm guessing another contributing factor (though by how much would be up for debate) would be the standard of pitches being used. Playing surfaces that normally get 1 game a week (and with gaps where no games are played one week) can at times be seeing 2-3 games a week for several weeks in a row, degrading the surface.

Not sure RE training pitches, but in cases where clubs were unable to use their regular facilities (us, the Storm, maybe the Raiders when they were playing at Campbelltown? not sure of the exact arrangements there for game days) they may have ended up using substandard pitches.

 

[Blair]

The Dragons send Mary out a winner, and maybe expose the Eels to a reality check.

In today's other game...Procter sent off for biting SJ! So much for being Kiwis team mates.

 

[Penrose_11]

The Dragons send Mary out a winner, and maybe expose the Eels to a reality check.

In today's other game...Procter sent off for biting SJ! So much for being Kiwis team mates.

Can certainly see a defence for a Proctor but unsure how judiciary will go. Could easily argue SJ forced his arm across Proctors face and forearm ended up in his mouth. Didn’t see any bite down from Proctor so wonder what the teeth marks on the arm look like

 

[JJ]

He didn’t bite him imo

SJ playing games in the moment and it got out of hand... not great

 

[Fufu Andronez]

Looked suss as f**k though, if he didn't bite him, he came awfully close

 

[Beavers Headgear]

I thought it was a pretty clear bite and by all accounts the teeth marks were there on his arm too

The footage of Johnson in the sheds post match were pretty damning too compared to what he said publicly

 

[Fufu Andronez]

Broncos lose 36-8 after leading 8-6 at half time.

When it rains it pours