2020 R20 Sat - Sharks 28-38 Raiders @ Netstrata Jubilee

[Pete Cash]

He's a jersy flegg eligable hooker according to GE

This is going to be an interesting game haha

Haha I literally just read that post

Big brain move by stick here. Hopefully just a misprint on his player profile haha

 

[Valheru]

Going through the finals via the bottom 8 doesn't look too bad imo. The qualifying finals are going to be absolutely brutal and the losers are going to be busted going into the semi finals.

It is never a better option than the top 4 and the raiders experience from last year proves that, they got a free hit at the storm which they won and were never in a million years losing that home prelim.

Yes the top 4 games are generally brutal yet the top 4 teams are 13-3 in the 2nd week of the finals since this system started in 2012.

I do think you guys are good things to beat parra in week 2 this year but you could also be playing Penrith or roosters... in the event you guys finish top 4 and lose you would have a home semi against parra/sharks which they would have to be $1.20 to win.

Quite frankly I'm shocked sticky wouldn't go for the win this week. He could rest a few of those guys and still win and I give wests every chance this week.

 

[BradParkerTheGoat]

You just have to laugh at the idea of resting that many players.... how ridiculous...especially when a 2nd bite at the cherry is on offer if by some miracle the tigers beat the eels...absolutely no chance now with the squad named, i thought it was going to be an upset to the sharks by 24-14, but if the sharks dont deadset win this game by 20 + then i will be lost for words.

 

[Pete Cash]

I'm not a huge fan of this but as i did say I'm not that angry about the outside backs getting a run. I'm just worried by an apparent hooker at fullback, the halves and getting yardage out the pack with Joe and paps having a break

 

[shear_joy9]

It is never a better option than the top 4 and the raiders experience from last year proves that, they got a free hit at the storm which they won and were never in a million years losing that home prelim.

Yes the top 4 games are generally brutal yet the top 4 teams are 13-3 in the 2nd week of the finals since this system started in 2012.

I do think you guys are good things to beat parra in week 2 this year but you could also be playing Penrith or roosters... in the event you guys finish top 4 and lose you would have a home semi against parra/sharks which they would have to be $1.20 to win.

Quite frankly I'm shocked sticky wouldn't go for the win this week. He could rest a few of those guys and still win and I give wests every chance this week.

finishing 5th and having a full strength team in the finals against a busted sharks team then a beat up (most likely) eels in week 2.

Or risk injury to key players when they have been playing on fumes for a few weeks now, in the unlikely event to finish 4th and play the panthers.

I'd rather let the panthers and eels beat the absolute piss out of the each other and play the loser unless the sharks cause an upset in week 1

 

[GongPanther]

IBM's 2nd cousin. His nickname is f**ker

How about Foukaire? lol!

 

[Generalzod]

9 players rested that’s incredible....

 

[BradParkerTheGoat]

9 players rested that’s incredible....

And hardly a legitimate reason to rest em as well... Croker maybe, cause he had a head knock last week, but why rest Wighton and Klokstad....

 

[nick87]

CNK has been struggling through back spasms for a few weeks now, he was attended too multiple times against the warriors... tbh he's probably the most legit resting

As for Wighton, really no different to the Ponga situation except he's bigger and tougher so hasnt had a cry about it.. but he's been getting belted off the ball on kicks all season long, giving him a weeks reprieve seems like a reasonable thing to do

 

[Pete Cash]

And hardly a legitimate reason to rest em as well... Croker maybe, cause he had a head knock last week, but why rest Wighton and Klokstad....

I think CNK is always carrying injuries because of the way he plays. I think CNK, Bateman, Croker, Williams and Papalii are good rests if we had to rest people. Tapine has plenty in the tank and Wighton is a huge physical 5/8th and can handle the physicality as well as anyone.

 

[Pete Cash]

CNK has been struggling through back spasms for a few weeks now, he was attended too multiple times against the warriors... tbh he's probably the most legit resting

As for Wighton, really no different to the Ponga situation except he's bigger and tougher so hasnt had a cry about it.. but he's been getting belted off the ball on kicks all season long, giving him a weeks reprieve seems like a reasonable thing to do

See I was thinking that about Wighton because he does get belted but he looks great out there. Obviously Stick knows better than us but I am never a fan of resting both halves. One of the reasons we can be so wacky and insane is because Georgie boy and Simple Jack are relatively physical defenders on the goal line. Without them its a whole different thing because I know for a fact Williams is a poor defender.

That said I am very excited to watch the backline if we can compete in yardage. See who looks good for next year

 

[nick87]

Im honestly f**king pumped for this game. Probably the most excited i've been for a regular season game in years
Hoping these boys give a good account of themselves

 

[Generalzod]

Im honestly f**king pumped for this game. Probably the most excited i've been for a regular season game in years
Hoping these boys give a good account of themselves

Why because your playing a decimated Cronulla team, either way Canberra will be to good for my Sharkies...

 

[age.s]

IBM's 2nd cousin. His nickname is f**ker

His preferred pronoun is "the".

 

[BradParkerTheGoat]

Do we know who is gonna take the conversion if the raiders somehow manage to jag a try? I cant imagine a raiders team without the goal kicking prowess of BYC... whoever it is will have a far less impressive strike rate.

 

[nick87]

Do we know who is gonna take the conversion if the raiders somehow manage to jag a try? I cant imagine a raiders team without the goal kicking prowess of BYC... whoever it is will have a far less impressive strike rate.

Sam Williams is a 83% career kicker
Pretty good replacement I reckon

 

[Chief_Chujo]

A lot of the boys were busted. A week off for them gives us our best chance in the finals. I think penrith chewing up Parra week one will hurt them come prems as well.

Assuming things play out the way they are expected, we pretty much know our path to the GF now.

Sharkies
Parra
Melb or Roosters

 

[Valheru]

finishing 5th and having a full strength team in the finals against a busted sharks team then a beat up (most likely) eels in week 2.

Or risk injury to key players when they have been playing on fumes for a few weeks now, in the unlikely event to finish 4th and play the panthers.

I'd rather let the panthers and eels beat the absolute piss out of the each other and play the loser unless the sharks cause an upset in week 1

Let me put it to you another way.

5th and 6th have never qualified for prelim finals since this system re-started in 2012.

14 of the 16 grand finalists since 2012 finished in the top 4.

Now none of that has a bearing on this year and at some point 5/6 placed teams are going to break through but the pure maths of the situation tells you how unlikely it is in any given year.

It just does not make sense to me to not go for top 4 whilst there is still a chance. Parra are as mentally weak as they come and would probably capitulate against the tigers knowing they have to win to jump back above your lot.

 

[mongoose]

yeah i would rather try and win and aim for 4th. Sure rest a few players but not the whole team... sticky is a mad man.

 

[shear_joy9]

Let me put it to you another way.

5th and 6th have never qualified for prelim finals since this system re-started in 2012.

14 of the 16 grand finalists since 2012 finished in the top 4.

Now none of that has a bearing on this year and at some point 5/6 placed teams are going to break through but the pure maths of the situation tells you how unlikely it is in any given year.

It just does not make sense to me to not go for top 4 whilst there is still a chance. Parra are as mentally weak as they come and would probably capitulate against the tigers knowing they have to win to jump back above your lot.

home finals this season have the least impact in decades.

Ricky knows his squad better than anyone and he knows how busted the team is. Why risk any key players to further injury and fatigue for the small chance at coming 4th?

The odds of beating the sharks, eels losing then canberra beating penrith are huge. Why not rest up the team now and get them ready for potentially 4 for games, one against a decimated sharks team and the other against the eels or panthers who has just been in a war.