Round 14 vs Dragons

[Iamback]

Yes but Matterson, Joe Ofenghue,RCG, LANE are all injured. How many they win till they are fit is the key.

Yes but you have byes in that time. It is a big advantage to still have your byes left.

You aren't as well off as Souffs or Broncs but still there.

 

[hindy111]

Souths have a bye in the second last round. Ontop of two Origin period byes.
Broncos have a bye in the third last round Ontop of two Origin period byes.

They get a break leading into finals. We had our bye in Round 3 when no team needs a break. Our last bye is 9 weeks before finals.

So at a minimum we have to play 9 straight games assuming we finish top 4 and win week 1 of finals.

If we lose week one or finish 5th to 8th we have to play 12 straight weeks to make and win the grand final. No f**king way has the draw been kind to us. Honestly there's no advantage in getting a bye before the Origin period. Only during the Origin period and after it.

Well yes and No. Parras final BYE is the last round. Is that a benefit? I mean if your position on ladder is sorted already then you just rest all your players like everyone has done for decades.

So you guys essentially can do this in the last round.
It is ridiculous some sides have two byes before another has even had one.

 

[hindy111]

I was thinking of Nathan and Luai. Both are great players and young still but have either improved much since winning the title in 2021?
And is there much improvement left? Nathan's 25 now.

Burton is now 23. I personally haven't seem a lot if improvement in his game to.what I expected. I see flashes of brilliance mixed with rubbish amd inconsistent plays. At centre he was far more consistent and dynamic

 

[Black Panther]

Unsure why. I would of went Burton or Staggs.
I would have even went Penisini before him. Crightons forms been scratchy.

Lucky you aren’t the Coach then. Burton maybe at a pinch, but Staggs and Penisini you are joking right?
If Fittler was going to pick either of them he would’ve had them as 18th man.
Burton did play Centre before, but I would say he is down on form right now also.

 

[Black Panther]

I was thinking of Nathan and Luai. Both are great players and young still but have either improved much since winning the title in 2021?
And is there much improvement left? Nathan's 25 now.

Burton is now 23. I personally haven't seem a lot if improvement in his game to.what I expected. I see flashes of brilliance mixed with rubbish amd inconsistent plays. At centre he was far more consistent and dynamic

Joey Johns one of the best Halfbacks of the modern era seems to think Nathan will be the best Halfback of all time.
Of course he has improved since winning in 2021.

 

[ColdWetPanther]

Parramatta are 13th. 6 points behind but with all 3 byes to come, With 1 Origin player

The byes have skewed the ladder

So having played 2 more games than Penrith, the Eels have had one less win and three more loses.

And despite playing two less games than us from here, they play 5 teams currently in the top 8 (compared to our 4).

Don’t get me wrong I think Parra will make the 8, but that will be at the expense of the Dolphins or the Warriors (not us), and we are likely to be top 4.

 

[Iamback]

So having played 2 more games than Penrith, the Eels have had one less win and three more loses.

And despite playing two less games than us from here, they play 5 teams currently in the top 8 (compared to our 4).

Don’t get me wrong I think Parra will make the 8, but that will be at the expense of the Dolphins or the Warriors (not us), and we are likely to be top 4.

They only have 1 Origin player though.

Even this week against the Dogs they have less guys backing up.

We play the 14th placed Cowboys without Origin guys.

The Cowboys are only so low due to injuries, If they have Taumalolo, Nanai and co back they will start favourites

So the ladder still has some equalising to do yet

 

[ColdWetPanther]

They only have 1 Origin player though.

Even this week against the Dogs they have less guys backing up.

We play the 14th placed Cowboys without Origin guys.

The Cowboys are only so low due to injuries, If they have Taumalolo, Nanai and co back they will start favourites

So the ladder still has some equalising to do yet

Just so we are clear, are you predicting that the Eels overtake us because they have 2 more byes and less SOO reps between now and the end of the season?

I was talking to my dad who is a Parra tragic, and he said that they were the only team that doesn’t have a bye in one of the three weeks leading up to a SOO game.

