NRL 2023 + Internationals
-
Grand Final rematches are often a bit of a let down
Last night's Parra v Penrith was not that. It was a belter from start to finish. not high scoring but definitely high quality, heaps of feeling, and an incredible finish.
The stats are awesome. Completion rates: Eels 95% Penrith 88%. Parra made 396 tackles and only missed 32, Penrith made 454 and only missed 14!
With 8 to go Parra are up by 8 and are starting to think they are home. Then Penrith score under the dot and it's a 2-point game. A high shot by Paulo sees him get binned and Penrith get one shot at it. Cleary kicks out right on the 40, gets the ball from the tap and hits a 42m 2-point field goal for extra time.
In extra time Penrith get a guy binned for a high shot and Moses makes no mistake with the field position and it's a one-point Eels victory. Fucking cracking game of football.
-
Both these teams will be there at the pointy end.
Penrith's pattern is being copied by nearly everyone. The outside backs do all the heavy lifting to gain yards, while the big boys rest. Yeo is the ball player in the middle allowing Cleary to play a pass wider, and Luai to operate as effectively a 2nd centre. And then those rested middles just crush you with linespeed all fucking game.
Totally reliant on Cleary's kicking game, and the ability of their outsides. And they have a fucking good one-two punch with their hookers too. They are barely missing Koroisau.
The Warriors are Penrith light without that polish, and accurate kicking
-
Grand Final rematches are often a bit of a let down
Last night's Parra v Penrith was not that. It was a belter from start to finish. not high scoring but definitely high quality, heaps of feeling, and an incredible finish.
The stats are awesome. Completion rates: Eels 95% Penrith 88%. Parra made 396 tackles and only missed 32, Penrith made 454 and only missed 14!
With 8 to go Parra are up by 8 and are starting to think they are home. Then Penrith score under the dot and it's a 2-point game. A high shot by Paulo sees him get binned and Penrith get one shot at it. Cleary kicks out right on the 40, gets the ball from the tap and hits a 42m 2-point field goal for extra time.
In extra time Penrith get a guy binned for a high shot and Moses makes no mistake with the field position and it's a one-point Eels victory. Fucking cracking game of football.
@mariner4life said in NRL 2023:
In extra time Penrith get a guy binned for a high shot and Moses makes no mistake with the field position and it's a one-point Eels victory. Fucking cracking game of football.
absolutely great game and that finish was amazing. I thought the Eels had blown another one when Clearly smashed the two point field goal to take it to extra time.
High level of skill all over the park.
I think the Eels have the Roosters next week and Im sure the Nathan Brown scenario will have that also as a spicy game.
-
Both these teams will be there at the pointy end.
Penrith's pattern is being copied by nearly everyone. The outside backs do all the heavy lifting to gain yards, while the big boys rest. Yeo is the ball player in the middle allowing Cleary to play a pass wider, and Luai to operate as effectively a 2nd centre. And then those rested middles just crush you with linespeed all fucking game.
Totally reliant on Cleary's kicking game, and the ability of their outsides. And they have a fucking good one-two punch with their hookers too. They are barely missing Koroisau.
The Warriors are Penrith light without that polish, and accurate kicking
@mariner4life said in NRL 2023:
The Warriors are Penrith light without that polish, and accurate kicking
Absolutely this, both sets of halves with Penrith and Parramatta are a class above what we have. At least we are trying to muscle up on defence this year.
Lets see how we go without Egan or Barnett this week, both who have been instrumental in our success so far, again a lot will come back to our kicking game, Im sure
-
also increasingly likely that Suaalii ends up in the Wallabies for 25 just in time for the British and Irish Lions..
I swear league journos must bug people phones..
-
Broncos fluffed that one. Ran away from his support
-
Watching Reece Walsh not suck fucks me off
@mariner4life said in NRL 2023:
Watching Reece Walsh not suck fucks me off
TBF, when I turned over at half time he did suck in defence like normal in 2 of the 3 tackles he was in a position to make. In the 3rd one he actually executed an excellent tackle ... but I think he was just in the way.
-
Loving some of the speed through the middle that we are showing. Great to see SJ score a try like the old days
-
Holy shit our new coach is awesome
We look like a real football team
We copped an awful decision that cost us a try. We immediately gave up a long ranger, and that's traditionally the point where we fall in a heap
Instead it actually steels us and we get better. Some incredible goal line defence to secure it as well.
SJ is playing bloody well which helps enormously.
-
I’m numb to us getting screwed by the refs.
Our resolve is far better. The way we use our forwards as a secondary phase playmaker is better. We have speed and workers. SJ and Martin are playing like they are in the top half of halves combos.
-
I’m numb to us getting screwed by the refs.
Our resolve is far better. The way we use our forwards as a secondary phase playmaker is better. We have speed and workers. SJ and Martin are playing like they are in the top half of halves combos.
@ACT-Crusader said in NRL 2023:
I’m numb to us getting screwed by the refs.
absolutely, by letter of the law I don't think SJ's try counts..but given we got stiffed with Kikau's supposed non strip it was nice something went our way.
No Egan or Barnett, then lose Tohu and Niukore playing broken..that was some serious dig deep effort.
Also lucky Canterbury's only attack was give it to Burton, so when under pressure, they had nothing late.
Martin should take more last play kicks still for mine and let SJ run other times
Still massive win under pressure
-
@ACT-Crusader said in NRL 2023:
I’m numb to us getting screwed by the refs.
absolutely, by letter of the law I don't think SJ's try counts..but given we got stiffed with Kikau's supposed non strip it was nice something went our way.
