**Official** NRL 2009 Thread

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Hmm, not sure on your point here Simon. You're saying it's harder for AFL teams from 5th to 8th to make the GF, and in actual fact it's not really. The first round they arguably get an easier game, playing off amongst themselves. They lose two without fail, yes, but the bottom four almost always lose two teams in the NRL as well. For them not to almost every side in the bottom four has to win, which is very very rare.

The next week the two lowest winners play the two highest losers.... exactly the same as the AFL, and so on and so forth.

It's arguable that the NRL system is actually harder to come from 5th to 8th and win. The only reason you see more of it is because of the very restrictive salary cap in NRL compared to AFL, IMO.

 

[Simon]

Maybe it's just a case like this year where there is a clear top 4 in the AFL compared to the NRL.
I guess I just like the NRL system more because it gives you more grand final options at the start of the finals. Really though neither is perfect.

 

[howardj]

The thing I hate about the NRL system, besides its randomness and teams/supporters not knowing what is at stake at the kick off in the games in the 1st week, is that some of the Round 1 games are pointless. For instance, what came of the Brisbane v Titans game? Neither team got knocked out, neither got the week off - and both must play sudden death this week. Where was Brisbane's reward for winning, and Titan's punishment for losing?

 

[Ausage]

The thing I hate about the NRL system, besides its randomness and teams/supporters not knowing what is at stake at the kick off in the games in the 1st week, is that some of the Round 1 games are pointless. For instance, what came of the Brisbane v Titans game? Neither team got knocked out, neither got the week off - and both must play sudden death this week. Where was Brisbane's reward for winning, and Titan's punishment for losing?

As someone mentioned before, Brisbane's reward is still being in the competition, while the Titan's punishment is missing out on a home prelim.

You hit the nail on the head regarding the key difference between the two systems though, which is that you know what's at stake in every game in the AFL system, and not in the first 2 games of the NRL. Personally I think that the fate of more than 2 teams is at stake in the final 2 games makes them all the weekend all the more interesting for more people.

 

[howardj]

There's no reward/punishment if they're in the same position as each other after the game has been played.

 

[Ausage]

There's no reward/punishment if they're in the same position as each other after the game has been played.

NRL system gives you better/worse rewards/punishments based on where you finished on the table. As mentioned before, the Broncos are rewarded with being allowed to continue in the competition (and a home final). If they'd finished higher on the table, they would have gotten a better reward.

Not saying the system is perfect mind, just that it's not intrinsically unfair.

 

[howardj]

Put it this way then - to have the same remaining route for the winner and the loser of a game is crazy.

Anyway, have to agree to disagree.

 

[Mister Wright]

The thing I hate about the NRL system, besides its randomness and teams/supporters not knowing what is at stake at the kick off in the games in the 1st week, is that some of the Round 1 games are pointless. For instance, what came of the Brisbane v Titans game? Neither team got knocked out, neither got the week off - and both must play sudden death this week. Where was Brisbane's reward for winning, and Titan's punishment for losing?

If Titans had won they would have a week off and would be playing next week at Suncorp Stadium.

If the Broncos had lost they would be out of the 2009 premiership race. That's a pretty important game if you ask me.

 

[BoyBrumby]

FWIW the Super League has opted for the AFL format now we've extended the play-offs to 8 teams.

 

[howardj]

If Titans had won they would have a week off and would be playing next week at Suncorp Stadium.

If the Broncos had lost they would be out of the 2009 premiership race. That's a pretty important game if you ask me.

Agreed, it was an important game.

That's why the consequences (i.e. what is to come for each team to win the comp, not what might have happened if the result went differently) should be different. As it is, the consequences (i.e. what is to come for each team to win the comp) are exactly the same.

Granted, if the result went the Titans' way, then yes the consequences would have different (Brisbane gone, Titans the week off) - and that's as it should be. Mind you, we only would have known those consequences on Sunday night (they wouldn't have added to the importance of the game beforehand, as we didn't know about Parramatta's victory).

It's the way one looks at it I guess.

Personally, I'd be dirty as all hell if I beat a team in the play offs, only to remain on a level footing with that team for the next week.

 

[howardj]

Titans @ $3.20

Outstanding value in a two horse, semi final race.

 

[howardj]

Karate Kid Gets The Chop

 

[BoyBrumby]

Karate Kid Gets The Chop

Russell Crowe sacking someone for a spot of alcohol-related pagga?!?!

What next? Mel Gibson fires his assistant for being too Catholic?

 

[Ausage]

Reckon Souths were happy to see him go tbh. They have a side capable of beating anyone on their day, but they have never been able to fire consistently. They had a ready made replacement ready in Lang for such an eventuality.

 

[Simon]

IMO I think Souths need to toughen up a bit and be prepared to do the hard work, this is something I reckon John Lang will help them with. I have the feeling that they've always used the "Pride of the League" and other such tags to justify to themselves their standing in the game. At the end of the day though they are the worst performed club over the last 20 years and have pretty much no respect from other fans.

 

[Son Of Coco]

IMO I think Souths need to toughen up a bit and be prepared to do the hard work, this is something I reckon John Lang will help them with. I have the feeling that they've always used the "Pride of the League" and other such tags to justify to themselves their standing in the game. At the end of the day though they are the worst performed club over the last 20 years and have pretty much no respect from other fans.

They've gone ok this year, I think they deserve some credit for improving. They certainly need more consistency though rather than simply being a club that pulls off a few 'upsets' every year.

 

[Son Of Coco]

The thing I hate about the NRL system, besides its randomness and teams/supporters not knowing what is at stake at the kick off in the games in the 1st week, is that some of the Round 1 games are pointless. For instance, what came of the Brisbane v Titans game? Neither team got knocked out, neither got the week off - and both must play sudden death this week. Where was Brisbane's reward for winning, and Titan's punishment for losing?

You don't get rewarded for finishing in the bottom 4 and you do for finishing in the top 4, I think that's the point of the system as it stands. The finals aren't a stand alone series separate from the rest of the year.

As someone else mentioned, Brisbane now have a home final and are still in the comp while the Gold Coast are punished by having to play away from home.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Personally, I'd be dirty as all hell if I beat a team in the play offs, only to remain on a level footing with that team for the next week.

They don't remain on an equal footing though, Brisbane have moved up to having an equal footing with Gold Coast courtesy of winning the game. Factor in that they're playing a home match and Gold Coast aren't and I'd say they're slightly ahead. Gold Coast have this extra chance due to them having played better than Brisbane during the season.

 

[howardj]

Am quietly weeing my undies in anticipation of tomorrow night's blockbuster.

It's such a 50/50 game.

 

[Simon]

They've gone ok this year, I think they deserve some credit for improving. They certainly need more consistency though rather than simply being a club that pulls off a few 'upsets' every year.

Really dont think they have gone that well. They have finished outside the top 8 the last two years after making the finals in 2007, they have got Internationals in Asotasi and Luke. Guys like Sandow, Sutton, Merritt etc... are rep standard players if you listen to the media hype and they were in a great position to make the finals when they beat the Broncos but they couldn't go in with it.

2009 will go down as a failure of a season for Souths, it's not like they discovered any future talent either, Sutton is inconsistent as ever, their best player has been 32 year old Luke Stuart, Colin Best is another aging player among their best, really the only young shining lights were two wingers in Jamie Simpson and Chris McQueen. You could argue that Eddy Pettybourne is up there but I'm not sold on him.