 

[Munky]

They only have 1 Origin player though.

Even this week against the Dogs they have less guys backing up.

We play the 14th placed Cowboys without Origin guys.

The Cowboys are only so low due to injuries, If they have Taumalolo, Nanai and co back they will start favourites

So the ladder still has some equalising to do yet

The Cowboys are losing because they are a terrible this year not injuries.

Nanai has the worst case of second year syndrome since Tim Smith.

Their right edge of Chad, Nanai, Hiku and Feldt makes the 99 Magpies look like a brick wall in defence.

 

[WestyLife]

Unsure why. I would of went Burton or Staggs.
I would of even went Penisini before him. Crightons forms been scratchy.

With all due respect every single person who says this can shut the f**k up. Critta is the player in the single hardest defensive position in the best defensive team in the comp who also has a centre/wing combination with one of the wingers already selected. Its the obvious choice.

 

[WestyLife]

Well yes and No. Parras final BYE is the last round. Is that a benefit? I mean if your position on ladder is sorted already then you just rest all your players like everyone has done for decades.

So you guys essentially can do this in the last round.
It is ridiculous some sides have two byes before another has even had one.

Yes that is a huge benefit. You get all the advantage and are complaining.

 

[mxlegend99]

I was talking to my dad who is a Parra tragic, and he said that they were the only team that doesn’t have a bye in one of the three weeks leading up to a SOO game.

So Eels get to play Origin depleted sides (missing only one player to Origin) and get all their byes when teams would be full strength? That's being kissed on the dick for teams with little or no origin representation.

They also get the advantage of being able to freshen up their squad going into finals.

A bye before week 1 of finals is a massive leg up for them. Look how well resting our guys last year prepared us for the finals.

This year the ladder is closer and one result can mean dropping a few positions. Zero chance we have the luxury of resting guys leading into finals without risking our ladder position. We might have to battle through with a busted side running on fumes like we did in 2021.

 

[Chins get the wins]

With all due respect every single person who says this can shut the f**k up. Critta is the player in the single hardest defensive position in the best defensive team in the comp who also has a centre/wing combination with one of the wingers already selected. Its the obvious choice.

If you think about the sport as simply as this then it's obvious but when you look at game 3 last year everyone with a clue will realise we need Burton (or Latrell) as a kicking option. The ref will barely have the defence back 5m and Nathan will be rushed every kick. While QLD have the option of DCE, Munster and Hunt kicking

 

[age.s]

The inni Penis over Critta isn't even the kind of thing you'd consider half a dozen bongs in.

 

[WestyLife]

If you think about the sport as simply as this then it's obvious but when you look at game 3 last year everyone with a clue will realise we need Burton (or Latrell) as a kicking option. The ref will barely have the defence back 5m and Nathan will be rushed every kick. While QLD have the option of DCE, Munster and Hunt kicking

Luai can kick he just doesn't. Don't know why the guy can hit the 10m reliably from half way. That's plenty to take pressure from cleary here and there. Even if Burton is at centre it'll be the same he won't kick.

 

[unKwn]

Luai can kick he just doesn't. Don't know why the guy can hit the 10m reliably from half way. That's plenty to take pressure from cleary here and there. Even if Burton is at centre it'll be the same he won't kick.

I rewatched game 1 2021 and Luai was kicking heaps in that first half, way more than I remembered. He was kicking them well too

 

[martielang]

Nah, Penisini's a gun. Much better with ball than Crichton.

 

[WestyLife]

I rewatched game 1 2021 and Luai was kicking heaps in that first half, way more than I remembered. He was kicking them well too

It's Freddy's job as coach to point these things out. You can bet your butt Slater would.

 

[hindy111]

The inni Penis over Critta isn't even the kind of thing you'd consider half a dozen bongs in.

Peninsi will play origin. Question is when. I don't think it will be to long. Maybe by 2025.

 

[hindy111]

Joey Johns one of the best Halfbacks of the modern era seems to think Nathan will be the best Halfback of all time.
Of course he has improved since winning in 2021.

Best halfback in comp right now. I'm not sure has the money ball of Joey.