NRL Rd 21 2018 - General Non-Warriors Thread

[Blair]

Wow, just five games to go in the regular season. That happened quickly. For some teams they know that's all they have left, others will be disappointed once they realise it's happened.

Calmer heads would say the eight is fixed as of now, but Warriors fans aren't in that category!

Big game tonight in the context of two or three 'outsiders' who fancy a last dash for the finals. Knights v Tigers. You'd think both teams would need to win to have a chance. It's like their finals have come early in that sense.

Souths v Storm. That has a GF look about it and, as it is, the winner is back at top of the ladder.

Are the Dragons on the wane, relatively speaking? They face a Warriors side at full strength (for the first time this season!) with both sides coming off a bad game last week. Who is more motivated? The Dragons should stay fourth if they lose whereas the Warriors could be just one more loss away from dropping out for the first time this year.

Eels v Titans, Roosters v Cowboys and Sharks v Sea Eagles. There's three teams there in a desperate battle to avoid the wooden spoon. I'm tipping the Cows as the surprise candidate to get that punishment from mum (those old enough will remember mum was handy with that thing, if she could catch you, so she often resorted to surprise tactics).

The Panthers should officially end the Raiders season, if it's not done already. That's an awful feeling for them.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

I think we have had a full strength team once before maybe twice.
It has been distributive with injuries to key players this year.
Hopefully we can get a straight run now.
Harris will hopefully make a huge difference.

But what team shows up mentally will be interesting.

 

[JJ]

Rabbotohs vs Storm is huge... the Souths pack, their power, momentum and fast play the balls against the niggly, wrestling, slow down the ruck skill (skullduggery?) of the Storm... Souths really need, I think, to make a statement here, I think - Cronulla have shown (for a few years) a blueprint for how to beat the Storm, will the Rabbits try and emulate that, or does Seibold have another plan? Or is he saving that for the playoffs?

 

[Benek]

But what team shows up mentally will be interesting.

That's pretty much the one and only factor. If they are switched on, I give them a good chance of beating the Dragons. If last week's mentality shows up, we get smashed again.

At the end of the day, even with some of those players out we should be capable of putting together wins. The raw talent is there. It just depends on if the effort shows up. Warriors must be the most mentally fickle team in the comp.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

That's pretty much the one and only factor. If they are switched on, I give them a good chance of beating the Dragons. If last week's mentality shows up, we get smashed again.

At the end of the day, even with some of those players out we should be capable of putting together wins. The raw talent is there. It just depends on if the effort shows up. Warriors must be the most mentally fickle team in the comp.

With Tohu out essentially at the last minute, Im not hopeful.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Oh dear, short dropout from Broncos cost them a try.
Oats just knocks it back and no Broncos there as ran up in a line.

 

[Burns]

Bulldogs are belting Brisbane.

This comp does not make sense anymore.

 

[Big Marn]

no one had dogs in tipping comp this week.

 

[JJ]

Perfect illustration of why the top 6 (actually 5 I think) are the only real contenders - the Broncos, Warriors, Tigers, Raiders simply cannot seem to perform consistently, notably in recent weeks in games that were really important to them... The Broncos and Warriors have negative points differentials, not a good look

Panthers probably in that boat too

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Broncos are the most over rated side in the comp, without ref piggybacks they may not even be in the 8

How's this for a stat I read mid week, since Greenberg announced mid season that the ref crackdown was being pulled back, Melbourne are 8-0, and the Roosters are 7-1, their only loss being 9-8 to the storm

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Broncos are the most over rated side in the comp, without ref piggybacks they may not even be in the 8

How's this for a stat I read mid week, since Greenberg announced mid season that the ref crackdown was being pulled back, Melbourne are 8-0, and the Roosters are 7-1, their only loss being 9-8 to the storm

Haha that is some serious tin hat stuff mate. Unless there's penalty counts to prove

 

[JJ]

Haha that is some serious tin hat stuff mate. Unless there's penalty counts to prove

In our game against Melbourne it was pretty clear that they are again being allowed to seriously manipulate ruck speed when defending?

Admittedly they are brilliant at it, and it's part of the game - but I think everyone would like clear and consistent guidelines on what's permitted

 

[Meth]

Bulldogs doing us favours again.

It's a shame we probably won't do ourselves any.

 

[Blair]

Broncos are the most over rated side in the comp, without ref piggybacks they may not even be in the 8

How's this for a stat I read mid week, since Greenberg announced mid season that the ref crackdown was being pulled back, Melbourne are 8-0, and the Roosters are 7-1, their only loss being 9-8 to the storm

And the Warriors have lost heaps.

 

[Blair]

Bulldogs doing us favours again.

It's a shame we probably won't do ourselves any.

That attitude has to change. From both us (the fans) and the team.

Otherwise we'rs just not a serious outfit.

 

[Meth]

Bennett said that the Storm were the only top 8 team that has beaten them. Must have mentally blocked our game.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Haha that is some serious tin hat stuff mate. Unless there's penalty counts to prove

Which stuff mate ?

Those are actual game results that have happened, people were reading into it that perhaps since the refs got more lenient on offside and what happens around the play the ball, those 2 sides have torn up the ladder as it suits their style better

 

[Blair]

Bennett said that the Storm were the only top 8 team that has beaten them. Must have mentally blocked our game.

Underestimate us at your peril.

(I'm feeling confident today).

 

[Blair]

Matt Cecchin to retire 'due to abuse':

theguardian.com/sport/2018/aug/03/nrl-referee-matt-cecchin-to-quit-nrl-over-vile-abuse

It was particularly bad after last year's WC Semi in NZ, which included 'death threats'.

 

[Philip_Smith007]

Matt Cecchin to retire 'due to abuse':

theguardian.com/sport/2018/aug/03/nrl-referee-matt-cecchin-to-quit-nrl-over-vile-abuse

It was particularly bad after last year's WC Semi in NZ, which included 'death threats'.

How did they get his phone number?