09 :: QF1 Fri :: Storm 40 Sea Eagles 12 @ Etihad

[MSH]

It's all over in Melbourne. Full time on the 1st match in the 2009 Final Series, and its on.
Final at Eithad Stadium, Melbourne Storm 40 (Slater 4, Neilsen, Smith, Tolman tries. Smith 5, Turner goal) def. Manly Sea Eagles 12 (Matai, Foran tries. Orford 2 goals) at Eithad Stadium, Melbourne. Crowd: 21,155.

 

[aussies1st]

Great game Slater. At least Melbourne got 40.

 

[cupid]

Almost the ultimate embarressment for Manly with Turner almost scoring.

Manly sweating on results obviously, but be interesting to see how the injuries situation ends up shaping up.

Watmough only has a corked knee, so he should be ok for next week, Lyon not to sure, and King I think is due back next week.

 

[ElectricEelMan]

Isn't it ridiculous that next week both teams could have exactly the same challenge as each other to win the comp.

No.
Melbourne will have home field advantage
Manly will not.

 

[Patsy]

from a manly supporter - congrats storm - far too good on the night

 

[Ridders]

Jeez i hope Manly get eliminated before next week. No team outside the 4 deserves a second chance after dropping such an epic stink bomb in the Finals.

 

[ElectricEelMan]

Wouldn't it be funny if both teams have to play next week and Manly win and Melbourne lose.
Kinda makes this game redundant.

No.
Melbourne will have home field advantage
Manly will not.

 

[Eelectrica]

Watmough only has a corked knee, so he should be ok for next week, Lyon not to sure, and King I think is due back next week.

If Manly survive, they can take consolation from 2005 where the cowboys were destroyed 50-6 in the 4v5 game and as we know still made the GF.

 

[18to87]

No.
Melbourne will have home field advantage
Manly will not.

So what? Same as tonight. As has been mentioned, what if Manly win next week and Storm lose. Flawed system.

 

[user_nat]

So what has to happen from Brisbane to get Manly next week?

 

[Ridders]

So what has to happen from Brisbane to get Manly next week?

Of the three teams under them, two of them have to lose. So if the Broncos lose, Manly smile as thats half the job done.

 

[ElectricEelMan]

So what? Same as tonight. As has been mentioned, what if Manly win next week and Storm lose. Flawed system.

If Manly win away from home ... say Brisbane ... they deserve to go forward.
If Melbourne lose at home ... say Gold Coast ... they deserve to bow out

Maybe flawed but there ain't a better system

 

[Patsy]

As Gus said, Melbourne when leading by 10+ are 9-0 in '09.

gus said - 1 minute he is riding manly and saying how much they are dominating then 5 mins later he is telling us the storm are clearly winning this game.

he comes across as an expert but really has as much idea as the rest of us

 

[typicalfan]

If we used the AFL system the Storm would not have gotten a home game this week and the Sea Eagles would have.

 

[typicalfan]

gus said - 1 minute he is riding manly and saying how much they are dominating then 5 mins later he is telling us the storm are clearly winning this game.

he comes across as an expert but really has as much idea as the rest of us

Manly were on top physically but looked like blind men. I understood what he meant.

 

[ElectricEelMan]

If we used the AFL system the Storm would not have gotten a home game this week and the Sea Eagles would have.

Exactly.
Why should teams 5 and 6 get home finals UNLESS they deserve it?

 

[ramble_on]

So what? Same as tonight. As has been mentioned, what if Manly win next week and Storm lose. Flawed system.

from next week on it's elimination footy... manly are at risk of not being there from their loss tonight... if by chance they get there and win all following games then good luck to them.. if Storm fail next week then so what, not a flawed system, just were not worthy.....

 

[Ridders]

Exactly.
Why should teams 5 and 6 get home finals UNLESS they deserve it?

That game isn't just any finals games, its an elimination final so the loser is automatically eliminated regardless of the results of other teams. Why should a situation happened where a team that finishes 6th, and loses in the first week can still get another chance in the 2nd week of Finals.

AFL system is just much neater and simpler. None of this "your chances lie with other results" bullsh*t.

 

[superdog]

That game isn't just any finals games, its an elimination final so the loser is automatically eliminated regardless of the results of other teams. Why should a situation happened where a team that finishes 6th, and loses in the first week can still get another chance in the 2nd week of Finals.

AFL system is just much neater and simpler. None of this "your chances lie with other results" bullsh*t.

your chances of elimination only ride on other games if you lose your own game. thus, i have no sympathy.

 

[Ridders]

your chances of elimination only ride on other games if you lose your own game. thus, i have no sympathy.

You totally missed the point i'm trying to make. If you finish 6th, and you lose in the first week of the Finals, your fate shouldn't have to be in the hands of other teams, you should automatically be eliminated. Which is why i prefer the AFL system.

I'm not saying that AFL system is perfect as there are certain aspects about it that i don't like, but at least its simpler to deal with and gives a top 4 team a definite second chance, something i rate very highly. Plus if you finish outside the Top 4 and lose in the first week, your automatically eliminated, something else i rate very highly.