Semi Final Predictions

[mickeylane]

Not Dragons Talk but still, there is some interest in these games....just to see some tall poppies potentially go down. My tips this week.
Many to beat Storm in a belter of a match....
Penrith in a blood bath w multiple send offs v Souths
Titans in a nailbiter over Roosters
Parra to smash Newcastle

 

[TruSaint]

Mel to beat Manly
Penrith to demolish Souths
Chooks to beat Titans
And yes Parra to smash Knights

 

[Gareth67]

Storm over Manly

Souths spring an upset over Panthers

Rorters over Titans

Eels over Knights

 

[Eatons Hill Dragon]

Storm by 28 is my tip, double to Paps and Turbo to be kept quiet.

 

[redv13]

Not Dragons Talk but still, there is some interest in these games....just to see some tall poppies potentially go down. My tips this week.
Many to beat Storm in a belter of a match....
Penrith in a blood bath w multiple send offs v Souths
Titans in a nailbiter over Roosters
Parra to smash Newcastle

Was a belter alright, like your prediction

 

[Dragon David]

For the remainder of the weekend's games -
Panthers to beat Bunnies
Roosters to beat Titans
Eels to beat the Knights.

The Storm were just too good against the Sea Eagles tonight. Harper, Turbo and the others, all at sea.

 

[Dragon David]

How did Paps get away with his stiff arm to the head of Garrick?

 

[Saint Angelo]

How did Paps get away with his stiff arm to the head of Garrick?

Because his name is Ryan, not Ravalawa.

By the way, notice how all storm players don’t touch the ball with their foot when playing the ball. They simply roll the ball back and lift their foot over the ball. Brilliantly coached technique.

 

[Trifili13]

And most Storm players also move forward off the mark which takes the markers out of play or they get a penalty if the markers push them back or tackle them.

I hate when refs call "you've shortened it" which means the player has moved off the mark which as far as I know always was and probably still is a penalty but they never blow it. Just referee the game to the rules.

 

[Yow]

For all the hype on how Manly is going checkout there draw got belted in the 1st 4 rounds even by us then only played Melb and Penrith out of the top5 after that ,bit of false economy or just me.

 

[Trifili13]

For all the hype on how Manly is going checkout there draw got belted in the 1st 4 rounds even by us then only played Melb and Penrith out of the top5 after that ,bit of false economy or just me.

Manly's top 4 or 5 players are as good as any in the comp. Problem is the rest are not as good or well drilled as say Storm, Rooster's (before their injuries) and Penrith.

As Storm showed, stop Tommy and you stop Manly.

 

[thebigredv]

Let's cut to the chase. It is really just a question of who wins the grand final, Storm or Penrith. Clearly again two best teams all year. Souths threatened at times but NRL has become a two horse race and they better hope panthers find a way to get it done this time...it's becoming very monotonous with the Storm/Roosters dominating.

Meanwhile the AFL will throw up a new premier this year. Looking like a team who hasn't won for decades. A much healthier competition.

As for us. I remember the times when we'd choke in the finals but I'd still be a proud fan, ready to defend my club. Now I spit on what we've allowed ourselves to become.

I'll go Storm by 10 in the big one over Panthers.

 

[Maddragon99]

Melbourne v Penrith grand final & Melbourne to win in a canter.

all other teams are just there to make up the numbers.

 

[Dragon David]

Let's cut to the chase. It is really just a question of who wins the grand final, Storm or Penrith. Clearly again two best teams all year. Souths threatened at times but NRL has become a two horse race and they better hope panthers find a way to get it done this time...it's becoming very monotonous with the Storm/Roosters dominating.

Meanwhile the AFL will throw up a new premier this year. Looking like a team who hasn't won for decades. A much healthier competition.

As for us. I remember the times when we'd choke in the finals but I'd still be a proud fan, ready to defend my club. Now I spit on what we've allowed ourselves to become.

I'll go Storm by 10 in the big one over Panthers.

Just imagine how league fans other than Dragons ones were feeling when we kept on being in the finals and winning 11 straight. Many went to the grand finals with the hope of seeing us getting done. There were lots of Dragons haters in those years.

Now we have the Storm and Roosters and possibly the Panthers to be the Dragons in the first 30 years of this millennium.

 

[Mjab]

Because his name is Ryan, not Ravalawa.

By the way, notice how all storm players don’t touch the ball with their foot when playing the ball. They simply roll the ball back and lift their foot over the ball. Brilliantly coached technique.

Too late for a penalty crackdown now but they should next season

the ball is supposed to touch the foot isn’t it ?

 

[TruSaint]

Hard not to admire Bellamy.
By far and away the best coach. Tactically and man management.

Lets be real here, Manly scored 2 tries. One off a rookie error by the Storm repleacement winger and a great leap by Saab.

Tommy , as great as he is, and the Manly halves were no threat at all. Munster had a great game, and their pocket rocket, Brandon Smith was brilliant.

JAC to return as well.

 

[Trifili13]

Just imagine how league fans other than Dragons ones were feeling when we kept on being in the finals and winning 11 straight. Many went to the grand finals with the hope of seeing us getting done. There were lots of Dragons haters in those years.

Now we have the Storm and Roosters and possibly the Panthers to be the Dragons in the first 30 years of this millennium.

One big difference is that the salary cap is supposed to even things out so the richer clubs don't buy the comp. How is that working out with Storm or Rooster's in the GF or thereabouts for the past 20 years?

 

[TruSaint]

One big difference is that the salary cap is supposed to even things out so the richer clubs don't buy the comp. How is that working out with Storm or Rooster's in the GF or thereabouts for the past 20 years?

Melbourne were caught out once and had titles stripped.

To date they are Cap compliant, as far as we know. It has been mentioned many times that players will go / stay at Mel / Chooks for less money.

Sorry, we cant keep using this as an excuse.

 

[Trifili13]

A salary cap without a draft does not work. Yes the AFL has had era's of dominance of 4 or 5 years and while those teams might remain competitive for a couple of years after their premiership window, they slowly drop out of the 8 like the Hawks and Richmond as they simply can't buy the best player to replace an aging star and have to go through the draft. Bottom teams get higher picks and a chance to pick up the best talent coming through.

In the NRL a top team losing an aging star just goes and buys the best replacement for unders.

 

[TruSaint]

The draft system lost after 1991 case by Terry Hill.