**Official** NRL 2009 Thread

[duffer]

So gutted by the Sainters. Biggest bunch of fannies going around.

 

[Simon]

The Dragons are all ball hogs, Boyd always goes himself, so does Creagh, Cooper is improving but they just dont seem to make much second phase play inside the opposition 20. Neville Costigan is probably the worst of the lot though.

 

[Ausage]

Saints just seemed too patient yesterday, if that's possible. Seemed content to grind it out for too long. Had some success down their left side, but when that didn't work, seemed bereft. A little bit too set in their ways imo. Personally think Boyd needs to get more involved from the back.

I honestly thought they looked out of ideas. For all the talk of a game being won in the forwards, I thought the Dragons were badly inhibited by Soward having little idea of what to do. Vindicates those people who said he wasn't ready for Origin imo.

Also reckon Parra deserve a massive wrap. They defended and scrambled exceptionally well yesterday, which has imo been the biggest factor in their resurgence.

 

[BoyBrumby]

St George do have a great record versus the Broncs, which is the straw I'm clutching. Loss coupla weeks back musta been the first in a few years.

 

[Mister Wright]

St George do have a great record versus the Broncs, which is the straw I'm clutching. Loss coupla weeks back musta been the first in a few years.

First in 10 games I think. We also have a shocking record in finals games at Suncorp. But this has been a season of firsts for the Broncos, so I'm slightly confident. Hope the Saints go in as favourites though.

 

[howardj]

Interesting games this weekend...

I think, like what happened with the AFL last weekend, people shouldn't make the mistake of thinking that the two losers from last week's games - Titans and Dragons - will go out in straight sets. As we saw with Dragons v Parra and how that match up turned around in the space of a week, 'momentum' is slightly overrated. The teams start with a clean sheet this weekend. Last week means nothing.

 

[Simon]

Regardless of what happened in week 1 of the finals everything points towards Eels beating the Titans. Form, momentum, player match ups (for the most part), home ground advantage, Titans away record etc...

I think anyone who knows anything about the game can see the Dragons vs Broncos game going either way, will depend on who turns up on the day just wants it more.

 

[howardj]

Agreed.

Dragons v Broncos should be a corker.

Interested to know Boyd's thoughts on this match. lol

 

[Ausage]

Regardless of what happened in week 1 of the finals everything points towards Eels beating the Titans. Form, momentum, player match ups (for the most part), home ground advantage, Titans away record etc...

Interestingly enough, apparently the Eels have NEVER beaten the Titans. Surprising stat tbh.

 

[Simon]

Interestingly enough, apparently the Eels have NEVER beaten the Titans. Surprising stat tbh.

Tbf the Eels have been pretty awful since the Titans came into the comp.

 

[Burgey]

Regardless of what happened in week 1 of the finals everything points towards Eels beating the Titans. Form, momentum, player match ups (for the most part), home ground advantage, Titans away record etc...

I think anyone who knows anything about the game can see the Dragons vs Broncos game going either way, will depend on who turns up on the day just wants it more.

I'm still worried about the 5 day turnaround after playing in 30 plus degrees.

 

[Ausage]

Tbf the Eels have been pretty awful since the Titans came into the comp.

Parra went within a whisker of the Grand Final in 2007.

Anyway I know I bagged it earlier in the thread, but I'd like to revise my opinion on the McIntyre system. I think this past weekend has shown why the NRL persists with it. My biggest criticism with it was that games between 4 v 5 and 3 v 6 we're often meaningless, with the winners and losers being on level footing again (barring home city advantage) in week two. In the last couple of years the even nature of the competitions has meant that the loser of these games (and their fans) actually has to keenly follow the results of the remaining games to see if they're still in the comp, while the winners actually have a reasonable chance at getting a week off before a home prelim. It's uncertain, and it makes the final couple of games all the more exciting.

IMO it's the right system for a more even competition such as the NRL, while the AFL system makes more sense for a league with a bigger gap between 1 and 8.

 

[Simon]

I think I may have heard the other day that only once in the AFL a team outside the top 4 has made the grand final with their current system, obviously its flawed if thats the case.

