Taking the 2 late down 8

[Rod]

We had 2 games today where a team was trailing by 8 and refused a relatively easy penalty goal in both instances with 3-4 minutes left. Interested to hear others thoughts on this, as a Knights fan I was happy the Storm didn't immediately reduce the deficit to 6 with us kicking off to them again. The advantage for kicking the goal is only needing one try but the downside is the best result you can probably hope for is the game going to golden point.

Interested in what others think.

 

[Mr. Shaman]

Cowardice, go for the try.

 

[Fangs]

Try 100%.

Especially with 2 point field goals now an option. Provided you convert the try.

 

[Bazal]

Depends I guess.

As a Parra fan I would have been pissed if we went for the two last night. Cows were flagging hard and we were rolling, that could easily break momentum. We also would have scored if Simonsson wasn't a complete potato.

Generally I'd say go for the try unless it's a total gimme or it's been a real slog

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

Penalty goal gives the opposition a breather and it’s a momentum killer. Try every time.

 

[Wizardman]

In the vast majority of situations, I find it a bit of a negative ploy. Im not a fan of the tactic.

 

[Diesel]

Taking the two still means you need to convert your try, byr you’re not winning. Acting a try chsnges momentum & more chance of scoring another in the last four minutes.the defending team will panic

 

[Wizardman]

Taking the two still means you need to convert your try, byr you’re not winning. Acting a try chsnges momentum & more chance of scoring another in the last four minutes.the defending team will panic

Or at least tie the game if you get a penalty after scoring a converted try. Either way, you need two scoring chances or you lose the game anyway....may as well go for the try while you are at a close distance.

 

[taste2taste]

Take the 2 if it's on offer.

It's simple maths, you then only need to score 1 try...not 2.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Depends where the two is. Out wide and no certainty? Go for the try. Gift in front of the sticks? Bang it over quick and go for the try off the restart.

 

[Rod]

Depends where the two is. Out wide and no certainty? Go for the try. Gift in front of the sticks? Bang it over quick and go for the try off the restart.

For the purposes of this we're assuming the penalty will be kicked. Both kicks today would have been pretty easy.

 

[Slammin]

Try 100%.

Especially with 2 point field goals now an option. Provided you convert the try.

I'm still waiting to see teams use plays from 25 out to blitz it back to the specialist distance kicker for an uncontested 2 pt field goal.

Surely these guys can soon enough slot from 40-45 at such a successful rate that it's strategic value will increase so much that it will cause a huge change to the game.

Just depends when. I mean we did go an extraordinary amount of decades before teams realised that short drop outs consistently is a positive play.

 

[Someguy]

Easier to get that penalty when 8 points down. Down by two and defending team can do what they want

 

[Someguy]

I'm still waiting to see teams use plays from 25 out to blitz it back to the specialist distance kicker for an uncontested 2 pt field goal.

Surely these guys can soon enough slot from 40-45 at such a successful rate that it's strategic value will increase so much that it will cause a huge change to the game.

Just depends when. I mean we did go an extraordinary amount of decades before teams realised that short drop outs consistently is a positive play.

that’s a case of rules that need to be reworked imo. Defending team should be able to take the ball before it goes 10, should be an advantage to force a drop out

 

[Fangs]

I'm still waiting to see teams use plays from 25 out to blitz it back to the specialist distance kicker for an uncontested 2 pt field goal.

Surely these guys can soon enough slot from 40-45 at such a successful rate that it's strategic value will increase so much that it will cause a huge change to the game.

Just depends when. I mean we did go an extraordinary amount of decades before teams realised that short drop outs consistently is a positive play.

It is still a very amateur sport at times.

I still can't believe any team runs with a goal kicker at under 75% conversion rate. Some teams don't have a legit back up. It's quite ridiculous and we have a current case study in the Dragons this year who lost a stack of close games while Lomax shonked them.

 

[Desert Qlder]

It was a big part of the reason North Queensland won against Cronulla week 1 of the finals last year.

Down by 8 but taking a penalty two really settled the team and Taumalolo charges over a few minutes later. Holmes ices the two-point field goal in golden point.

Pretty much the postcard version of the scenario playing out perfectly.

 

[Leber]

Taking the two still means you need to convert your try, byr you’re not winning. Acting a try chsnges momentum & more chance of scoring another in the last four minutes.the defending team will panic

Really?

Only a dumb team would conceed 2 tries in the last two minutes.

 

[Valheru]

Depends on if the line is 7.5 and whether I have gone with it or against it so in the case of the Parra game I was happy with the decision.

 

[Steel Saints]

It also depends on how much time there is left for two scoring plays. If there is seven minutes to go, opt for a penalty goal. You'd still have 3 or 4 sets with the ball to conjure a try.

If there is four minutes remaining, go for the try. Then after the restart, with two minutes remaining,
*either go for a forty/twenty kick so you could get the ball back inside the opponents 20,
* attempt a 2 point field goal from 40m out to tie the game
* go through the hands.
*or strategically know how to get a six again from the ref

 

[sportsnut]

But it's a predicament that makes the game interesting.

No right or wrong IMO. Either option you have to get everything right after that.

I guess it comes down to little things like are the opposition gassed etc. Then do what gives them no time and go. etc etc