NRL Rd 26 2024 - General Non-Warriors Thread

[Blair]

It's late in the season and we're all getting tired. Penrose Warrior made my intro easy this week!:

'Quite a few big games this weekend - can't believe the Pennies are 4th now, and not inconceivable they end up out of the 4...although you'd have to think they destroy the Bunnies this week.

'Eels Dragons is big for both clubs, Dolphins Broncs is huge, too. Dogs and Sea Eagles is massive, even if it wasn't such a big thing in terms of top 4 and top 8. The Cows will want a home final, and the Storm might have the cue in the rack ahead of the finals.

'Sharks will definitely want to towel us up and look for a top 2 spot, same with Roosters v Raiders - Raiders love ruining other people's seasons. Knights Titans might be the only one without any real consequence, although I spose the Knights have vague hope.'

Enjoy.

 

[Blair]

Needless to say the 'Shaun Johnson Farewell Tour' has hit the road. It's feeling a bit like a Johnny Farnham farewell.

 

[Blair]

Mitchell's copped a one match ban. It doesn't seem like much, does it? His fine could be six figures, which is unreasonable, I think. It's way too much.

We've come a long way since Wendall Sailor lost two years of his career.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Headline I didn’t think I’d see, Balmain board as considering dissolving the joint venture when the current licence ends at the end of next year. From what I’ve read Wests put the majority of the money into it, so I’d be surprised if Balmain got the licence back after that

Speaking of things a bit weird, listening to the Sportscafe podcast today and near an ad for Marcelo Montoya’s podcast, just concentrate on being a competent first grader lad !

Cowboys playing for a home final struggling to put away reserve grade Storm

 

[Blair]

Worrying news about the Tigers but it's probably not as surprising as we'd think. It's a failing joint venture, too long out of finals, and Balmain and Campbelltown are too far apart, in more ways than just as the magpie, I mean, crow flies.

 

[Blair]

A cracking game in Townsville but NQ have more to play for. Why would Melbourne want to push the likes of Munster too hard?

NQ are full of Origin stars and they should be doing so much better this season. Guys like Nanai aren't providing a decent running game like you'd expect.

18-16, Cows. Halftime.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Worrying news about the Tigers but it's probably not as surprising as we'd think. It's a failing joint venture, too long out of finals, and Balmain and Campbelltown are too far apart, in more ways than just as the magpie, I mean, crow flies.

They never really fully work, but Tigers seemed like the best one of the lot, Illawarra just got swallowed by St George

Ken Arthurson even though he was retired was smart enough to go to NRL headquarters and demand in the contract that if the Northern Eagles fell over it reverted back to Manly, don’t think Balmain have that agreement

 

[Beavers Headgear]

The Western Bears should have Wishart near the top of their signings list, great player

 

[Blair]

They never really fully work, but Tigers seemed like the best one of the lot, Illawarra just got swallowed by St George

Ken Arthurson even though he was retired was smart enough to go to NRL headquarters and demand in the contract that if the Northern Eagles fell over it reverted back to Manly, don’t think Balmain have that agreement.

The only time I got excited about the Eagles was when Menzies scored at the SFS to get them into the 2003 (?) finals. But, to me, it was just like supporting Manly, my home team.

There was even talk of merging Easts and Souths, 'they play at the same ground' was one argument for it that I remember.

If Balmain goes it alone then where will their 'local talent' come from? It's Yuppie-ville these days. Like North Sydney, they can get as sentimental as they want but the reality is their demographics don't really stack up anymore.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

The only time I got excited about the Eagles was when Menzies scored at the SFS to get them into the 2003 (?) finals. But, to me, it was just like supporting Manly, my home team.

There was even talk of merging Easts and Souths, 'they play at the same ground' was one argument for it that I remember.

If Balmain goes it alone then where will their 'local talent' come from? It's Yuppie-ville these days. Like North Sydney, they can get as sentimental as they want but the reality is their demographics don't really stack up anymore.

Northern Eagles never felt like my side and found myself drifting more towards the Warriors over those years, so I got the 2002 Warriors experience.
It would make more sense in every area if it did dissolve that it would head out west, the Balmain CEO said they’ll go alone in NSW Cup if need be, but want the Tigers name

 

[Blair]

38-30, Cowboys. Final.

