**Official** NRL 2009 Thread

[speirz]

What does everyone reckon about the wing positions following last nights match?

Monoghan and Hayne and McMannus all played well with Williams playing alright.

I'd almost like to think Monoghan has a secured position, and the way McMannus performed under the high ball was exceptional. If those two were selected neither would let us down, and it would mean there is another option on marking Falou. But saying that Hayne had his moments of brilliance both in attack and defence. Williams didn't do much with the exception of that 80m try, which could help as that is what the seletors are looking for...

I get the feeling that the try Folau scored on McManus in the Knights v Brisbane game will count against him. That said though, I doubt Hayne or Williams would've got as close as he did to stopping that kick, and his leap over Hayne is testament to that.

 

[chaminda_00]

Junior Monnas should be on Falou, as he is easierly the best guy to mark him. But the selectors feel his struggled on that side of field when he replaced Gasiner in the centres. He also struggled on that side with he played centres with the Roosters with Hodges on the other side. Main reason why they were so keen to play Lyon, as they rather Monaghan and Cooper on the other side.

Williams and Hayne have done a decent job action Folau at club and rep level. If comes down to who best marks Folau it will be one of those two. Though Jennings is an option on the wing if they decide to go with Lyon in centres. It shouldn't happen as Jennings outplayed Lyon, but you never know.

 

[Prince EWS]

Brisbane
Newcastle
St George
Melbourne

 

[Johnners]

You'd think Slater would have learnt by now that you don't throw one-handed speculators in your own half. Sure can be an attacking option, but so long as he continues to make stupid mistakes like that (and the one in the WC) Gidley/Hunt should be the Australian fullback imo.

Have no idea what the 2 video refs were thinking when they disallowed that Slater try down the right hand side though. I've never played competitive football, but even I could tell that it was simply a bad ****ing read by the NZ defence. It didn't cost Australia the game or anything like that, so it will likely go unnoticed from here on, which is unfortunate because it was an absolute shocker imo.

 

[NUFAN]

Naa reckon Sharks/Dragons merger would have ended up like the Northern Eagles, one of them would have just fallen apart and gone back to the original club. Probably St George with the Sharks dying.

This would have been perfect IMO.

 

[Burgey]

Thurston having a night out here. Why the **** people keep falling for the dummy is beyond me.

 

[morgieb]

Naa reckon Sharks/Dragons merger would have ended up like the Northern Eagles, one of them would have just fallen apart and gone back to the original club. Probably St George with the Sharks dying.
Sharks and Souths makes so much sense for so many reasons. Both struggle for crowds, but they can each bring something to the table, Souths have decent financial backing and Sharks have a good area with potential to grow if they are managed well. They could easily play 7 games a year at Toyota, 1 in Adelaide and 4 at Homebush. Everything about it works to me.

I'd think that would be a smart idea, but Souths probably won't let it happen. Still with Piggins gone, Crowe may be smarter....

 

[Blewy]

Soufs will never merge, The believe they have a god given right to be in the competition more then anyone else...

Maybe just punt them and Cronulla and bring in the CC and a 2nd Brissy team and im happy

 

[Son Of Coco]

You'd think Slater would have learnt by now that you don't throw one-handed speculators in your own half. Sure can be an attacking option, but so long as he continues to make stupid mistakes like that (and the one in the WC) Gidley/Hunt should be the Australian fullback imo.

Have no idea what the 2 video refs were thinking when they disallowed that Slater try down the right hand side though. I've never played competitive football, but even I could tell that it was simply a bad ****ing read by the NZ defence. It didn't cost Australia the game or anything like that, so it will likely go unnoticed from here on, which is unfortunate because it was an absolute shocker imo.

Yeah that call on the Slater try was a shocker. The way referees are interpreting that rule now is awful. There's no common sense involved whatsoever.

 

[Mister Wright]

It's important to get that first tip in these small rounds, as it could be disaster as you head for a 0 round. Phew!

 

[Simon]

Thurston having a night out here. Why the **** people keep falling for the dummy is beyond me.

I Tipped Cowboys but I still think the offload from Tonga to Thurston was forward, pretty sure as Tonga was getting pushed back Thurston was standing in front of him in the in-goal area.

 

[Johnners]

Thurston having a night out here. Why the **** people keep falling for the dummy is beyond me.

Probs because it's so good.

 

[chaminda_00]

OMG we won a game without Stewart, against the so called favorites (well for this week).

 

[Burgey]

Probs because it's so good.

Oh it's good, no doubt, but I find it amazing so many people fall for it so often.

Jarryd Hayne is apparently writing (or having someone write for him ) a letter to the NRL asking for clarifiction as to why Lyon's tap-forward try yesterday was allowed and his wasn't. Dire.

Broncos having a bit of a mid-season wobble here, but a few excuses sans Hunt and Hodges yesterday. They should still be there or there abouts. Manly? Who knows? At least they have Parra next week, so they should get on a bit of a roll now.

 

[Johnners]

Managed to catch the highlights of Titans/Knights this morning. Lol'n at Prince/Cartwright's outburst about the Zillman non-try. Nah Scotty, you only had the bloke in a headlock, nothing wrong there

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Managed to catch the highlights of Titans/Knights this morning. Lol'n at Prince/Cartwright's outburst about the Zillman non-try. Nah Scotty, you only had the bloke in a headlock, nothing wrong there

Yeah it's crazy hey, he has absolutely no defence. Sau went down easy but that doesn't change the fact that Prince held him out of the play.

 

[Simon]

Right call obviously. We have seen now if your team has the ball and you are a decoy/sleeper/whatever you want to be and you make any contact with the defensive team and any player is within cooee of the ball then its going to be no try.
Just have to look at the Ben Farrar no try on Saturday night when one of the Cowboys players went through and basically just stood in front of Weyman, you just cant do it now.

 

[Burgey]

Right call obviously. We have seen now if your team has the ball and you are a decoy/sleeper/whatever you want to be and you make any contact with the defensive team and any player is within cooee of the ball then its going to be no try.
Just have to look at the Ben Farrar no try on Saturday night when one of the Cowboys players went through and basically just stood in front of Weyman, you just cant do it now.

What got me witht he Ben Farrah one (if it's the same one I'm thinking of) was the player got to Weymann and just stopped. If he'd kept running, presumably they'd have given it.

 

[Simon]

What got me witht he Ben Farrah one (if it's the same one I'm thinking of) was the player got to Weymann and just stopped. If he'd kept running, presumably they'd have given it.

Well yes, if that player (cant remember who it was) didnt stop in front of Weyman then he would have at least had a chance to tackle him, not that he would of as he had too much work to do.

 

[luffy]

Back on that topic on the Slater no-try, I reckon that would have been one of the worset calls in regards to the "interferance" rule.

I mean ****, you could just run up to someone fall down, take a dive, and you'll get the penalty.