Worst finals series in years?

[Misty Bee]

It was different. But it reflected superbly the preceeding 26 rounds, which no one could predict, and was the most watched ever.

I enjoyed both Saints semi finals - close games. Wests v Brisbane started out well. Cows v Melbourne was not bad, except for the bloody comentary which kept telling us Melbourne were certainties to win, even when down by 16 points!

The best thing: No one rorted the cap. No thug took out the opponets big gun. Few poor referee calls - Barrets 'held' penalty was the controversial option - yet a correct decision.

The worst thing: The selectors didn't watch it.

 

[Johns Magic]

The H & A season is over 26 rounds, not 8.

Every team, funnily enough, knows that before the start of the season.

What's your point? The fact is that there were teams in the 8 uncapable of winning the competition, whilst there were teams outside the 8 who could've had a great impact.

This meant, funnily enough, that sadly out of form teams were playing at the business end of the season and really added nothing to the level of intensity.

 

[ledzep]

the only really class game i can remember this year was the dragons roosters anzac day clash

 

[legend]

I'm not saying the Tigers didn't deserve to win. They were clearly the best team throughout the finals and have the silverware to show for it.

Overall, I expected a lot more of the finals series and IMO, it failed to deliver in any game played throughout the finals.

 

[Balmain_Boy]

That's crap. Knights were not capable of winning it. They lost to the dragons in round 26, remember. Souths were also not capable of winning it. Anway, even if these teams WERE capable, i'd hardly call 3 out of 7 a LOT of the teams.

 

[The Colonel]

What's your point? The fact is that there were teams in the 8 uncapable of winning the competition, whilst there were teams outside the 8 who could've had a great impact.

This meant, funnily enough, that sadly out of form teams were playing at the business end of the season and really added nothing to the level of intensity.

The point? You have to turn up for 26 rounds rather than half of the season..... even though the Cowboys form dropped off towards the end they did enough early on to put themselves in a position to make the eight.

The likes of Souths, Knights and Penrith might want to put the effort into the start of the season next year as well. Strange how important not being awarded the wooden spoon can be...... that and playing for contracts makes teams and players do wonderful things

 

[legend]

Dragons v Eels at Kogarah was a cracker as well but the Roosters v Dragons and Roosters v Broncos games were both first class.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

What's your point? The fact is that there were teams in the 8 uncapable of winning the competition, whilst there were teams outside the 8 who could've had a great impact.

This meant, funnily enough, that sadly out of form teams were playing at the business end of the season and really added nothing to the level of intensity.

Rubbish.

The best 8 teams over the whole season were in the 8. The teams who missed out missed out because they weren't good enough.

This isn't Super 12.

 

[Misty Bee]

Lest not forget the Eels flogging of Manly - such an inept club getting smashed in a semi final and thus making it's chequebook football policies utterly laughable!

 

[thickos]

No game of the finals series had me on the edge of my seat on the couch, despite my team's non-involvement I do find high quality football exciting.

Once the Tigers hit the lead in the GF there was a feeling of 'well I know what's gonna happen now' as the Cows don't come back from a deficit well.

Funnily enough I thought the Dragons-Sharks was the pick of the finals. It was tough, see-sawing and close. Week 2 was shocking and week 3 was a let-down, especially the Sunday game.

But hey, can only beat who's put in front of you. That said, Cows are the worst GF team in a long time.

 

[RainMan]

What's your point? The fact is that there were teams in the 8 uncapable of winning the competition, whilst there were teams outside the 8 who could've had a great impact.

This meant, funnily enough, that sadly out of form teams were playing at the business end of the season and really added nothing to the level of intensity.

Point is that Clubs have to perform for the whole season to reach the eight, not for example lose their 1st 15 games straight, win some games at the end of the season and than expect to do better than the teams who had a dig from Rd1 and managed to stay in the eight...

 

[legend]

The highlight of the year was the Raiders v Knights at Newcastle. Best game in a very long time.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

The highlight of the year was the Raiders v Knights at Newcastle. Best game in a very long time.

LOL

Rack off hairy legs.

 

[Johns Magic]

That's crap. Knights were not capable of winning it. They lost to the dragons in round 26, remember. Souths were also not capable of winning it. Anway, even if these teams WERE capable, i'd hardly call 3 out of 7 a LOT of the teams.

Knights won 8 of their last 11 matches.

One of the losses was when we were missing 16 players including Johns, Buderus and Simpson through SOO.

One of the losses was in Golden Point.

The other was by the most miniscule of margins against a red-hot Dragons outfit.

We beat the Eels, Sharks, Cowboys, Storm and Manly through that run, all teams who went on to compete in the finals series. Using your logic, we would have made the Grand Final because we beat the Cowboys.

 

[strong_latte]

But hey, can only beat who's put in front of you. That said, Cows are the worst GF team in a long time.

What about the Roosters in 2000 or the EELS in 01?

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

Knights won 8 of their last 11 matches.

One of the losses was when we were missing 16 players including Johns, Buderus and Simpson through SOO.

One of the losses was in Golden Point.

The other was by the most miniscule of margins against a red-hot Dragons outfit.

We beat the Eels, Sharks, Cowboys, Storm and Manly through that run, all teams who went on to compete in the finals series. Using your logic, we would have made the Grand Final because we beat the Cowboys.

No you wouldn't.

You had your chances and weren't good enough. In fact, you actually came last.

 

[The Colonel]

Knights won 8 of their last 11 matches.

So the thirteen they lost at the start of the season don't count? Yes, they finished the season well - amazing how a team can be spurred on to not win the dreaded wooden spoon - but consistency is part of the key to making the eight.

 

[innsaneink]

Parra...Played well first half V Manly, took foot off in the 2nd half, it was still off two weeks later against NQ. 25%

Dragons...Tough 1st semi against the Sharks, well played. Another toughie 2 weeks later, backed up much better than Parra, just outplayed on the nite by eventual premiers. 65%

Broncos...Out in straight sets again....muh 20%

Wests Tigers....Smashed NQ wk1, scrambled well against Broncos wk 2, bustled Saints and hung in well wk 3, and outplayed and outsmarted Cowboys in GF. 85%.

N Q Cowboys....wk 1, less said the better. Come back well and won wk 2 despite not playing that well. Wk 3, very very good performance V Parra. Wk4 played well but never really was given a chance to get into their game. 70%

Storm...Good in game 1, looked ominous....game 2,:lol: 30%

Sharks...Great performance against saints, nearly sprung the biggest upset. 60%

Manly....totally outgunned in the first half v Parra, only gotbackin imo as parra released their grip...25%

 

[greeneyed]

I agree with you Legend. The Tigers/St George game was the only one that was good (but not great). The bottom line is that the teams that made the top 5 all had great winning streaks during the season, but none could maintain it for the whole season and none were truly dominant the whole year. The most consistent teams over the season were not in the Grand Final... and we ended with a Grand Final between teams 4 and 5. Good on them for getting there and it is the Eels and Dragons "fault" that they lost their biggest games of the season. However, you have to wonder whether the McIntyre system gives teams 1 and 2 the advantage that they deserve.

 

[legend]

The Eels in 2001 were minor premiers and a very good side who broke a multitude of records. Unfortunately for them they came up against a Newcastle side that played close to the best 40 minutes of footy I have ever seen. Kennedy, Johns and Simpson blew the Eels away on their own that night.

They also only ended up losing by six points.