NRL Finals 2024

[Beavers Headgear]

That Bullemore try is an interesting one, normally I get a sense of if something is close and might be pulled up, live I never got it with one. Have watched it a few times now, I can see where there are question marks, have frozen it at point to release and then when it is caught, and shit it is tight. Atkins is 5m away from it and right in line

Where it is interesting for me, is as soon as I saw Voss (hates Manly) and the human sleeping pill Cronk were calling it I pushed the yellow button and went to the 9 commentary. 9 commentary, not a mention at all about the pass and the contest in the air they all thought was fine. Flicking through the highlights with the Fox crew, Voss is adamant the pass is forward, and he also manages to find a clear knock on in the contest.

 

[Izz]

Absolutely stoked to see the Bulldogs go week 1. Mainly because Crichton's a grub who likes yelling in people's faces. He's like Latrell except with a good work ethic. I'll never understand why guys with their level of ability and skill have so much grubbiness in their game.

 

[Izz]

Also, lol @ Curran for playing a whopping 35 minutes off the bench. And getting owned by DCE

EDIT: though, according to nrl.com stats, he did have the most run metres of any Bulldogs forward with 98.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Also, lol @ Curran for playing a whopping 35 minutes off the bench. And getting owned by DCE

Curran must have thought Garrick was 16 the way he squared up to him

 

[Blair]

Phew, Manly have breathed a little life into the finals series.

Week Two:
Friday: Sharks v Cowboys 7:50 pm (AEST)
Saturday: Roosters v Manly 7:50 pm (AEST)

 

[Meth]

That Manly v Bulldogs game was a cracker

 

[JJ]

That Manly v Bulldogs game was a cracker

it was, and the Cowboys/Knights was fun too, but the weekend just confirmed to me how far ahead the top 2 are - Easts would have been closer without the injuries but had done little to suggest they could match Penrith and Melbourne.

 

[Blair]

Absolutely stoked to see the Bulldogs go week 1. Mainly because Crichton's a grub who likes yelling in people's faces. He's like Latrell except with a good work ethic. I'll never understand why guys with their level of ability and skill have so much grubbiness in their game.

I first read that as 'Ciraldo'! Lol. I've been on a walk thinkng the Dogs have a rotter for a coach.

Plus I've seen and heard enough of Reed Mahoney for the year. Thank god he's gone.

 

[Izz]

I first read that as 'Ciraldo'! Lol. I've been on a walk thinkng the Dogs have a rotter for a coach.

Plus I've seen and heard enough of Reed Mahoney for the year. Thank god he's gone.

I watched the Ciraldo presser ready to have a har-de-har at him, especially after his 'we didn't come here expecting to get any calls' during the presser after the Warriors game, while sitting next to Crichton who'd shoulder-charged RTS in the head and stayed on the field, but he actually came across pretty well, and didn't give me anything to point and laugh at. Sadly

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Wouldn’t mind seeing the Sharks get up this weekend I think, just for the sake of Hynes who is copping an absolute roasting relentlessly the 2nd half of the year

 

[JJ]

Wouldn’t mind seeing the Sharks get up this weekend I think, just for the sake of Hynes who is copping an absolute roasting relentlessly the 2nd half of the year

He’s only just back from injury, right? Not too many 7s I’d have above him atm even with that narrative

 

[Beavers Headgear]

He’s only just back from injury, right? Not too many 7s I’d have above him atm even with that narrative

3 or 4 weeks back. Sharks out in straight sets every year, dropped from Origin, not clinching games after that, it’s all piled up on him, and pretty unfairly. Plenty of pundits saying he should be dropped this week

Suppose it comes when you sign a 6 year deal at a million a year, but it’s only his 3rd or 4th year playing as a first grade halfback

 

[JJ]

3 or 4 weeks back. Sharks out in straight sets every year, dropped from Origin, not clinching games after that, it’s all piled up on him, and pretty unfairly. Plenty of pundits saying he should be dropped this week

Suppose it comes when you sign a 6 year deal at a million a year, but it’s only his 3rd or 4th year playing as a first grade halfback

yep, but that's what the better players in that position get - jury out I guess, but he's been pretty good, and at similar money much better value than Ash Taylor or Ben Hunt? Bit of a SJ like pattern so far? I guess they could drop him, big call for Fitzgibbon if he's actually considering it - not many are as clutch as DCE and Cleary, got to respect that shit - everyone looks bad in comparison

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Vailea is a finals starter for NQ. So, I guess, he's come good from his lazy days in NZ?

It's weird, Payten obviously likes what he's doing because he's in the team every week, but I've been watching him closely and he has a very limited role. I genuinely don't think I've ever seen them run a play for him - whenever they go right he's either a decoy or he tips it on for Feldt to score. Apart from that he just takes hit ups. He definitely has plenty of speed, strength and ability to beat a defender so I don't really understand why he's there but not being used.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Garden Trellis was going hard at Hynes last night on 360, gee he is a joke of a broadcaster. Excuse after excuse for Reece Walsh when his year is mentioned, no leeway for Hynes though. And don’t mention Kevvie

 

[Meth]

legit though, Hynes seems to struggle in big games and he isn't delivering on what they are paying him

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

3 or 4 weeks back. Sharks out in straight sets every year, dropped from Origin, not clinching games after that, it’s all piled up on him, and pretty unfairly. Plenty of pundits saying he should be dropped this week

Suppose it comes when you sign a 6 year deal at a million a year, but it’s only his 3rd or 4th year playing as a first grade halfback

I reckon he's still haunted by his Origin debut last year. It'd be interesting to do a deep dive on his stats since that game, but leading into game 1 this year he was surprisingly open about the toll last year's aftermath took on him. And things haven't gone great since so if he was carrying some scars, they would've only got worse.

 

[Meth]

I'm on board the Manly bandwagon now. If the Roosters beat them, I'll go for them.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

legit though, Hynes seems to struggle in big games and he isn't delivering on what they are paying him

Yep it’s why they need a win

He actually put on a nice pass for a try last weekend, but all was undone extremely quickly on that awful kick for touch from the penalty and getting caught on the last tackle in his own half

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

I'm on board the Manly bandwagon now. If the Roosters beat them, I'll go for them.

I'm kinda ambivalent.. of everyone left I dont mind who wins.

May The 4th Be With You is such a bad ass catchphrase I'd be happy for Penrith to win just because of that. But Brookes doing well would be another cool story, I've still got a soft spot for Toddy Payten, would love to see Hughes win a ring after the year he's had, and agree with Beaver re: Hynes and wanting the dude to do well just for his own sake as much as anything else.