The Silver Fern

Yeah they’re off. Silly penalties and poor wet weather play

@Nepia said in NRL 2026:

Just grabbed tickets to the opening RLWC match between the Kiwis and the Roos at SFS.

Cheaper than going to a round robin match between the Warriors and Penrith.

just weird but this year im guessing they knew how well Warriors were going they marked them up

Souths aging and injury plagued stars also part of the equation, if they're available and emotionally on they are tough for sure, still drift in and out of games more than most but a 30 point lead is tough to catch in PVL ball

Sharks haven't won away from home since round 4 (considered home game for magic round) but I do agree, both teams rather even going into this. Our forward pack the weakest its been for a while (just on experienced players available) and backs just filling gaps. Also the introduction CNK worries me a bit as our spine was going ok. Sharks have their own worries so about even. If we shut down Trindall they don't offer much creativity, but the amount of young players could mean even simple defence could be a problem. Coin flip but back the home team

@mariner4life said in NRL 2026:

said in NRL 2026:

minimal changes for Qld

Plath back to the bench, Nikora to start, Cotter in to lock.
Shibisaki, Carrigan and Mam dropped from the bench (oof at the Broncos). Finefuiaki, Walsh, Luki and Taulagi in

Daly shuffles things, some because of injury.

Bennett and AFB switch starting and bench roles
Drops Olakau'atu altogether and promotes Dylan Lucas for a debut
He picked Crichton who withdrew so unfortunately for Qld McLean starts
Moses back to the 6 shirt, Strange to the bench
Koroisau on to teh bench for the injured Brailey
Marky Mark on to the bench as the outside back cover.

AFB was getting bent in first game, so doesnt surprise me Barnett obviously now partnering with Haas.

Big surprise is Ola. Lucas doesnt play a minute game one and gets promoted. Dont know if this is also linked with Moses coming back in. Lucas is a great edge backrower with speed to burn but seems harsh on Ola.

Others no real surprise. Maybe Marky but makes sense since Critta out.

@mariner4life said in NRL 2026:

yeah, but over the course of 6 seasons? That stopped being a statistical anomaly a couple of year ago

are you suggesting one season injury in six years? seems extreme, i dont have the stats though

@mariner4life said in NRL 2026:

i read a stat the other day that said Penrith have only had ONE season-ending injury through this whole run. Get fucked. What exactly is the price Ivan is going to have to pay the devil for this pact?

they have also been beating teams so well, its allowing him to rest and rotate players more often. That has to help rather than being in the grind the whole time.

Don't think they have had many games like the one we played them last week in. If you have that week in week out, most mortal teams get injuries

Thats all it is, the difference between top fit squad versus total squad. However it is a chasm in terms of belief and execution.

@Landers92 said in QF: Hurricanes v Brumbies:

Inside the Brumbies sheds… ‘0-0 at half time boys’

yeah tough speech that, ............so at least we made the finals...

@canefan said in QF: Hurricanes v Brumbies:

Reuben has been rocks and diamonds far. But the diamonds have been sparkling, some of the errors down to playing expansive footy in the rain

i would take those diamonds in a heartbeat kid can play

admittedly brumbies making it look a bit easy

Hope you Liverpool boys know the Andoni chants

@MajorPom said in EPL 2025/26:

Arsenal were so poor in the CL final the shootout result was justified.

PSG were beneath par as well, but Arsenal defence is superb.

I’m far from biased but I honestly felt the ref was pro PSG.

To be honest I thought Arsenal put the cue back in the second half and looked like they were playing for it to get to penalties. Not as attacking as the first half for sure

@Nepia said in NRL 2026:

Well, my live Warriors jinx ruined a winning run. Should have not bothered mortgaging the house to pay for the ticket and stayed home on the couch.

Great 2nd half after a pretty average 1st half of two extremely structured teams trying to out structure each other. When Penrith opened up early into the second half it turned into a cracker.

I was stoked when they named Mclean because you want to see the best players playing, I was less stoked after his two 1st half tries.

Watching Egan live he looks like an old man in his movement. I wonder if he's playing with an injury?

On Tuapiki, in the first half my mates and I were discussing how we thought this game would probably suit CNK's metres eating style better, the 2nd half certainly suited Tuapiki better. Live Laban looked good, Leka less so even before he went down with his injury. CHT was hungus in the first half when he should have hit Pompey, then not hungus in the second when he should have gone himself and instead passed it to Pompey (or Ali, they look very similar from the stands).

Metcalf probably comes back in as the season goes on solely due to his kick length. Maybe CHT and TMM could spend a day a week with Foxy and he get a few more metres distance out of them. Their up and unders are pretty decent though.

Was sitting in front of a butch lesbian who kept abusing the Penrith players by calling them the F slur. It was weird, and her partner was actually really nice and they had a cute kid.

Parra is fucking cold, it was like NZ cold. But all in all a decent night out west in the best ground to watch sport in Sydney.

Nice assessment sounded similar to what we saw from the TV

They will want Metcalf to come in in some capacity anyway because if anyone goes down you need game time in your legs.

Love the Parra ground, dont even mind the leagues club.

ahh yes winter finally here

@Tim said in Chiefs v Blues:

@bayimports

Fuck you, if we go to Hamilton to hang out with my cousins then we absolutely do not

lol it was a deliberate troll glad you enjoyed it

@canefan said in EPL 2025/26:

Easier to replace the coach than the players as they say

Absolutely he had to go Salah even on his way out had final say

@Yeetyaah said in Chiefs v Blues:

My biggest takeaway from this game is that some rugby fans are precious little jellies. Some fella in front of me asked me to be quiet as I was "being too loud." Asked him what he really expected at a live game with 19000 in the stadium.

There is loud and there is “blues fans can suck my … “ I can guess the shit you stirred. But to be fair they probably deserved it

@sparky said in EPL 2025/26:

Arne Slot sacked by Liverpool.

He's been left to walk alone one year after winning the Premier League title.

True but really split the camp this year though, given didn’t have full team behind him you could see writing on the wall

@Smudge said in Rough tips and other bets...:

Big 2nd on debut for Gin And Bare it in R3 at Matamata this afternoon for yours truly, @hooroo , @mariner4life , @jk and @voodoo .

She looks like she'll win some races!

Smudge $2 a place is pretty good! Well done on another second

@MN5 said in Black Caps Test Tour to England & Ireland:

and of course Ravindra dug NZ out of some shit.

thats high praise for Ravindra coming from you

A grade two charge would ordinarily have seen Ponga banned for two games in the NRL, but a change to the judicial code in rep games means the fullback only has to pay 23 per cent of his match fee with an early guilty plea. Free to play on the weekend, should be fresh only playing 60 mins and no HIA