NRL fails again

[redv13]

I got no dramas with teams resting players before the semi’s even though in my opinion it opens up a crack at the integrity of this rounds results and the positive and negative effect for teams making/not making the finals eg: Cronulla and Canberra. Sharks vs full strength Melbourne, no hope, playing Melbourne minus 7/8 starters, solid chance to win and finish 8th.

What shits me is the NRL telling Saints that they had to stagger their bbq suspensions between 2 and 4 weeks but the NRL had to approve the final team before being announced so the team named was competitive. How about Parra this week?? Plenty out and paying $13 to win head to head!! Basically throwing the game and any chance of finishing 4th. But that’s ok apparently. Get f**ked NRL.

 

[Nanadragon]

I'm too young to know what it was like during the 11 in a row - what was the sentiment back then? Surely there must have been a similar feeling amongst the opposition supporters? Sure the blowouts may not have been as often, but there were still blow outs based on some of the season results I've looked at.

They changed the rules TB to spoil our dominance in the game back then. There was no limits on tackles and a strong team could hold possession of the ball for long periods of time. Subsequently they introduced the 4 tackle rule which later became the 6 tackle rule.
At a Grand Final back then St. George were playing a different team in each of the 3 grades. A lady sitting next to me at the Cricket Ground said she was supporting any other team but the Saints.
We were not popular at all because of our success,
By the way we won those 3 grades that day. Would have been in the 60s.
I was also there the day we were beaten in the preliminary final by Canterbury to spoil our chance of a 12th title. There was a hush came over the ground as people realised the mighty Saints had been knocked off their pedestal.
Great memories!

 

[blacksafake]

Interestingly the beloved grandson got me to play in his Supercoach comp this year.

We have battled out with others all year and have made it through to the GF this weekend which is fantastic as we have both managed our teams very well.

All of a sudden we both have 8 or 9 players less to draw from due to the vagaries of last round selections.

A real piss off and has taken the enjoyment right out of it and that is not just for us but no doubt anyone who bothered to enter in that competition and is playing their GF's this weekend.

Not happy Jan.

Have never got into SuperCoach OT probably because it takes a lot time. Plenty of people are consumed by it though.
Good luck to you & your grandson.

 

[Old Timer]

They changed the rules TB to spoil our dominance in the game back then. There was no limits on tackles and a strong team could hold possession of the ball for long periods of time. Subsequently they introduced the 4 tackle rule which later became the 6 tackle rule.
At a Grand Final back then St. George were playing a different team in each of the 3 grades. A lady sitting next to me at the Cricket Ground said she was supporting any other team but the Saints.
We were not popular at all because of our success,
By the way we won those 3 grades that day. Would have been in the 60s.
I was also there the day we were beaten in the preliminary final by Canterbury to spoil our chance of a 12th title. There was a hush came over the ground as people realised the mighty Saints had been knocked off their pedestal.
Great memories!

I think you will find that the “changing of the rules” to end our dominance us actually urban myth.

Ron Mac Cauliffe from the Qld RL was on the international rules committee and the 4 tackle rule had already been trialled in pommy club football and also at international level and he voted that Australia had to fall in line with international footy so we adopted the 4 tackle rule at club level as well.

 

[jak]

When all of our 12 players were suspended following Vaughan's BBQ we were told we still had to field a competitive team each week and therefore couldn't drop them all at once or even 6 at a time.
So how come South Sydney can drop 6 or so of their best players and literally field a reserve grade side against us?
It is an insult to the Dragons and I hope we can find some passion again to take it to the Bunnies.
Rules for some and different rules for others.

good point

 

[Trifili13]

Like some have commented about resting players I have no issues. At the end of the day each team does what it thinks will give it the best chance to win the comp. Why should I care if I rest my best players and it means some other teams misses out on the semis. They should have won more games rather than relying on results from other games. All have destiny in your own hands and not rely on others.

And if the NRL or others are worried about the integrity of the comp, it's already compromised. Every team does not play each other twice, home and away, while SOO also interrupts the season. As an example Tigers from memory beat Penrith during this period which unlikely would have happened if Penrith had their full team. That's 2 points that most people would say they normally would not have gotten.

Some say that there are big bets on games so we need teams to have their best players and not rest them. Unlike horseracing, the NRL will still be around if there was no betting on games. I doubt if anyone would be interested in horseracing if you could not have a bet. As far as i'm concerned you bet at your own risk. If the Dragon's were lucky enough to be entrenched in the semis, do you think the coach should give a toss if people want him to play his best team so they can gamble?

 

[Draginzaaar]

I've got a lot of respect for Politis.

in the mid 90's the Roosters and Dragons were both on the rack, and talks of a potential merger between them.

Look at the paths of both clubs since. They couldn't be more opposite. If only Politis was a Dragon...

He's 100% right in that quote above. And his club is one of the powerhouses of the modern era. The man is talking sense here.

As for dropping players like souths have, resting before finals etc, don't see the issue personally.

They did get the spoon in 2009.