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Week 2 Finals: Parra v Penrith GAME DAY THREAD @ Mackay 18/9/21

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42,876
I know you guys are good uber dedicated fans:

Mitchell 3 pts
Fergo 2 pts

Did you see Fergos scrambling to save that try on the wing forcing merkin to cut inside?

Great footy.
Dylan Brown deserves some points just for the number of times he was stopping our runners getting pushed backwards in tackles. He was everywhere last night.
 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
84,160
Why??? Our attack has serious limitations and no matter how you spin it we will struggle to win the big games until something is done. It was side to side block plays and crash balls until a kick on the 5th which Penrith handled with ease.


Our forwards and players deserve so much better.
Maybe Penrith's defence was good? Or was their attack shit because they only managed one line break?
 
Messages
15,386
Dylan Brown deserves some points just for the number of times he was stopping our runners getting pushed backwards in tackles. He was everywhere last night.
There were a lot of heroes.

I wanted more from Gutho tbh.

But I’m over this business of hazy running into the middle on return, that could have been mixed up. He did a great job, very courageous, but the defence had him covered before Gutho passed to him. Like a 10 second warning.

And that last ball, ffs that was a bad idea. Hospital pass and panic, he wasn’t going to get over, that had been tried before.

Just needed to settle and set up a sweep move, I thought anyway.

But you can tell that play was Beas but he wasn’t reading the defence properly by then.

It was poorly executed, worst result possible, but the idea wasn’t that stellar.

On the Bea plus side, he really had them up for the wrestle, that was impressive coaching.
 

Soto

Bench
Messages
2,712
8 calls that left Eels fuming in cruel finals exit

NRL Finals 2021: Penrith Panthers edge out Parramatta Eels 8-6 in semi-final thriller in Mackay Parramatta’s season is over and the Eels are filthy with a series of decisions which buried their hopes. And the NRL is set to analyse on-field audio of key incidents to get to the bottom of their gripes. The NRL will study onfield referee audio as part of its investigation to try and determine if Penrith trainers acted in the spirit of the game when calling for play to stop to treat injuries on three separate occasions during Saturday night’s controversial 8-6 win over Parramatta. But despite outrage at a series of questionable tactics from the Panthers and dubious calls going against the Eels, NRL head of football Graham Annesley fired up on Sunday in defence of the under fire match officials: “I thought the referee (Ashley Klein) and the bunker controlled one of the most intense games of the season extremely well”. Annesley was adamant he was not dodging the controversy but giving match officials the respect of at least reviewing the match before making any judgments. “If we are wrong I will be prepared to say we are wrong,” Annesley said. “But I am just not prepared to say it yet.” But Brad Arthur certainly didn’t hold back with his explosive post-match comments that Ivan Cleary’s previous rant about Wayne Bennett the week earlier had on this occasion delivered the Panthers “what they were after”. Arthur was understandably upset at a lopsided 7-2 penalty count that went against his team, while some crucial calls marred what was otherwise rated the match of the season. These included: Three times Penrith trainers called for play to stop when Parramatta was on the attack and had momentum. * Will Smith called for high tackle in 40th minute, when he hits the chest/shoulder – Nathan Cleary kicks penalty goal. * Clint Gutherson potentially stripped of the ball with three minutes to go _ no penalty or six again with Parramatta attacking the Panthers’ line. * Ray Stone passes backwards from dummy half _ called a knock on. * Mitchell Moses tackled by Jarome Luai without the ball on Eels line break _ no penalty. * Paul Momirovski potentially knocks on ensuing Blake Ferguson grubber _ ruled backwards. In particular, Luai’s interference on Moses was a blatant professional foul that should have resulted in a sin bin. How none of the match officials spotted it is laughable. Annesley said he had not had had a chance to closely review every individual incident we mentioned and that would be done on Monday. However, when told some of the calls were “howlers”, Annesley shot back: “We are kidding if we think that cost them the game”. He said from what he saw live the Gutherson and Stone calls “fall firmly into this category of controversial decisions, not necessarily wrong. Depending on which way you look at those you could say they were controversial but I’m not prepared to give them up at this stage because I haven’t had a chance to look at them more closely.” Told that sounded like a cop out, Annesley responded: “Well, it is not. It is the day after the game. “I have watched the game live like you. “But I can’t afford to jump to a conclusion without having a good close look at those things in replay because many of these things come down to a really close analysis. “And you know more than anyone, when we are wrong I’m prepared to say we are wrong.” The other issue that caused outrage involved the Penrith trainers’ stopping play on several occasions. The most crucial was late in the match when Penrith’s Mitch Kenny went down with a foot injury in back play. It seemed outrageous that the trainer called for time off given Kenny was nowhere near the play and the Eels were attacking Penrith’s tryline. Kenny then limped from the field with assistance and Ivan Cleary said in his media conference the injury could be serious. Annesley explained that the referee is caught between a rock and a hard place. “There is no way that can be a criticism of the referee,” Annesley said. “They don’t know whether a player needs immediate attention or not. “And they have to accept the judgment of the people whose job5g it is to determine if a player is seriously injured. “But that is why we review those things closely after and if we have to take action we do.” He added: “there is a history of game taking action when trainers unnecessarily the game. And we will definitely look at those.” Annesley agreed the match was one of the best game’s of the season: “That is why it is disappointing that again we jump straight to the referee. “You are fully entitled to say you think those things are wrong and I am not disputing your right to say that. “But equally you have to respect my right to say I want to look at them more closely before I cast a judgment.”
 

