Final 8 - now confirmed!!

[lingard]

I agree. Some people need to realise that the Dragons, despite their losses, are still the best team in the comp.

Well, I think right at this particular moment in time Parramatta is the best team in the comp. That's the point.

 

[lingard]

I reckon Parramatta will beat St George Illawarra, but still come eighth; so we will play Canterbury - without Kimmorley- in the first week of the semis. They'd be sh*tting themselves because we've already beaten them and we're actually a better team now. That's probably better than beating Saints and then playing them again the following week.
Also, Moore for coach of the year? Wooden spoon to minor premiers the next year. Not a bad effort. Is it the first time it's ever been done?

 

[The EELiminator]

I reckon Parramatta will beat St George Illawarra, but still come eighth; so we will play Canterbury - without Kimmorley- in the first week of the semis. They'd be sh*tting themselves because we've already beaten them and we're actually a better team now. That's probably better than beating Saints and then playing them again the following week.
Also, Moore for coach of the year? Wooden spoon to minor premiers the next year. Not a bad effort. Is it the first time it's ever been done?

if you ask me coach of the year should just go to the coach of the minor premiers anyway

 

[strider]

yeah - tbh win lose or draw I'm thinking we probably won't play them again the following week

i'm not confident about friday at all - but i'm also not gonna die if we lose, so long as we play well and keep the confidence up

 

[dazeely]

its great to see every one so positive but ffs where not there yet. Stranger things have happened in footy. Will wait till we're there before I'll start talking finals.

 

[Fee]

its great to see every one so positive but ffs where not there yet. Stranger things have happened in footy. Will wait till we're there before I'll start talking finals.

Yeh, I agree. I think some people are counting their chickens before they have hatched!:crazy:

 

[lewiscook]

its great to see every one so positive but ffs where not there yet. Stranger things have happened in footy. Will wait till we're there before I'll start talking finals.

Im trying, im trying . Hahah.
Nah i understand where your coming from, at 9:30 next friday night im sure ill be a very happy man ;-)

 

[Parra Guru]

We won't be playing them in the finals at Kogarah.

Top 4 get their home grounds, so the Saints will get their game there regardless

 

[Suitman]

yeah - tbh win lose or draw I'm thinking we probably won't play them again the following week

I hope you are right.
I'd rather play at Homebush, where I know 50 000 people will turn up. That's a great thing for Rugby League.
To play at Kogarah again to only 19000 would be an embarressment and a joke to the League.
Saints obviously won't move it, even though they could get 50 000 at Homebush as well.

Really, it is stupidity.

Suity

 

[Parra Guru]

Not really. Roles reversed, would you think it was tragic if we had the game at Parramatta?

I wouldn't, and have thoroughly enjoyed every home final we've hosted.

 

[salvy71]

I reckon Parramatta will beat St George Illawarra, but still come eighth; so we will play Canterbury - without Kimmorley- in the first week of the semis. They'd be sh*tting themselves because we've already beaten them and we're actually a better team now. That's probably better than beating Saints and then playing them again the following week.
Also, Moore for coach of the year? Wooden spoon to minor premiers the next year. Not a bad effort. Is it the first time it's ever been done?

According to Ray Warren it will be the first time a team has gone from spooners to minor premiers .

 

[caylo]

According to Ray Warren it will be the first time a team has gone from spooners to minor premiers .

didnt penrith do it when they won the comp

 

[cgee221]

didnt penrith do it when they won the comp

Misconception throughout the league world Caylo, as I hear many people say it all the time.

Penrith were wooden spooners in 2001.

2002 they finished 12th before being Minors and Prems in 2003.

 

[salvy71]

didnt penrith do it when they won the comp

No - Penrith were wooden spooners in 2001 ....think they were 2nd or 3rd last in 2002 before being Minor Premiers in 2003 . Actually i think they were 3rd last - Bulldogs last (after being stripped of 37 points and Souths 2nd last)

 

[bartman]

its great to see every one so positive but ffs where not there yet. Stranger things have happened in footy. Will wait till we're there before I'll start talking finals.

