Grand Final Chokers!

[ram raid]

All this talk of (and hope for) a Souths choke next Sunday has got me thinking ... what have been some massive grand final chokes? It seems mostly the favorites have gotten home in recent history?

I was born in 1981, so there's a lot I haven't seen.

My old man is a mad Parra fan, and he talks of the year Parra played Newcastle in the Grand Final (2001 I think it was) as a year when Parra totally choked. His theory is that Brian Smith was nervous as hell and his nerves filtered down through the ranks. I didn't see the game because I was living in Adelaide at the time and doing other stuff.

I remember one final in the 90's when the Dogs played the Raiders and from what I remember it was supposed to be a close one. Martin Bella dropped the ball off the kick-off and things just went from worse to worse ... I think the score ended up being 44 - 4 or something like that. Seemed like a big choke at the time.

For you historians of the game, what have been some of the bigger grand final chokes in NRL finals history?

 

[BranVan3000]

Roosters 2014 Preliminary final

 

[ram raid]

Roosters 2014 Preliminary final

Nah that wasn't a choke, they just got rag-dolled off the paddock.

For what it's worth I don't think Souths deserve their "chokers" moniker either. Last year they got dusted by a red hot Manly side. They didn't play bad, they just were not good enough. In '12 they were without their halfback and not favorites to win. If ever there was a chance for them to choke is was against the Roosters last Friday, down 12-0 after 15 minutes. They stayed calm and stuck to their game plan and turned the 2nd best forward pack in the comp into a bunch of withering daisies.

But definitely if Souths don't win this gf it will be considered a big choke. They have everything going for them; better forwards, better backs, better form, and a week off during the finals.

 

[big hit!]

Rd 7: Canterbury 15-14
Rd 25: Souths 21-14

I'm sorry, but just because some gamblers and the fiction writers in the media like to assign a favourite and an underdog, it doesn't mean a mere Souths loss is a choke.

These two teams match up well against each other with big powerful forward packs, serviceable halves and backs. The difference is probably Inglis.

Recent matches between the two teams have been close.

But you won't get much analysis from price setters, hype merchants or the keyboard heroes on LU and other comments blogs. Much easier for the ignorant and the lazy to opt for the 'choke' tag.

 

[Benny77]

Roosters 2014 Preliminary final

How can it be a joke if they weren't favourites? Every souths fan and his dog believed souths were the better side in the week leading up to it, as well as the experts. Don't try and convince yourself that it will be ok for you to choke on the weekend because the roosters did it

 

[BranVan3000]

How can it be a joke if they weren't favourites? Every souths fan and his dog believed souths were the better side in the week leading up to it, as well as the experts. Don't try and convince yourself that it will be ok for you to choke on the weekend because the roosters did it

Minor Premiers, defending Premiers, called Souths chokers all week - leading 12 - 0. And then CHOKE.

 

[Slug]

How can it be a joke if they weren't favourites? Every souths fan and his dog believed souths were the better side in the week leading up to it, as well as the experts. Don't try and convince yourself that it will be ok for you to choke on the weekend because the roosters did it

A choker is someone that does it easy and then fails as soon as the big time hits.

That happened to Moanly and the Roosters this year. Straight sets...

That is choking.

That's why 3rd is playing 7th mate.

Souths have not been out in straight sets since Madge took over. We have won a finals game every year....unlike the aforementioned failures.

One other thing I was thinking about....the roosters haven't beaten Souths in a finals game since 30 years before colour TV.:lol:

 

[H.H]

Roosters didn't win a finals game this year?

Ok.

 

[Slug]

Roosters didn't win a finals game this year?

Ok.

:lol:

Well picked up. They didn't.

 

[ram raid]

They beat the Cowboys. Semi final 1.

 

[H.H]

Obviously an avid follower of the game

 

[thorson1987]

[youtube]ETgWxcurqlk[/youtube]

 

[alien]

bowelmange 1989
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGpfea1rN6c&noredirect=1

 

[God-King Dean]

The whole choking thing is overplayed, & for the most part, just used to mock other teams.

 

[wittyfan]

My top GF 3 chokes:

2001 Parramatta against Newcastle
1999 Dragons against Melbourne
1995 Manly against the 6th placed Bulldogs

 

[_Johnsy]

2008 deserves a mention. Melbourne being dusted 40-0 (no-one saw that coming)

Beat manly twice during the year & win the Minor Premiership.

 

[pantherz9103]

Balmain led pretty much the whole game v Canberra in 1989 before being run down and beaten in extra time. At the time it was a choke for Balmain but not in hindsight because of how great the Canberra side went on to be.

 

[nick87]

The only genuine choke I can recall is the Eels in early 2000's. Statistically one of the most dominant sides in NRL history over the course of the season and laid a total egg on GF day. It's a big call given how good that Knights team was, it's nothing to be sneezed at, but that Eels team was on point basically all year except the day it most counted. Souths this year would IMO, be right up with it

Souths aren't as dominate as that Eels team, but this Dogs team doesn't have quality that Knights team had either

 

[BranVan3000]

The only genuine choke I can recall is the Eels in early 2000's. Statistically one of the most dominant sides in NRL history over the course of the season and laid a total egg on GF day. It's a big call given how good that Knights team was, it's nothing to be sneezed at, but that Eels team was on point basically all year except the day it most counted. Souths this year would IMO, be right up with it

Souths aren't as dominate as that Eels team, but this Dogs team doesn't have quality that Knights team had either

This Dogs team has been in the Grand Final twice in three years, seems to have a fair bit of quality to me. Not sure why everyone underestimates them. They've also beaten Roosters, Souths, Melbourne, Sea Eagles in the regular season

They have proven able to beat anyone in the top 8 this year

 

[ram raid]

[youtube]ETgWxcurqlk[/youtube]

Were the Dragons big favs going into that game? Forgot about Glenn Lazarus. One of the best props ever.