Offical Rugby League Thread

[Burgey]

I think there's not enough competition for the ball, which in turns make the game massively structured and feeds into refereeing decisions being so important and so heavily scrutinised. You get a bad call in AFL (and rugby to a lesser extent) and there's another contest for the ball almost immediately. The structure of league these days is such that a kick for touch and six tackles starting 40 metres downfield is an insane advantage.

One thing they've got 100% right is taking the corner post out of being in touch. Some of the tries wingers score in the corners these days are brilliant.

I'd actually like to see them bring back the rule where you can strip the ball in tackles regardless of how many defenders are in it. Would also love to see the free play when the other side knocks on which they have in the nines brought into the NRL. Would be awesome.

 

[Ausage]

I think there's not enough competition for the ball, which in turns make the game massively structured and feeds into refereeing decisions being so important and so heavily scrutinised. You get a bad call in AFL (and rugby to a lesser extent) and there's another contest for the ball almost immediately. The structure of league these days is such that a kick for touch and six tackles starting 40 metres downfield is an insane advantage.

One thing they've got 100% right is taking the corner post out of being in touch. Some of the tries wingers score in the corners these days are brilliant.

I'd actually like to see them bring back the rule where you can strip the ball in tackles regardless of how many defenders are in it. Would also love to see the free play when the other side knocks on which they have in the nines brought into the NRL. Would be awesome.

I actually think this is one of the things I like the most about RL. Contested ball in AFL and RU is extremely messy to watch, often devolving into unsightly rucks/mauls. I think it's ok for RL to be relatively structured but the rules need to be really tight and easily enforced. Structured game + ambiguous rules + heavy in-game punishments (6 tackles + kick) is the problematic mix.

All this being said, like others I still love the game. When it's good it's so so good.

 

[Burgey]

In other news, I think the Roosters are specials to win the comp this year.

 

[Ausage]

I think it's going to be another Storm year. Roosters are going to be ridiculous in the next few years with Tedesco though.

 

[Burgey]

Jesus mate, your lot were ****ing woeful yesterday. What's going on there? Yeah Storm will be there or thereabouts as usual.

Meanwhile, the Blue and Gold freight train continues to build momentum. I'm hoping they get DeGois back soon so they have a regular dummy half. I like Cameorn King, he's a good kid but he's basically the Alex Johnson of the NRL. They need back up.

 

[Ausage]

Jesus mate, your lot were ****ing woeful yesterday. What's going on there? Yeah Storm will be there or thereabouts as usual.

We're just prone to wilting. We're overrated because we look unstoppable when confident but completely unable to deal with adversity. Moylan throws one bad pass and we ship 42 straight points but we've done the same after dodgy penalties or disallowed tries. Teams have mostly let us back into the game but Souths kept their foot on our throat so it looked worse than normal. They were very good, Reynolds and Burgess in particular.

We're a young team so it's tempting to use the old "experience" line but guys like Merrin, Tamou, Mansour and Whare were all part of the problem yesterday while our best player was a 21 y/o in his 7th NRL game. It doesn't add up. We need leadership and we're clearly not getting it from our senior players (or the coach). A dude like Elijah Taylor would be invaluable now, a 150+ game player who sits in the middle of the field and crunches people all day.

Griffin is a massive hack too. How it took so long to get Moylan to 6 is mystifying and our attack is far too flat given the quality in our outside backs (though Whare has been consistently poor this year).

I like Cameorn King, he's a good kid but he's basically the Alex Johnson of the NRL. They need back up.

Google informs me that this isn't a troll but it still hurts

 

[Ausage]

In other news, I think QLD will regret picking Munster over DCE or even Norman.

 

[social]

We're just prone to wilting. We're overrated because we look unstoppable when confident but completely unable to deal with adversity. Moylan throws one bad pass and we ship 42 straight points but we've done the same after dodgy penalties or disallowed tries. Teams have mostly let us back into the game but Souths kept their foot on our throat so it looked worse than normal. They were very good, Reynolds and Burgess in particular.

We're a young team so it's tempting to use the old "experience" line but guys like Merrin, Tamou, Mansour and Whare were all part of the problem yesterday while our best player was a 21 y/o in his 7th NRL game. It doesn't add up. We need leadership and we're clearly not getting it from our senior players (or the coach). A dude like Elijah Taylor would be invaluable now, a 150+ game player who sits in the middle of the field and crunches people all day.

Griffin is a massive hack too. How it took so long to get Moylan to 6 is mystifying and our attack is far too flat given the quality in our outside backs (though Whare has been consistently poor this year).



Google informs me that this isn't a troll but it still hurts

Wasnt the mail on Griffin that he might be a good coach for juniors and a handy assistant but not a head coach's bum?

 

[social]

In other news, I think QLD will regret picking Munster over DCE or even Norman.

I'm not that worried about Munster as he has come through the Storm system so at least he, Cronk and Slater should be on the same page

Whilst it probably wont be that significant, the inclusion of Hunt is flat out bizarre. The guy was in the reserves 2 weeks ago and played like **** on the weekend

 

[Ausage]

Wasnt the mail on Griffin that he might be a good coach for juniors and a handy assistant but not a head coach's bum?

Yeah pretty much. He brought a bunch of talented kids into first grade who've ended up being very good players (Gillett, Hunt, Oates etc) but the team itself looked frequently clueless with him. It's looking very much like the same story at Penrith.

 

[stephen]

In other news, I think QLD will regret picking Munster over DCE or even Norman.

 

[Ausage]

Haha yeah didn't turn out that way at all.

I still think he's a better fullback than 6 tbf but QLD obviously have that position covered.

 

[Burgey]

Bulldogs' season put to bed early. Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch.

 

[Fred Tetanus]

It's quite unbeliebable that no one seems to have realised that the 2015 NRL season finished nearly two years ago. Astonishing really.

FYI Cowboys won.

 

[Ausage]

Heh yeah, Ben Hunt dropped the ball. It was beautiful.

 

[Ausage]

I hope there's this much officiating outrage the next time Slater kicks someone in the head.

For reference. Also this. And this. This too.

 

[Burgey]

Very sad news with Parramatta, NSW and Australian great Brett Kenny diagnosed with lymphatic cancer.

Still the most naturally gifted footballer I've ever seen, and the man Wally Lewis described as the best player he played against. Was the only bloke who ever kept Lewis quiet in Origin. Scored two tries in three consecutive grand final wins, and had two disallowed in another GF win in 86. Golden Boot winner, Challenge Cup MOTM winner. An ATG

Best tribute to the bloke is he kept Lewis on the bench and started at 5/8 on the 82 Kangaroo Tour. Also toured in 86 when I think Australia had its greatest ever backline:

Jack
Shearer
Kenny
Miles
Lewis
Sterling

When Gary Belcher and Mal Meninga can't get a game, you know you have a decent side.

Highlights:

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Most broken schnoz in history.

 

[Ausage]

****** news. Great player.

 

[Burgey]

Thejuggernaut just rolls on. Five on the bounce and a comprehensive victory over a strong Broncos outfit playing on their usual Friday night with a seven day turnaround by our blokes coming off a five day break.

Top four here we come.