Gronk

Moderator
Staff member
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73,548


NRL Finals 2021: Penrith Panthers edge out Parramatta Eels 8-6 in semi-final thriller in Mackay Parramatta’s season is over and the Eels are filthy with a series of decisions which buried their hopes. And the NRL is set to analyse on-field audio of key incidents to get to the bottom of their gripes. The NRL will study onfield referee audio as part of its investigation to try and determine if Penrith trainers acted in the spirit of the game when calling for play to stop to treat injuries on three separate occasions during Saturday night’s controversial 8-6 win over Parramatta. But despite outrage at a series of questionable tactics from the Panthers and dubious calls going against the Eels, NRL head of football Graham Annesley fired up on Sunday in defence of the under fire match officials: “I thought the referee (Ashley Klein) and the bunker controlled one of the most intense games of the season extremely well”. Annesley was adamant he was not dodging the controversy but giving match officials the respect of at least reviewing the match before making any judgments. “If we are wrong I will be prepared to say we are wrong,” Annesley said. “But I am just not prepared to say it yet.” But Brad Arthur certainly didn’t hold back with his explosive post-match comments that Ivan Cleary’s previous rant about Wayne Bennett the week earlier had on this occasion delivered the Panthers “what they were after”. Arthur was understandably upset at a lopsided 7-2 penalty count that went against his team, while some crucial calls marred what was otherwise rated the match of the season. These included: Three times Penrith trainers called for play to stop when Parramatta was on the attack and had momentum. * Will Smith called for high tackle in 40th minute, when he hits the chest/shoulder – Nathan Cleary kicks penalty goal. * Clint Gutherson potentially stripped of the ball with three minutes to go _ no penalty or six again with Parramatta attacking the Panthers’ line. * Ray Stone passes backwards from dummy half _ called a knock on. * Mitchell Moses tackled by Jarome Luai without the ball on Eels line break _ no penalty. * Paul Momirovski potentially knocks on ensuing Blake Ferguson grubber _ ruled backwards. In particular, Luai’s interference on Moses was a blatant professional foul that should have resulted in a sin bin. How none of the match officials spotted it is laughable. Annesley said he had not had had a chance to closely review every individual incident we mentioned and that would be done on Monday. However, when told some of the calls were “howlers”, Annesley shot back: “We are kidding if we think that cost them the game”. He said from what he saw live the Gutherson and Stone calls “fall firmly into this category of controversial decisions, not necessarily wrong. Depending on which way you look at those you could say they were controversial but I’m not prepared to give them up at this stage because I haven’t had a chance to look at them more closely.” Told that sounded like a cop out, Annesley responded: “Well, it is not. It is the day after the game. “I have watched the game live like you. “But I can’t afford to jump to a conclusion without having a good close look at those things in replay because many of these things come down to a really close analysis. “And you know more than anyone, when we are wrong I’m prepared to say we are wrong.” The other issue that caused outrage involved the Penrith trainers’ stopping play on several occasions. The most crucial was late in the match when Penrith’s Mitch Kenny went down with a foot injury in back play. It seemed outrageous that the trainer called for time off given Kenny was nowhere near the play and the Eels were attacking Penrith’s tryline. Kenny then limped from the field with assistance and Ivan Cleary said in his media conference the injury could be serious. Annesley explained that the referee is caught between a rock and a hard place. “There is no way that can be a criticism of the referee,” Annesley said. “They don’t know whether a player needs immediate attention or not. “And they have to accept the judgment of the people whose job5g it is to determine if a player is seriously injured. “But that is why we review those things closely after and if we have to take action we do.” He added: “there is a history of game taking action when trainers unnecessarily the game. And we will definitely look at those.” Annesley agreed the match was one of the best game’s of the season: “That is why it is disappointing that again we jump straight to the referee. “You are fully entitled to say you think those things are wrong and I am not disputing your right to say that. “But equally you have to respect my right to say I want to look at them more closely before I cast a judgment.”
A comprehensive rant. ✅
 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
84,160
Finals week 2 charges: Niukore facing ban; Butcher fined https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/09/18/finals-week-2-charges/

Eels second-rower Marata Niukore is facing a ban of 1-2 games next season after he was charged for a high tackle.