Mate, a 79 point turn around required to get us out of the 8... that's us losing by 40 AND Penrith beating Newcastle by 40. Not going to happen.

And if the Raiders can beat Newcastle tomorrow night, I think that makes it even less likely we can be mathematically ousted. We are there, but the quest is now only just starting.

 

[sportive cupid]

Actually Barty doesn't that make it a certainty that Parra are in the eight-since the Knights play the panthers next week (and both can't win!)

I agree with Suity:shock: I would go further to say that the NRL needs to think further about this home ground semi thing.Until grounds come up to the standard where they can hold a crowd of at least 50 thousand I reckon the NRL are shooting themselves in the foot with regards to the finals series. I understand all the arguements for giving teams that finish up the top some advantage BUT this is a business as well.It has the perfect opportunity to promote itself with the grear games that we will be seeing over the next few weeks and what do they do? Hold them at grounds with meagre capacities.

I would say the same thing about Parra stadium too btw.

 

[Gronk]

Actually Barty doesn't that make it a certainty that Parra are in the eight-since the Knights play the panthers next week (and both can't win!)

I agree with Suity:shock: I would go further to say that the NRL needs to think further about this home ground semi thing.Until grounds come up to the standard where they can hold a crowd of at least 50 thousand I reckon the NRL are shooting themselves in the foot with regards to the finals series. I understand all the arguements for giving teams that finish up the top some advantage BUT this is a business as well.It has the perfect opportunity to promote itself with the grear games that we will be seeing over the next few weeks and what do they do? Hold them at grounds with meagre capacities.

I would say the same thing about Parra stadium too btw.

50,000 stadiums for each team will never happen because they will be 75% empty for most of the year. Goes back to what Hadley has been saying for years - why would you not want 30,000 fans @ $20 a head rather than 15,000 fans @ $40 a head ?

 

[dazeely]

Mate, a 79 point turn around required to get us out of the 8... that's us losing by 40 AND Penrith beating Newcastle by 40. Not going to happen.

And if the Raiders can beat Newcastle tomorrow night, I think that makes it even less likely we can be mathematically ousted. We are there, but the quest is now only just starting.

love your confidence Barty but whilst I'm excited I'm not going the crow just yet. Remember it is the eels we're talking about. The panthers are the type of team that win big if they are to win and the Drags coming off an embarrassing 3 game loss. Unlikely, but who knows...........

 

[bartman]

Actually Barty doesn't that make it a certainty that Parra are in the eight-since the Knights play the panthers next week (and both can't win!)

Newie have a game in hand tonight - if they win that then they are in the 8 no matter what, and it just comes down to that 79 point turnaround between us and panthers for the remaining spot. If anything it would be good for Newie to lose to the Raiders, and then make next week's Newie-Panthers game do or die (and therefore probably a tighter margin).

Daz, I understand you're hesitance... but we really stopped Penrith's season in its tracks when they had everything to play for, and having done so we're 99% certain to be in.

 

[Parra Guru]

Actually Barty doesn't that make it a certainty that Parra are in the eight-since the Knights play the panthers next week (and both can't win!)

I agree with Suity:shock: I would go further to say that the NRL needs to think further about this home ground semi thing.Until grounds come up to the standard where they can hold a crowd of at least 50 thousand I reckon the NRL are shooting themselves in the foot with regards to the finals series. I understand all the arguements for giving teams that finish up the top some advantage BUT this is a business as well.It has the perfect opportunity to promote itself with the grear games that we will be seeing over the next few weeks and what do they do? Hold them at grounds with meagre capacities.

I would say the same thing about Parra stadium too btw.

Look I agree, but I don't begrudge the Dragons for taking advantage of the rule while they can. Parramatta has every time we've been a top 4 team.