NRL Rd 1 2024 - General Non-Warriors Thread

[Blair]

It's past midnight and summer is officially done! You know what that means? All eyes on the Basin Reserve...

...seriously though, we're a couple of sleeps from Seattle, I mean, Las Vegas, and the start of season 2024.

'Vegas? What will it be next year? Macau? To attract the gambling potential of China? We don't even need to be cynical as Vlandys, I mean the NRL, is quite open about its gambling interests.

With all that aside however the footy is here again! We love it all the same. Thanks to Beave and others here for keeping the home fires burning and Sunday kicks off in Nevada with Manly v Souths and Easts v Brisbane.

Thursday is a long wait but Newcastle at home to Canberra has a fight for an eighth to sixth place finish written all over it.

Friday, it's emotional, we're hosting Cronulla. Unlike last year we expect to win. The Storm and Panthers follow, and let's hope that's not this year's GF, for obvious reasons.

Saturday has the Eels v Dogs in a Sydney 's***fight' These two sides, heartland clubs, are in dire need of a rev-up. Parramatta are closing in on forty years since they last lifted the trophy and Canterbury are woefully underperforming.

North of the border has the GC hosting the Dragons, another two teams in need of some finals action. Have they improved from last year?

We close out Sunday with a nice one, sour puss Bennett's Redcliffe v Payten's Cowboys. I'm glad it's not the Warriors, as ol' Wayne might be in a mood to dish it out to a bunch of Kiwis.

Enjoy.

 

[Blair]

For crying out loud it's ugly at the Basin. We just can't seem to get it right against Australia (in test matches).

It's like the ultimate doomsday performance.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Refs told not to pack the whistle, Saab tackled on the ground, Latrell in late with contact to the head, play on

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Didn’t think I was ready for the footy to be back, but that was an outstanding half. Feel like we have left 3-4 tries out there. Feel like we are playing better team footy, but they’ve had a bit of luck with Walkers individual stuff, mountain of 6 agains one way is helping as well

From our point of view Tom looks in sensational condition and Brooks looks very dangerous. Wasn’t a fan of the Nathan Brown signing but he is really hooking in, and Olakau’atu looks unstoppable

what a flog Walker is coming on half a minute after Saab had scored to give him a bump

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Good win by Manly but FMD they’re a top heavy side that’s vulnerable to injury. Saab’s hammy is going to put him out for a few weeks minimum.

second game is way more of a slugfest so far

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Walsh is still the most punchable pest in the comp

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Good win by Manly but FMD they’re a top heavy side that’s vulnerable to injury. Saab’s hammy is going to put him out for a few weeks minimum.

second game is way more of a slugfest so far

That is the common narrative, but the squad isnt much different to the 90% of the comp

 

[SpaceMonkey]

That is the common narrative, but the squad isnt much different to the 90% of the comp

Probably just that your key guys seem to be made of glass.

 

[Blair]

In the spirit of competition I'm sure Vlandys would be happy for the NFL to stage its season opener in Sydney this spring.

 

[Rich102]

Gosh. Benji has worked wonders. Tigers top three already.

 

[Blair]

Gosh. Benji has worked wonders. Tigers top three already.

I sell gear. Believe me, selling Tigers gear always has a short window of opportunity, a sweet-spot even.

That time is now. Come round three and it's time for it all to be stored away, till next January.

 

[Blair]

Spencer Leniu said a silly thing and has been charged (by the NRL).

Surely our Marcelo is a precedent? A four-game ban ln '22 for a similar offence.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Spencer Leniu said a silly thing and has been charged (by the NRL).

Surely our Marcelo is a precedent? A four-game ban ln '22 for a similar offence.

I reckon Leniu will cop a bit of “Vegas loading” for embarassing the game on the big stage.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

There are quite a few teams that missed the 8 last year that you’d think have a pretty decent chance this year (eels, manly, Souths, cowboys, Dolphins) , watching this game tonight I can see the Knights and Raiders being 2 of the teams that drop out to accomodate them

this game a level below the Vegas ones so far

 

[Blair]

Raiders 28 Knights 12. Final.

On the scoreboard it's a bit of a solid one for Sticky's boys but, as Beave pointed out above, overall quality seemed lacking from both sides.

 

[Blair]

We'll start the season zero from two as Melbourne looked the goods tonight; an 8-0 shut-out of Penrith.

 

[Blair]

The Eels do it quite easy over the dogs in front of a full-house at home, 26-8. Bryce Cartwright looks like he's back as an elite player. Busy in defence, finding holes in attack, hitting the line hard.

Dessie's Tits get flogged by Flano's fire-breathers, 28-4.

No Foran or Fifita is a mitigating factor but it's still an opening round fail for a master coach at home.

I wouldn't even want to be a fly-on-the-wall in the dressing room right now.

 

[Blair]

The Cowboys either made a statement at Lang Park or the Dolphins are just as bad as they were towards the end of last season.

Rd 1 Ladder:



Hagley Oval is where it's at tomorrow! Sorry, I'm not feeling the footy-love just yet. Marsh and Head are the two worst batsmen we want out there, they won't die wondering. However, we're favourites to win!

 

[Izz]

So Cowboys get a penalty try for a soft Dolphins tackle in goal, when imo it wasn't 100% certain the Cowboys' player would score, while all we get is a penalty for DWZ getting tackled in the air after making a clean catch and having to do nothing but fall to ground with ball to score...

 

[Blair]

So Cowboys get a penalty try for a soft Dolphins tackle in goal, when imo it wasn't 100% certain the Cowboys' player would score, while all we get is a penalty for DWZ getting tackled in the air after making a clean catch and having to do nothing but fall to ground with ball to score...

That DWZ situation sounds like how the '99 GF was decided for Melbourne. A clear penalty try, called correctly, to decide a premiership. Yet our ref thought otherwise, 25 years later, when penalty tries are much more frequent, and in a regular season fixture?