Top 10 flops 2015

[TheFrog]

Take Thurston out of the Cowboys team with ten rounds to go and see where they end up you f**k knuckles.

They may not have won the comp but they would not have lost every game.

 

[hardbaby]

They may not have won the comp but they would not have lost every game.

Yes that was a truly spineless performance from the Warriors. Big culture problem there.

 

[Desert Qlder]

It is a hastily cobbled together piece designed to stem the incredibly positive media narrative flowing after the superb Grand Final.

Don't think it will succeed somehow.

 

[Hutty1986]

The bit about the Blues was right, though. The worst capitulation of all time in a big game.

 

[JJ]

The Kangaroos too :lol:

Judiciary is the biggest joke/flop, severe problems. Our Warriors right up there

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Warriors - yes blame a team that loses it's star play maker. Yes the others lost heart in defence, but without Johnson they had no direction in attack. Take Thurston out of the Cowboys team with ten rounds to go and see where they end up you f**k knuckles.

Don't defend us mate, we don't deserve it. We didn't leak 50 to the Tigers and Cows in consecutive weeks, and 36 to blot the week previous to the Dragons, because we had no direction in attack. It was because we were piss weak. We deserve the slap and so does Bambi on Ice Tomkins.

Agreed the attack on the product is rubbish though. There's shit games because there's shit teams with shit coaches. That's not the game's fault.

 

[no name]

What a rubbish article, George Burgess clearly had the biggest flop of 2014, no one from this year would beat it. (Except maybe BM)

 

[BennyV]

No mention of Kasiano on Widdop?! :sarcasm:

 

[Lambretta]

Another sports data?

Do you honestly believe fox were excluded from negotiations?

Brain damage data taken from NFL as justification for changing the shoulder charge rules in the NRL.

Fox's complaint was that they were excluded from negotiations and that the deal was done with Nine separately for FTA rights.

Once that deal was announced, why would Fox agree to pay anything? Who on earth are they now competing with?

Are the NRL going to refuse to give Fox the rights for the remaining games if no one else can afford to pay anything for them? Fox merely needs to offer slightly more than anyone else to secure the rights.

 

[insert.pause]

Brain damage data taken from NFL as justification for changing the shoulder charge rules in the NRL.

Fox's complaint was that they were excluded from negotiations and that the deal was done with Nine separately for FTA rights.

Once that deal was announced, why would Fox agree to pay anything? Who on earth are they now competing with?

Are the NRL going to refuse to give Fox the rights for the remaining games if no one else can afford to pay anything for them? Fox merely needs to offer slightly more than anyone else to secure the rights.

Had just as much to do with protecting the code from liability- the ARLC is currently being sued by Greenfield for a shoulder charge ending his career. The NRL had its own data on the SC in the NRL, brain damage data in the NFL had more influence on the concussion guidelines being overhauled.

They were not excluded from negotiations, that's why the telegraph were reporting exclusives about MNF being scrapped in favour of thursday nights. Fox dragged their feet with the NRL in hope of stalling long enough for Foxtels stake in Ten to be approved by the ACCC so they could do a joint bid and refuse to bid unless ten was the FTA partner, the NRL preempted it and News Corp have got the shits.

 

[Scapegoat]

Newscorp - says it all.

Yep, more agenda driven dribble.

 

[Lambretta]

They were not excluded from negotiations, that's why the telegraph were reporting exclusives about MNF being scrapped in favour of thursday nights. Fox dragged their feet with the NRL in hope of stalling long enough for Foxtels stake in Ten to be approved by the ACCC so they could do a joint bid and refuse to bid unless ten was the FTA partner, the NRL preempted it and News Corp have got the shits.

Fair enough they weren't excluded, but why announce now?
When is the next deal penned to start? 2017?

