*Official* NRL 2011 Season thread

[howardj]

In a perfect world, I would axe Titans, Canberra and Cronulla and bring in Perth and another Brisbane team (one less overall team in total). Controversial, yes. However, with expansion, for mine the prime consideration is not just expanding the game but the quality of the football. You can't go increasing the overall number of teams withouut diluting the standard of play in what is already a competition with a couple too many dud games each week. Adding another Brisbane team, so Gallop says would add most value to the TV rights and is a safe bet in rugby league heartland, while expanding to Perth would open up a new market and but for Adelaide would make the competition national.

 

[Ausage]

Ugh hate Manly. So much niggle.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Some of the new rule interpretations are ridiculous...just watched a bloke picked up and driven back into the in-goal area (Moltzen) and the attacking team gets penalised because the ref is screaming 'held, held' while Moltzen was been taken backwards.

The bloke was never held...he got hit in a tackle and driven straight back into the in-goal area. Expecting the defenders to just drop him on the ground when you call held is ****ing stupid.

A bloke should be held when his momentum has stopped (either forwards or backwards). When he has been isolated by two bigger defenders and then driven backwards the defenders shouldn't be penalised for it...(I should add, I don't support Manly).

 

[Ausage]

I think in the Moltzen tackle the issue was that he was pretty much picked up and carried into the ingoal. Can understand why you can't just carry a bloke backwards. Or was there another penalty involving Moltzen that I missed?

 

[Mister Wright]

Axing the Titans and Canberra would be ridiculous. The Titans must succeed to show that the most recently expanded team can survive, even if like the AFL the NRL give some bonuses/incentives for them to stay afloat. This is the Titans first real bad season. Last season they were one win off the GF. However, they are in strife if they don't do well next year with the players they have bought.

Canberra cannot go as it's a league heartland and has so much tradition and actually has a good team.

Cronulla on the other hand. They are a joke. There are too many Sydney teams, if Cronulla want to stay alive in the competition they need to relocate. It's probably the best way for the Central Coast to get into the competition if the Sharks relocate or are axed. That way you could add Perth and Ipswich/Central Queensland as your two extra teams.

 

[vic_orthdox]

In a perfect world, I would axe Titans, Canberra and Cronulla and bring in Perth and another Brisbane team (one less overall team in total). Controversial, yes. However, with expansion, for mine the prime consideration is not just expanding the game but the quality of the football. You can't go increasing the overall number of teams withouut diluting the standard of play in what is already a competition with a couple too many dud games each week. Adding another Brisbane team, so Gallop says would add most value to the TV rights and is a safe bet in rugby league heartland, while expanding to Perth would open up a new market and but for Adelaide would make the competition national.

Here's the thing: you sort out the TV rights, you have enough money to keep the players who head over to the Super League. You then have enough depth.

Also, being over in England at the moment, you realise another reason why it's been such a struggle for the Blues in SOO; all of the half decent Aussies over here are from NSW.

 

[Ausage]

If Central Coast are to get a team it should be the Bears. They built Bluetongue, they've done the hard yards signing nearly 7000 members. There's already a very strong bid there. What have the Sharks done to earn a prime piece of expansion turf? If Cronulla want to relocate it should be to SE QLD or Adelaide.

 

[howardj]

I'm all about quality.

Quality games.

Quality competition.

It brings me no joy to weild the axe on teams, but my focus is on quality.

That said, it would be good to get the Super League players back from England to populate the NRL teams.

 

[howardj]

I guess my broader point is that you can't just talk about expansion in isloation - that it would be good to have another team in Location A, Location B etc. It needs to be considered side-by-side with the quality of the overall competition, and the fact that the only league nurseries in Australia are essentially in Qld and NSW. To my mind the current number of 16 teams is the absolute limit. Consequently, if you want to bring in new teams, then tough decisions need to be made.

 

[Son Of Coco]

I think in the Moltzen tackle the issue was that he was pretty much picked up and carried into the ingoal. Can understand why you can't just carry a bloke backwards. Or was there another penalty involving Moltzen that I missed?

No that was the one...don't really see a problem with it myself. If you've kicked well enough to isolate the full back and get a couple of big blokes chasing then you shouldn't be penalised for picking him up and driving him back. If you pick him up and dump him on his head then fair enough.