I think that home ground advantage is fair in the first two weeks of the finals but reckon the prelims should be in Sydney or one in Sydney and one in Brisbane (Pre-determined).

 

[Burgey]

I think the top two losers in the McIntyre system should get a home city/ region game in the second week. In other words, much as it pains me to say it, Parra should be going to Skilled this week and Brisbane should be coming to the SFS.

 

[Simon]

Naa disagree, those teams had their advantage in week 1, particuarly saints, they knew what was on the line and the blew it. Broncos and Eels would be out if they had of lost and they played well when the season was on the line. Dragons and Titans couldn't get the job done when they had the chance, bad luck.

 

[vic_orthdox]

I think I may have heard the other day that only once in the AFL a team outside the top 4 has made the grand final with their current system, obviously its flawed if thats the case.

I think that home ground advantage is fair in the first two weeks of the finals but reckon the prelims should be in Sydney or one in Sydney and one in Brisbane (Pre-determined).

Why does that make it flawed? It just makes it very difficult for a side from 5-8 to reach the GF, as it should be.

 

[ripper868]

Why does that make it flawed? It just makes it very difficult for a side from 5-8 to reach the GF, as it should be.

Awta, don't understand why people think teams 5-8 should have the equal opportunity of making the GF that 1-4 have, teams 1-4 won those spots over the course of the season and deserve the chance to win a weeks rest.

 

[Ausage]

Awta, don't understand why people think teams 5-8 should have the equal opportunity of making the GF that 1-4 have, teams 1-4 won those spots over the course of the season and deserve the chance to win a weeks rest.

They don't have anywhere near equal opportunity.

For example look at the teams playing this weekend and the teams the paths they'd take to get to the final.

Dragons. Finished 1st. If they make the final they'd have played 8, 6 and 4.
Titans. Finished 3rd. If they make the final they'd have played 6, 8 and 2.
Broncos. Finished 6th. If they make the final they'd have played 3, 1 and 4.
Eels. Finished 8th. If they make the final they'd have played 1, 3 and 2.

The path for each team gets "easier" respectively based on how high they finished. Compared to the AFL system it's much more biased towards the top 2 teams, who only need to beat the two lowest ranked teams at home to get through to the prelim with a week off, rather than the 3rd and 4th ranked teams. It's harsher on the teams in 7th/8th who have to play the two top teams away to stay in the comp, although I guess that's balanced by the fact that their reward (a home semi) is greater if they win.

You could make the argument that McIntyre is harsher on teams 3 and 4 who could win their game, and still have to play the week after. Again this is balanced by the fact that 3 and 4 could get a home prelim with a week off after facing far weaker opposition, as happened to Melbourne this year.

And lets face it, if the chances of 5-8 winning the premiership are to be mostly academic what's the point of even having an 8 team finals series?

Both systems have their flaws and strengths, but again I think McIntyre shows its strengths in a more even competition.

 

[ripper868]

My defintion of "equal chance" is more based on the number of knockout games a team would play, not the quality of opposition. Thats why I prefer a 1v4, 2v3, 5v8 and 6v7 system. teams 5-8 lose once and they are gone, teams 1-4 receive either a second chance or a week off, which I think is fair reward for finishing higher on the ladder over the course of the season.

Agree on the 8 teams finals being a bit farcical as well, but the dollar rules, I'd personally go for a 4 team format, sure in the NRL that would mean only only 25% of teams would qualify for finals, but meh, quality over quantity IMO

4 team:
Week1:
1v2
3v4
Week 2:
Loser 1v2 vs Winner 3v4
Week 3:
Winner 1v2 vs Winner Week 2 game.

Alternatively:
Week1:
1v4
2v3
Week 2:
Winner 1v4 vs Winner 2v3

 

[Simon]

Why does that make it flawed? It just makes it very difficult for a side from 5-8 to reach the GF, as it should be.

5-8 should definitely have a lesser chance but not to the point where its almost impossible, the thing I like about the NRL system is that finishing 4th or 5th is practically the same except for home ground advantage while in the AFL system 4th and 5th are worlds apart in week 1 of the finals.