If Foxtel DID merge with Ten and wanted a joint pay / FTA deal, look at how HUGE that could have been. Ten and Nine would have been fighting hand and nail to win the rights and you get the package for all the games

As it is we have a great deal for half the games and stuff all for the other half

I understand that the article is Newscorp sour grapes and basically Stuff them, but the NRL ballsed up the negotiations or at least half of them

 

[insert.pause]

Fair enough they weren't excluded, but why announce now?
When is the next deal penned to start? 2017?

If Foxtel DID merge with Ten and wanted a joint pay / FTA deal, look at how HUGE that could have been. Ten and Nine would have been fighting hand and nail to win the rights and you get the package for all the games

As it is we have a great deal for half the games and stuff all for the other half

I understand that the article is Newscorp sour grapes and basically Stuff them, but the NRL ballsed up the negotiations or at least half of them

A Foxtel-Ten joint bid would have locked Nine out of making a competitive bid.

 

[Timmah]

Brain damage data taken from NFL as justification for changing the shoulder charge rules in the NRL.

Fox's complaint was that they were excluded from negotiations and that the deal was done with Nine separately for FTA rights.

Once that deal was announced, why would Fox agree to pay anything? Who on earth are they now competing with?

Are the NRL going to refuse to give Fox the rights for the remaining games if no one else can afford to pay anything for them? Fox merely needs to offer slightly more than anyone else to secure the rights.

"Fox's complaint was that they were excluded from negotiations"

It was? All I remember was the predictable urchins across the various News Ltd tabloids claiming were, I never saw any quote from Delaney. Worst it got was a throwaway line from Murdoch at the AFL rights presser.

As for moving forward, it's very clear that Fox needs the NRL more than the NRL needs it - and there's still plenty of time to go as well.

The NRL didn't balls up the negotiations, they got a brilliant deal for fans, have acquired greater exposure and gained control of their own fixturing - all luxuries that the AFL happily gave up to chase a billionty extra dollars.

Given that the new rights don't kick in til 2018, don't be surprised if the TV landscape changes dramatically in the next couple of years and the NRL ends up streets ahead with a landmark digital rights package which dwarfs its' competitors.

 

[sensesmaybenumbed]

The number 1 flop of 2015:

Newscorps attempts to devalue NRL rights.

 

[Different kind of Rabbit]

The number 1 flop of 2015:

Newscorps attempts to devalue NRL rights.

Bingo!

Number 2 - Newscorps attempts to get rid of Smith.

 

[Ibleedblue]

Pretty average stuff putting Brooks there, he is only 20 years old and is playing with probably the biggest basket case in the game. His best years are ahead of him.

Hate how the media pumps up these guys and compares them to the greats before they have even made any name for themselves in first grade.

 

[Vic Mackey]

Pretty average stuff putting Brooks there, he is only 20 years old and is playing with probably the biggest basket case in the game. His best years are ahead of him.

Hate how the media pumps up these guys and compares them to the greats before they have even made any name for themselves in first grade.

True. Ideally Brooks would have played NYC and NSW cup up the last 2 years and be ready for first grade at 21 like DCE and A Reynolds were.

I think he was below expectations however I believe his try assists/try stats place him higher than you'd think in halves rankings this year.

 

[roofromoz]

Actually the article was written by Barry Toohey and not Phil Rothfield.

Other than that, it is the same old DT crap.

I was wondering why Penrith didn't cop a mention.

 

[perverse]

True. Ideally Brooks would have played NYC and NSW cup up the last 2 years and be ready for first grade at 21 like DCE and A Reynolds were.

I think he was below expectations however I believe his try assists/try stats place him higher than you'd think in halves rankings this year.

I won my NRLCEO comp this year on the back of a very late draft pick of Brooks. May not have translated well on the field, but he was consistent with his TA's and LBA's for sure. Absolutely killed it for a late round pick.

He gets a lot of shit... but geez the kid is 20. Some teams are better at bringing these kids in than others, I think Brooks came into first grade well and truly before his time for sure. Bringing through any new player is a delicate process, especially when they're a spine player. He's got ability beyond what he's shown for sure... whether it gets realised will be up to him and the Tigers over the next couple of years.