NRL 2023 + Internationals
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@mariner4life I'll take that as a compliment hoops
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Play offs pretty much start tonight. As it stands, i think you need 13 wins to play in September. That means the top 4 are safe (the top 2 can run their B side out, lose every game, and still come top 4).
Assuming Penrith beat the Titans, and with Brisbane's 2 points for the bye, they will finish first and 2nd.
Penrith then play Parra, which again you assume they win, and NQ in the last round
Brisbane finish off with the desperate Canberra, and Melbourne. Neither game is easy
The Warriors have the softest finish, they don't have a game against anyone still in the hunt for finals. But even given that, finishing 2nd would take a miracle (basically 3 thumping wins, and Brisbane to get trashed twice)
Melbourne have the Dragons and the Titans, both should be wins that lock up top 4, hard to see them finishing in any other spot unless we shit the bedThen it gets real interesting
Cronulla and the Cowboys play tonight. The Sharks aren't safe yet, and their finish is all games against teams around them on the ladder, they need to win one. If the Cowboys lose, then they absolutely must beat both the Dolphins and the Panthers, 1 won't be enough
Canberra have the shit bulldogs this weekend which should give them the needed 13th win. If they drop that then they are left trying to find it against Brisbane, or a possibly desperate Sharks (their dogshit points diff may mean they need 14 wins)
Newcastle have Souths this weekend. The loser will be relying on other results to stay in the 8. Newcastle need two wins from Souths, Cronulla, and the Dragons (their draw might sneak them in with 12 ins if everyone around them fucks up). Souths need 1 win out of Newcastle and the Roosters. You would think they would hate to be playing a "win or you're out" game against the Roosters on the last weekend
The only other teams with a shot are also playing this weekend, in the Roosters and the Eels. The Roosters need to win 3 from 3. The Eels need to win 2 from 2. The Roosters have the Eels (loser out) the Tigers, and then finish with Souths. The Eels only have Penrith next week.The sheer number of games between the sides 5th to 11th mean it's still so open, but it does look like this weekend:
One of Easts and Parra are out, and we're down to 10 teams
If the Cowboys don't win tonight they are on life support at best
The loser of the Souths v Newcastle game will be very nervous. -
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I went to a Warriors charity luncheon at Mt Smart yesterday. I haven't listened to Andrew Webster speak a whole lot - I'm a casual league fan at best - but geez, he's impressive. No wonder the team has bought into his approach - he's a great communicator. And even acknowledged where he's made mistakes and reflected on those.
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and you can kiss the Cowboys goodbye
At home, season on the line, JT's 250th, and they serve up that?
The bench forwards Hess and Neame stunk, Townsend sucked, Hiku sucked. Just a shit performance, and that is that.
The Sharks on the other hand were very good, they've definitely come good. Rissoling Moylan for Trindall was a good move, and falling in to Tracey at the back has been good as well. Their bench forwards smoked the Cowboys. -
@mariner4life not over, but now not in their control. Cowboys stunk in the second half and their kicking game was off for the whole game. Trindall and Tracey have added a lot, however I do think the Cowboys defence was too passive in the second half and allowed far more metres than what should have been possible.
Sharks have improved and they really aimed up in defence but they look to have weaknesses still.
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Mathematically they may be a chance but their last month has stunk and they are a huge chance to get rolled by the Dolphins let alone the Panthers in Penrith.
Wade Graham since his retirement announcement has been bloody good for the Sharks especially on the defensive side.
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Carn the fucking warriors
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