Surely the onus is on Moltzen to ensure this doesn't happen, not on the defenders to drop him when they're pushing him back into the in-goal. The refs calling 'held' when all the momentum is with the defenders shouldn't change this.

 

[Burgey]

Cowboys flat as tacks here. Penrith need the points too. Could be interesting this one.

 

[Ausage]

Like the look of young Seijka. Isn't afraid to tackle a guy twice his size in T Sims. Good signs.

 

[Ausage]

Why do players give away stupid penalties in situations after a fast break is made? Always going to be a penalty, sin bin and probably a try anyway when you defend your line a man down. So stupid. Killed the game for us.

 

[howardj]

To my mind...

Melbourne favourites for the comp. I think, with the McIntyre system, they can make the GF by just playing their finals matches in Melbourne (assuming they win in the first week). They are mighty tough to beat down there, and this really presents them with a saloon passage through to another decider.

Brisbane, Tigers, Cowboys, St George, Manly all capable of beating each other on a given day. For mine though, the Broncos and the Cowboys (with Thurston returning) both have a little more upside than the other three teams. St George may not have that extra few percent hunger, given they won last year and their coach is abandoning ship.

 

[Ausage]

Yeah you'd be hard pressed to go past the Storm this year. Have a good run into the finals, and you wouldn't think the Knights or Panthers would trouble them much in week 1. Just leaves a home prelim and once in the big one their experience will make them hard to stop. Their big 3 will be hungry to show they can win the whole thing legally.

Wouldn't write off the Dragons yet though. They're dusty atm, but Bennett's sides are always a threat at the pointy end. Reckon the Cows could be a show too if they continue performing while JT is away. They've got great firepower, and Bowen has stepped it up enormously. With JT they're the real deal. Brisbane, Manly and the Warriors the smokeys for me. I don't think the Tigers will show this year. Half their spine is average at best, and the club has a fair bit of instability with players leaving and whatnot. Anyone else is just making up numbers.

 

[howardj]

Yeah, I forgot to mention the Warriors. They're perennial smokeys, but they never seem to make the final leap from smokey to premiers or even grand finalist (except for 2002).

 

[Ausage]

Had a "we put the mockerson the Storm pretty badly there, youre welcome Burgeman" post all ready to go with 20 odd minutes left. In the end I put the mockers on the Eels.

So um sorry Burgey

 

[Burgey]

Had a "we put the mockerson the Storm pretty badly there, youre welcome Burgeman" post all ready to go with 20 odd minutes left. In the end I put the mockers on the Eels.

So um sorry Burgey

FMD story of th eseason though. A draw, plus at least two GP losses and however many games lost by 6-8 points.

Got to give them credit for the effort though. Given they had a marginal squad at season's start and have had their share of injuries, particularly in the backs, I've been happy with the effort they've put in. I think Kearney's got some good plans and he's said all along it would take a while for them to come to any kind of fruition.

Still don't see us being top contenders with the upcoming halves we are getting though.

 

[Ausage]

FMD story of th eseason though. A draw, plus at least two GP losses and however many games lost by 6-8 points.

Got to give them credit for the effort though. Given they had a marginal squad at season's start and have had their share of injuries, particularly in the backs, I've been happy with the effort they've put in. I think Kearney's got some good plans and he's said all along it would take a while for them to come to any kind of fruition.

Still don't see us being top contenders with the upcoming halves we are getting though.

There's been 4 games that the Eels have lost after leading in the final 5 minutes. Sea Eagles, Panthers, Dogs and now Storm. If they'd won all of those they'd be 1 point outside the 8. They were very close to the Broncos and Knights too which would have put them 2 games clear of 9th in 6th. They've been sort of a reverse 2009 Sharks.

Said it before, but I reckon molding talented young halves into great players is the true mark of a great coach. Sandow is a very talented young halfback, and Hayne has all the skills to be a great 6, but both are currently flawed players. If Kearney's good enough, he has the tools to work with. You got rid of that hack Robson too which has to be a big plus. Poor Sharkies.

If anyone but the Titans gets the spoon this year it'll be a travesty. Worst NRL team in recent memory for mine. At least the Dogs in 08 had an excuse (injuries, $BW). The Titans are just straight garbage. No flair, no defense, no leadership and no heart.

 

[Burgey]

Someone hand David Mead try of the year now please.