No Egan or Barnett, then lose Tohu and Niukore playing broken..that was some serious dig deep effort.
Also lucky Canterbury's only attack was give it to Burton, so when under pressure, they had nothing late.
Martin should take more last play kicks still for mine and let SJ run other times
Still massive win under pressure
@bayimports said in NRL 2023:
@ACT-Crusader said in NRL 2023:
I’m numb to us getting screwed by the refs.
absolutely, by letter of the law I don't think SJ's try counts..but given we got stiffed with Kikau's supposed non strip it was nice something went our way.
No Egan or Barnett, then lose Tohu and Niukore playing broken..that was some serious dig deep effort.
Also lucky Canterbury's only attack was give it to Burton, so when under pressure, they had nothing late.
Martin should take more last play kicks still for mine and let SJ run other times
Still massive win under pressure
It was crazy at the ground. We had the misfortune to be seated behind a bunch of Bulldogs supporters, who were more vocal as the game wore on. Then they all went quiet....
It was a most un-Warrior-like win, apart from the soft first try an the end to end runaway try that almost broke us, our defence was very solid. I have been sceptical of SJ, but he made all his tackles and that run to score the winner was like SJ of old.
-
@bayimports said in NRL 2023:
@ACT-Crusader said in NRL 2023:
I’m numb to us getting screwed by the refs.
absolutely, by letter of the law I don't think SJ's try counts..but given we got stiffed with Kikau's supposed non strip it was nice something went our way.
No Egan or Barnett, then lose Tohu and Niukore playing broken..that was some serious dig deep effort.
Also lucky Canterbury's only attack was give it to Burton, so when under pressure, they had nothing late.
Martin should take more last play kicks still for mine and let SJ run other times
Still massive win under pressure
It was crazy at the ground. We had the misfortune to be seated behind a bunch of Bulldogs supporters, who were more vocal as the game wore on. Then they all went quiet....
It was a most un-Warrior-like win, apart from the soft first try an the end to end runaway try that almost broke us, our defence was very solid. I have been sceptical of SJ, but he made all his tackles and that run to score the winner was like SJ of old.
@canefan SJ has had some good moments in last last two weeks, seems to be digging in at the line more before passing committing extra defenders. His enthusiasm is infectious and when he is smiling it lifts others.
He is still guilty of too many nothing bombs that are either not too high or deep enough on the fifth tackle but it is nice to see some positives that has been missing for a while for sure.
Kosi (apart from allowing the fox go on the outside for that 80m try) is another who I frequently bag for stupid mistakes but for the most was outstanding on the wing today and made massive early yards.
A lot to like from this set of Warriors so far. Lets see if injuries catch up with them and how they go against some strong teams..so far better than we all expected!
-
@canefan SJ has had some good moments in last last two weeks, seems to be digging in at the line more before passing committing extra defenders. His enthusiasm is infectious and when he is smiling it lifts others.
He is still guilty of too many nothing bombs that are either not too high or deep enough on the fifth tackle but it is nice to see some positives that has been missing for a while for sure.
Kosi (apart from allowing the fox go on the outside for that 80m try) is another who I frequently bag for stupid mistakes but for the most was outstanding on the wing today and made massive early yards.
A lot to like from this set of Warriors so far. Lets see if injuries catch up with them and how they go against some strong teams..so far better than we all expected!
@bayimports said in NRL 2023:
@canefan SJ has had some good moments in last last two weeks, seems to be digging in at the line more before passing committing extra defenders. His enthusiasm is infectious and when he is smiling it lifts others.
He is still guilty of too many nothing bombs that are either not too high or deep enough on the fifth tackle but it is nice to see some positives that has been missing for a while for sure.
Kosi (apart from allowing the fox go on the outside for that 80m try is another who I frequently bag for stupid mistakes but for the most was outstanding on the wing today and made massive early yards.
A lot to like from this set of Warriors so far. Lets see if injuries catch up with them and how they go against some strong teams..so far better than we all expected!
SJ's kicking game definitely needs work, although he kicked for touch at the death to basically seal it. As you say too many non-competitive bombs. Our back 3 were super solid running it back and under the high ball
-
The Dogs made life a little easy for us. For all their recruitment, their halves and fullback are not creators
Flanagan is just very average
Burton, for all his rep and money, is a hole running centre who kicks bombs
Their fullback can't pass.In a game that's a grind they will struggle to score.
We weren't that much better really. SJ having a dig definitely makes us better. But those points in the game where we re winning the field position game we need more than high kicks with no chase.
-
the NRL is fucking great at the moment. The weather is good, so there are a lot of quality games.
Thursday was finals quality being played in March
Friday started with the weekly Tigers loss, and then an epic at Suncorp in front of a huge crowd. The Broncos should have won that by more, but the Dolphins are fucking tough.
The Cowboys bounced back, but it's not flowing in Townsville, and the injuries are mounting
Souths v Manly was fucking awesome, ruined by what looked to be the worst ref call of the weekend (until yesterday happened)
Newcastle got a win
And Cronulla gave their neighbors an absolute touch up -
Some incredible games to start this season, however my bold pre season predictions way off at this stage.
Some of the original teams noted for top 8 looking good, but there does seem to be gap to middle and then lower teams. Tigers and Dragons have wins in them but deserve to be where they are.
Even the Warriors winning as many as they have, they are not in that top group although the ladder will tell me otherwise.
I do wonder how long the dolphins can keep this up, Wayne has certainly instilled a sense of belief in them. Given Redcliffe was our base last year, I imagine our clash with them will also be a heated one.