Niukore was handed a grade-one careless high tackle by the match review committee for his 65th-minute tackle on Penrith opponent Scott Sorensen.

Due to four previous incidents over the past two years, he will be banned two games if he unsuccessfully challenges the charge at the judiciary. He can reduce it to one game with an early guilty plea.
Starting to reliably miss a handful of games every year to suspension.
 

strider

Post Whore
Messages
78,603
I've seen one referee have some balls and be prepared to wave off the stupidity of trainers trying to interfere with the game ... Cecchin - and look where he has ended up

The rest of the refs just play along with it .... the NRL needs to show some balls and set some rules. Don't f**kin pander to the, oh he might be seriously injured, horseshit .... when has there ever been an issue in the game where a player has ended up more injured cos the play was allowed to proceed 20m from where the player is injured? f**kin never
 

strider

Post Whore
Messages
78,603
It's a fair question. They were regulars for about the first month I started posting here, then they just disappeared. There were heaps of other good posters who did the same, all at about the same time.
you were the scariest f**kin mofo in mofoville when you first arrived merkin

but you found your place .... its a good place
 
Messages
42,876
There were a lot of heroes.

I wanted more from Gutho tbh.

But I’m over this business of hazy running into the middle on return, that could have been mixed up. He did a great job, very courageous, but the defence had him covered before Gutho passed to him. Like a 10 second warning.

And that last ball, ffs that was a bad idea. Hospital pass and panic, he wasn’t going to get over, that had been tried before.

Just needed to settle and set up a sweep move, I thought anyway.

But you can tell that play was Beas but he wasn’t reading the defence properly by then.

It was poorly executed, worst result possible, but the idea wasn’t that stellar.

On the Bea plus side, he really had them up for the wrestle, that was impressive coaching.
I know we should praise Dunster and co for their efforts at rucking it but sometimes they were getting the it while we were in the middle, still deep in our territory and on the third and fourth tackles. And the forwards had done nothing that set, not even having had to scramble back a fair way to get onside. Either gassed or lazy.
And I'm starting to think Gutho is becoming a bit of a handbrake. High involved but not so much skill, including speed. But then where do you put him? I don't know.
 
Messages
42,876
I've seen one referee have some balls and be prepared to wave off the stupidity of trainers trying to interfere with the game ... Cecchin - and look where he has ended up

The rest of the refs just play along with it .... the NRL needs to show some balls and set some rules. Don't f**kin pander to the, oh he might be seriously injured, horseshit .... when has there ever been an issue in the game where a player has ended up more injured cos the play was allowed to proceed 20m from where the player is injured? f**kin never
Not when he's clutching an ankle that's for f**ken sure!
 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
84,160
There were a lot of heroes.

I wanted more from Gutho tbh.

But I’m over this business of hazy running into the middle on return, that could have been mixed up. He did a great job, very courageous, but the defence had him covered before Gutho passed to him. Like a 10 second warning.

And that last ball, ffs that was a bad idea. Hospital pass and panic, he wasn’t going to get over, that had been tried before.

Just needed to settle and set up a sweep move, I thought anyway.

But you can tell that play was Beas but he wasn’t reading the defence properly by then.

It was poorly executed, worst result possible, but the idea wasn’t that stellar.

On the Bea plus side, he really had them up for the wrestle, that was impressive coaching.
Paulo was a decoy on that play. Dylan Brown was supposed to get the ball, wrapping behind the ruck.
 
Messages
15,386
A comprehensive rant. ✅
Reading between the lines, it’s virtually an admission of gross incompetence by officials from Annesley.

This emperor has no clothes lads. Not a thread.

The number of infractions by the officials was horrific, in a close contest that hurt the game.

And that’s from a west tigers fan with no dog in the fight.

I just want the sides to decide the outcome like every other f**kwit.

Even Ivan in the presser looked like he was confessing to the cops in recoded interview.
 
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