Great game Dragons

[Vic Mackey]

The tigers would have gotten penalty the set before soward kicked the field goal...

 

[Firey_Dragon]

Jeremy Smith was charged by the judiciary for making dangerous contact with the knee. As such, the NRL effectively has conceded that the referees got it wrong and a penalty should have been awarded. That aside, the better team won. One bad decision certainly didn't decide the game.

Irrelevant. The MRC have charged plenty of people that weren't penalised in a game, justly or unjustly. I can sympathise with Tigers fans feeling they were robbed, but it was completely unintentional on an opponent who started falling after the initial action from Smith to go in for the tackle. It was impossible for him to pull out and with a game in the balance in the way it was 99 times out of 100 that would not be penalised.

 

[TV Ted Ellery]

Irrelevant. The MRC have charged plenty of people that weren't penalised in a game, justly or unjustly. I can sympathise with Tigers fans feeling they were robbed, but it was completely unintentional on an opponent who started falling after the initial action from Smith to go in for the tackle. It was impossible for him to pull out and with a game in the balance in the way it was 99 times out of 100 that would not be penalised.

First, I don't think we were robbed. A few of the decisions were questionable but they didn't affect the outcome. Second, the MRC decided that Jemery Smith engaged in illegal conduct and charged him accordingly, albeit with a low grading. If the MRC deemed the conduct to be illegal it also, by implication, believed that a penalty should have been given. It remains to be seen whether Robert Finch will support the decision of the referees and contradict the charge of the MRC. The mere fact that players are sometimes charged for incidents overlooked by referees is irrelevant. If the play is illegal it has to be punished with a penalty.

 

[Firey_Dragon]

First, I don't think we were robbed. A few of the decisions were questionable but they didn't affect the outcome. Second, the MRC decided that Jemery Smith engaged in illegal conduct and charged him accordingly, albeit with a low grading. If the MRC deemed the conduct to be illegal it also, by implication, believed that a penalty should have been given. It remains to be seen whether Robert Finch will support the decision of the referees and contradict the charge of the MRC. The mere fact that players are sometimes charged for incidents overlooked by referees is irrelevant. If the play is illegal it has to be punished with a penalty.

What I am saying is that irrespective of what the MRC says or does, they have been wrong many times. In the context of the game, I don't believe it was a penalty. Even Tigers fans I was sitting with were in agreement, and they are some of the most one-eyed supporters you'll ever meet. It was an unfortunate incident, but using the knees in a tackle is usually only penalised when there is intent, something that clearly wasn't there.

 

[Sam H]

There were three turning points in this game that allowed the Dragons to win.

1. Robbie Farah's kick back on the angle that went straight to Soward
2. Robbie Farah's attempt to grubber kick in the in goal for himself
3. The no call from the officials for Jeremy Smith Leading with the knees

The penalty would have had the Tigers deep on attack and they may have kick the 1 point.

Farah has had some dud kicking games in big matches in recent years. Some bad ones cost us in 2009 against the Eels and Titans, and a few really ordinary ones tonight really hurt. You can forgive the shanks but a couple were just straight out horrible decisions. Kicking was the difference, particularly up against Soward, who made maybe one non-awesome kick all night and consistently had us pinned in the corners.

 

[RedVee]

Great game, 2 teams of winners.
I think Farrar played himself out of a rep jersey though. That is a few times now that he has been below his best in big games.

 

[Jason Maher]

There was controversy, but there is no arguing that the Dragons basic gameplan and style won them the game tonight.

The Tigers saved their best for last in my opinion.

In this Tigers fans opinion the Dragons were that slight bit better than our best. Our defense was the best I've seen it, 1 point not good enough. The Dragons D was 1 point too good.

Stunning game from my perspective. I am so happy that I can say without bitterness great game both teams. I love my boys and I am in awe of the class of the 2010 Dragons. Well done.

Jolly decent of you champ. I think I can safely say you Tigers fans have shown up the Raiders fans in terms of being very gracious losers. I've seen a few whinges about the refs, but nothing in the same postcode as the Raiders fans continual inability to accept they lost fair and square.

I have to return the favour and say I was very, very impressed by the Tigers defence last night. It was, dare I say it, Dragons like. We had a sh*tload of ball on your line, and we had to work extremely hard to crack you. And your scramble was pretty bloody good too. If you could turn up like that every week, with the attacking strike power you possess, you'd be challenging us for the minor premiership, if not beating us.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

Great game, 2 teams of winners.
I think Farrar played himself out of a rep jersey though. That is a few times now that he has been below his best in big games.

Farah kicking was well below par last night, but what other big games (excluding Origin) has he been far below his best?

 

[troll]

Farah showed why he isn't considered for NSW!

 

[thorson1987]

What I am saying is that irrespective of what the MRC says or does, they have been wrong many times. In the context of the game, I don't believe it was a penalty. Even Tigers fans I was sitting with were in agreement, and they are some of the most one-eyed supporters you'll ever meet. It was an unfortunate incident, but using the knees in a tackle is usually only penalised when there is intent, something that clearly wasn't there.

True. When i first saw it i thought penalty. But after awhile it doesnt look so bad.

But you can bet your left and right nuts that if tuqiri had of being goin in for a try it would have been scrutinized alot more and smith would not have escaped penalty

 

[typicalfan]

Farah kicking was well below par last night, but what other big games (excluding Origin) has he been far below his best?

