Rd 26 Minor Pemiership

[t-ba]

For the Roosters and Souths the key should be playing Melbourne in Week 1. If Melbourne win their first match up the last thing in the world any of the other top 4 teams want is to play Melbourne in Melbourne in the prelim. That's the big luxury of that match up. If they lose it isn't a problem but if both Melbourne and Manly get up and you're team is the one that lost to Manly you've got the shittiest third week assignment.

It's also what makes winning in week 1 the key for Manly. Hell will freeze over before we win a final down there so we'll be desperate to completely wipe the possibility out.

Gus Gould has predicted so many sell outs that have failed to materialize that it beggars belief.

 

[The Pip]

The Chooks and Souths will smash the crap out of each other next Friday night, you guys better believe it! I get the feeling that the loser may well get crunched in their first semi. Also finishing 3rd or 4th is actually quite important, as Manly for instance, play on Sunday arvo and if they finish 4th will have only a 4 day turn around to play Friday night.

 

[timka4]

Roosters and souths would be stupid to bash each other up purely for 1st/2nd spot.
They have both guaranteed a home final match, why put your 100% effort into a match that really doesn't matter when it comes to the finals. Especially when they'll verse teams like melbourne/manly straight up anyway

 

[Ulysseus]

Bunnies man, you are one of the more sensible Souths fans

You young Gonzo have just derp'd incredibly hard.

 

[Different kind of Rabbit]

Very interesting set of circumstances now and they play out in Manly's favour in a big way.

Essentially they get to sit back and watch the rest of the top 4 play, knowing that by the time their game comes along on Sunday, they will have the final choice of which of the top two teams they would like to play and they can work their final game accordingly.

 

[Bumble]

The loser plays manly... who completely destoryed melbourne. I don't care who we play in week 1, personally. Both are equally tough but also equally beatable.

Souths fans are shit scared of playing the storm though. They've been sweating on things going their way to avoid them in week 1. After seeing the number the eagels did on them tonight though maybe Souffs fans will change their tune

Errr no. Playing Melbourne in week one means we stay in Sydney for the entire finals series, regardless of whether we win or lose. Definitely the preferred option for me

 

[big hit!]

The Chooks and Souths will smash the crap out of each other next Friday night, you guys better believe it! I get the feeling that the loser may well get crunched in their first semi. Also finishing 3rd or 4th is actually quite important, as Manly for instance, play on Sunday arvo and if they finish 4th will have only a 4 day turn around to play Friday night.

not necessarily. it could be the seeds 2 vs 3 game on friday night. what's important is that the QF's are played before their respective EF's.

but scheduling in the NRL is fairly f**ked. all about TV once the networks get a hold of it. as an example, roosters played on sunday, now back up for this friday night with their opposition getting a two day march on them.

likewise for manly. their opposition for Wk 1 of finals will play on friday night, but they play on sunday in the last round so their opposition gets an extra 2-day break. the NRL signing off on manly (who were in the top 4 when nine and fox got their grubby hands on the schedule) to play a sunday game in the final round of the regular season is a joke. the likely top 4 teams should've been given friday and saturday games, not a sunday game, and especially not a 2-day deficit to their likely opponents.

and i support souths, so no partisan bullshit from my end. just an honest critique at the pathetic scheduling and compromises teams are faced with in this league.

Very interesting set of circumstances now and they play out in Manly's favour in a big way.

Essentially they get to sit back and watch the rest of the top 4 play, knowing that by the time their game comes along on Sunday, they will have the final choice of which of the top two teams they would like to play and they can work their final game accordingly.

well that's another issue with scheduling isn't it?

the NFL will ensure that the final game(s) of the regular season are not scheduled to allow a club to compromise the following week's fixtures. but unlike an organisation which walks around with their belt undone whenever the networks are near, they have a more professional set up over there.

 

[Cumberland Throw]

Ok so I'm waiting for the big marketing blitz to start to sell out Fridays game

Will it start in 3..2 ... 1.

 

[BranVan3000]

Ok so I'm waiting for the big marketing blitz to start to sell out Fridays game

Will it start in 3..2 ... 1.

I've been seeing marketing for this game for about a month now

 

[Valheru]

as an example, roosters played on sunday, now back up for this friday night with their opposition getting a two day march on them.

Well said, it really is ridiculous isn?t it?

These games were all scheduled 7 weeks ago and every man and his dog knew that souths/roosters would be Friday and that it could be for the MP yet one team gets their 4th consecutive 7 day turn around and the other gets 5 after having 6 the previous week.

Given that channel 9 always knew they would have this on the Friday night they could have easily scheduled the sharks/roosters game on the Sunday and then the titans game on the Saturday. That would have been much better.

 

[thorson1987]

Remember the souffs v Tigpies game was scheduled for Saturday night.

But because of the f**k up with the dogs v panfas game it got moved

 

[Valheru]

Well that is true

Still they could have had both teams off a projected 6 day turn around with a bit of forward thinking.