I just don't think NQ have the defence to compete in this year's finals.

 

[Big Marn]

Headline I didn’t think I’d see, Balmain board as considering dissolving the joint venture when the current licence ends at the end of next year. From what I’ve read Wests put the majority of the money into it, so I’d be surprised if Balmain got the licence back after that

Speaking of things a bit weird, listening to the Sportscafe podcast today and near an ad for Marcelo Montoya’s podcast, just concentrate on being a competent first grader lad !

Cowboys playing for a home final struggling to put away reserve grade Storm

well, a podcast might be better for him than playing golf and video games on your days off.
Also, if he attaches himself to a major singing star, he could end up with a $100M podcast deal from something that started off as a hobby.

 

[Big Marn]

38-30, Cowboys. Final.

I just don't think NQ have the defence to compete in this year's finals.

No chance Blair. just making up the numbers

 

[JJ]

Northern Eagles never felt like my side and found myself drifting more towards the Warriors over those years, so I got the 2002 Warriors experience.
It would make more sense in every area if it did dissolve that it would head out west, the Balmain CEO said they’ll go alone in NSW Cup if need be, but want the Tigers name

Really is hard when they mess with history - Illawarra have a proud league history, but not in the Sydney comp as a club, and St George is St George, so that one was always going to be lopsided - with Illawarra providing the talent but St George being the club. Wests and Balmain seemed to be a weird one all along, geographically, culturally and given the proud histories of both clubs.

Hard to make them work, Arthurson was obviously a good operator so had safeguards - and obviously Manly and Souths have persevered through tough times.

 

[JJ]

No chance Blair. just making up the numbers

it's that way every year at the moment though, 8 is too many, and usually just 2-4 teams with a legit chance - injuries permitting - Panthers hammered by injuries and the cap this year, but still hard to see anyone outside of Penrith, Melbourne or Easts winning - and tbh East have a lot of talent and look flash when running downhill, but have struggled with the other two - Dogs and Cronulla are solid sides, but a step down, Manly are a bit like Easts but not as talented, the rest have shown little

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Was looking forward to tonight’s game until I saw both clubs are involved in the Ashley Klein lottery, he can’t get through a game without a serious error or 2

 

[Big Marn]

Was looking forward to tonight’s game until I saw both clubs are involved in the Ashley Klein lottery, he can’t get through a game without a serious error or 2

Thought Liam Kennedy might have the week off after bunkergate. He is running the sideline in the least impactful game for the top 8, so close to it i guess.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

it's that way every year at the moment though, 8 is too many, and usually just 2-4 teams with a legit chance - injuries permitting - Panthers hammered by injuries and the cap this year, but still hard to see anyone outside of Penrith, Melbourne or Easts winning - and tbh East have a lot of talent and look flash when running downhill, but have struggled with the other two - Dogs and Cronulla are solid sides, but a step down, Manly are a bit like Easts but not as talented, the rest have shown little

I have a feel it is a lot tighter this year, and looking forward to it.

Storm and Panthers up front, but top 2 far more vulnerable this year imo, and have dropped games to the pack coming for them. Also the high possibility that they meet in week 1 and bash each other and the team coming from the bottom 4 comes in fresher

Roosters right in there behind them

Sharks, not quite sure on their identity

Dogs, defensive record should hold up and always keep them in games

Manly, flaky defensively at times but 50/50 ball can trouble anyone, and haven’t been blown out at all this year, and have genuinely beaten the top 3. Can’t see 4 big weeks in a row out of them though

Cowboys - Have beaten the entire top 4, but defensively too shaky and can’t hold up for 4 weeks, attack dangerous

Then we have to counter in the lottery that is the officiating, for example, if you give Roosters or Manly 10mins of 13 on 12, they can go bang bang very easily and change an entire contest

 

[Big Marn]

dont they let more go in the finals though? I reckon it was a mandate last year but cant remember entirely.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

dont they let more go in the finals though? I reckon it was a mandate last year but cant remember entirely.

They did in the GF last year, but can’t go too extreme in regards to letting blatant head shots go you’d imagine. Even in Origin this year Klein was asserting himself into the games