I think the point is that Cam Smith hasn't had any below par big games and he has played many of them. Farah has played a few good ones, his best no doubt was City/Country last year.

I have been critical of Farah before, it is just his decision making and where he puts himself in crucial moments when on the attack for the Tigers. Takes me back to last year v Eels where he played well but made a poor kick or two at a crucial stage and it turned the match.

It is the last frontier for Farah for me between being an extremely good club hooker and one that goes to the next level like Buderus, Smith and even Priddis. Frustrates me because he has the ability.

 

[RedVee]

IMO the games around Origen when he would have been pushing for inclusion over Ennis. I said below not "far" below, but again imo he didn't step up to claim his spot, whether that was because of team factors or not I cannot say.
With his ability he should do better at these times, and his team needs him to. He had a great game the day of the long pass across his goal line though, but not often enough.
I think he (and everybody else) is far below Smith, and that he will not be first choice NSW hooker. I feel that he may well have lost a few points.

However, more to the point the Tigers played great and could easily be lining up in the GF. Their attitude in the game and afterwards has won a lot of respect and admiration.

 

[typicalfan]

True. When i first saw it i thought penalty. But after awhile it doesnt look so bad.

But you can bet your left and right nuts that if tuqiri had of being goin in for a try it would have been scrutinized alot more and smith would not have escaped penalty

Agree no penalty. Unlucky for both concerned. It isn't like the Bryce Gibbs/Luke Burt one last year when Burt was already on the ground and Bryce got down and led with the knee, Smith was falling into making a tackle and Tuqiri fell to the ground and contact was made before he got to the ground.

Too much has been made of the incident already, shouldn't have been sent to the match review at all.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

IMO the games around Origen when he would have been pushing for inclusion over Ennis. I said below not "far" below, but again imo he didn't step up to claim his spot, whether that was because of team factors or not I cannot say.
With his ability he should do better at these times, and his team needs him to. He had a great game the day of the long pass across his goal line though, but not often enough.
I think he (and everybody else) is far below Smith, and that he will not be first choice NSW hooker. I feel that he may well have lost a few points.

He had a poor game last night by his lofty standards, but I think there is daylight between he and the next best hooker for NSW...and even further if that next best hooker is considered to be Michael Ennis.

 

[Firey_Dragon]

True. When i first saw it i thought penalty. But after awhile it doesnt look so bad.

But you can bet your left and right nuts that if tuqiri had of being goin in for a try it would have been scrutinized alot more and smith would not have escaped penalty

Definitely it would have been handled differently if it was on the try line. However if you tackle like that on the tryline when a player is diving over to score, there is intent (intent to get your legs in the way to stop ball progression). Given the position on the field there was no need or intent behind the use of the knees, and had tuquiri not fallen we wouldn't be discussing it. At full speed there is no chance in hell Smith can pull out of it, if he plants his feet to pull out he knees him even harder.

It just one of those unfortunate things that happen on the field. I hope tuquiri didn't break his ribs, but that's footy I guess. It would have been a pretty poor ending to a really tough game if it was decided on a decision like that (I guess it's easy for me to say being a dragon's fan though).

 

[super_coach]

Iam afraid the Smith thing was a deadset penalty. Call it careless,call accidental or call it bad luck it was a penalty. Their was not any intention in the tackle but like every careless or accidental high tackle its a penalty, it the law. Its black and white, theirs no grey area, okay if the tigers had won the game on the back of that incident the Dragons fans would be feeling pissed off but at least the officials would have made the correct call

 

[typicalfan]

The rule is dropping your knees onto an opponent on the ground. Tuqiri wasn't on the ground and the knees weren't dropped.

 

[gronkathon]

It was a real classic game of League.

Funnily enough I wasn't deflated by the loss. I had an immense feeling of pride leaving the ground and it continues today as well.

I don't feel Farah is as bad as people were making out. He made one bad kick close to the line for mine but provided great service from DH and made excellent metres. Hayne unfortunatley was never going to call a penalty when he caught markers offside. But I don't want o get bogged down on Hayne as he isn't worth the time and effort. Sheens got him canned in 2004 for his performance in Canberra and he has never forgotten it.

The game never had the open brilliance some hoped for but it had every element of a finals contest.

Best of luck to the Dragons for the decider.

Final note on the Tigers. I think this year showed we are a mature team. I think I can safely say our side was involved in three intense and hard fought battles over three straight weeks of finals football and for mine they have been the three best contests of the finals series thus far

 

[Goddo]

He had a poor game last night by his lofty standards, but I think there is daylight between he and the next best hooker for NSW...and even further if that next best hooker is considered to be Michael Ennis.

I'd agree with that. NSW needs to get a dynamic solid spine going for next year, and a bit more niggle in the second row.

I'd bring in Bird or Gallen (maybe both) for mongrel factor in the second row with Watmough, with a couple of workers like Creagh off the bench
Farrah at hooker as he is a better attacking 9 than Ennis
Pearce and Carney in the Halves
Dugan at Fullback (because Hayne can be lazy/caught out of position)
Lyon in centres with Jennings or Le Gasnier
Hayne and Morris on the wing...

It'd be good if the NSW selectors could get these blokes in a room together over the off season with whoever is the next coach, and get a bit of positive momentum around a core group long before origin begins.