***Official*** NRL 2008 Thread

[Simon]

agree with that, he's back this week anyway and has three or four matches to get it right. If he cant then Prince and JT are the halves pairing.

 

[Craig]

What time is kick off tonight?

 

[Craig]

What are your thoughts on Titans this season? Likely to be coming outright first after this week (i think). Are they the real deal or just had a flukey start. Kept pretty much the same side from last season and starting to build some decent combinations it seems.

Doubt it has been a flukey start. They have looked like a genuine team. Whether they have the back up if there are injuries to win consistently or through origin period is yet to be seen. But certainly if they keep Prince and co. fit and on the field they are genuine contenders.

How many orgin players are they likey to miss though outside Prince and maybe Bailey, Laffranchi and Harrison though. I don't think they will be hit that hard by orgin, but Prince could be a massive loss. His selection is pretty much dependent on Lockyer's fitness.

That's what I meant, without Prince I don't think they can win. Prince should be picked for Oring (but probably won't) needs to be somewhere in the 17. I think Laffranchi (court case pending) is almost a cert. Bailey will be picked if he comes back well from injury.

Titans are doing well but they are a Scott Prince injury away from missing the 8 alltogether.

Winning games away from home is a start. I mean I know they won at Parramatta last round, but need to do it more then twice then what they did last season.

 

[chaminda_00]

Lockyer to start off the bench for Queensland, just like he pretty much all season for Broncos. Meaning Prince and Thurston start. Thats the way I would go personally.

 

[Craig]

Canberra 16-4 at half time. Ref Jarred Maxwell has had a shocker for mine.

 

[Simon]

Canberra 16-4 at half time. Ref Jarred Maxwell has had a shocker for mine.

Ref's are a disgrace, they need to die.

 

[NUFAN]

for arguments sake this would be my Origin side for game 1

1 Karmichael Hunt (if fit, otherwise Inglis or Slater to fullback and Tate comes in)
2 Israel Folau
3 Greg Inglis
4 Justin Hodges
5 Billy Slater
6 Darren Lockyer (if fit otherwise Prince to 7 and Thurston to 6)
7 Jonathon Thurston
8 Nate Myles
9 Cam Smith
10 Petero Civoniceva
11 Carl Webb
12 Sam Thaiday
13 Dallas Johnson
Reserves
14 PJ Marsh
15 Ben Hannant
16 Michael Crocker
17 Antonio Kaufusi

That also leaves to pick from during the series if need be
Backs: Steve Bell, Brent Tate, Willie Tonga and Steve Michaels
Halves: Cooper Cronk and Scott Prince
Forwards: Aaron Payne (hooker), Jacob Lillyman, Neville Costigan, David Shillington, Michael Luck, David Stagg, Corey Parker and Brad Meyers

I really hope that Kaufusi isn't in the 17!!

Shillington or Lillyman would be my prefered options, and also as a backup hooker I would easily have Nathan Friend ahead of Aaron Payne.

I think Crocker starting, Thaiday on the bench is more ideal too.

 

[Craig]

Is there a record for most games gone without losing a match, because I think Michael Crocker is at 26 or 27 games with a loss. In other words he has never played in a Melbourne Storm game where they have lost.

 

[Mister Wright]

Scrape through with 4 for the round. A pass mark is good considering the way I started the round.

 

[Johnners]

cbf doing up tipping results tonight. I'll have them up tomorrow night at the latest.

 

[howardj]

Brown Should Walk, Says Supercoach

The problem with walking, Damien Martyn style, is that you forfeit the rest of your contract money, as you're the one who is deemed to have broken your contract.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Brown Should Walk, Says Supercoach

The problem with walking, Damien Martyn style, is that you forfeit the rest of your contract money, as you're the one who is deemed to have broken your contract.

Yeah, it's the Dragons' place to give him the arse if they're so minded. No-one who has any sense is going to walk away from a nice little pay-off. He's a lame-duck coach & the players have stopped playing for him, so if St George want to save anything from their season they should do the decent thing. Much as I don't rate the guy, Brown's the innocent party in this.

 

[Simon]

Brown has to go or Dragons will definitely finish bottom two or three, if he had any passion for the club he would see he's not the best person for the job at the moment.

 

[howardj]

for arguments sake this would be my Origin side for game 1

1 Karmichael Hunt (if fit, otherwise Inglis or Slater to fullback and Tate comes in)
2 Israel Folau
3 Greg Inglis
4 Justin Hodges
5 Billy Slater
6 Darren Lockyer (if fit otherwise Prince to 7 and Thurston to 6)
7 Jonathon Thurston
8 Nate Myles
9 Cam Smith
10 Petero Civoniceva
11 Carl Webb
12 Sam Thaiday
13 Dallas Johnson
Reserves
14 PJ Marsh
15 Ben Hannant
16 Michael Crocker
17 Antonio Kaufusi

That also leaves to pick from during the series if need be
Backs: Steve Bell, Brent Tate, Willie Tonga and Steve Michaels
Halves: Cooper Cronk and Scott Prince
Forwards: Aaron Payne (hooker), Jacob Lillyman, Neville Costigan, David Shillington, Michael Luck, David Stagg, Corey Parker and Brad Meyers

Love that team or thereabouts.

Look at that backline! Big, tough dudes.

Full of bad asses.

 

[Simon]

I really hope Hannant is picked, the kid is made for Origin. Think he will do great if he gets a chance.

 

[Simon]

Also can add Steve Price in there at some stage during the series, it's rare for only 17 to be used across 3 games so a few different guys will get a chance.

Also forgot to add Matt Bowen as a back up, such depth we finally have!

 

[Burgey]

Have to say that I love watching Canberra play.

There haven't been all that many really entertaining sides since 2000 in my opinion. Parra and Newcastle 01 were, 2005 was full of entertaiing footy (best year in about 20 for footy imo) and I reckon this Raiders side are just so good to watch.

Big forwards, fast backs, they don't play with clinical efficiency like the drizzle and most other top sides, but they have a real dip and play a bit off the cuff. Love it.

 

[Simon]

Problem for them is that their ball handling is so dreaful they negate all the good things they do, look at last night, they were great in the first half and fell to bits in the second. Maybe they would have beaten most other sides in the comp but playing like that wont win them games until they fix up their discipline.

 

[Burgey]

Problem for them is that their ball handling is so dreaful they negate all the good things they do, look at last night, they were great in the first half and fell to bits in the second. Maybe they would have beaten most other sides in the comp but playing like that wont win them games until they fix up their discipline.

Yeah I know all that, I just enjoy watching them play - they're a bit of a throw back team, imo.

 

[James90]

Might have a dabble at naming my NSW team now.

1. Stewart
2. Grothe
3. Gasnier
4. Hayne
5. Lawrence
6. Anasta
7. K Gidley
8. Mason
9. Buderus
10. Bailey
11. Laffranchi
12. Hoffman
13. O'Donnell

14. Bird
15. Farah
16. Tupou
17. Kite

Perhaps a few too many utilities with Bird, Farah and Gidley but that's only because I expect the team to fail.