NRL The Sinking Ship and Souths

[Guest]

Its not a conspiracy in my opinion. I see it as an organisation that has met behind closed doors, made certain decisions about how to keep their business model afloat and moved forward with that decision. The NRL see its fans as dupes and treat us accordingly.

[Easts75]

Salary Cap is destroying league. 16 average teams. Id rather 6 strong teams with the rest trying to rise to that level. The standard this year was the worst on record in my opinion. An even comp doesn't mean a strong comp. Third party deals are a joke as well. Will never understand how you can cap what a player is able to earn from sponsors.

[Guest]

I don't disagree with any of that.

What you've said, which I believe, was confirmed when they rang that ****ing bell before both teams ran out.

Are they ****ing kidding with that shit? It's supposed to be a neutral GF.

Instead Souffs were treated like returning conquering heroes.

It was like Augustus returning to Rome after a campaign or some shit.

The whole GF week felt like a scripted sob story. The NRL were in heaven. And that has to call into question their impartiality.

Finally, the 6-1 penalty count to Souffs in the second half against us was uncomfortably suspicious. Even all the knock on calls. Basically from 12 nil up, every decision went Souffs way.

But who is surprised? It was reminiscent of when the Lakers got every call imaginable vs the Sacramento Kings in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals.

Commentators have come out and said they felt uncomfortable watching that game, such was the bias towards the Lakers. And the lead official has since been imprisoned for fixing.

I'm not saying that a fix of similar magnitude was in place, but the referees had to feel the pressure of the Souffs love story. Like GF week we got no coverage that week. It was all about Souffs.

I'm also uncomfortable to say the least that Ben Cummins was at Souffs training a few weeks before being chosen to referee our Prelim. Why wasn't Hayne chosen? It was the biggest Prelim in years and he's the no.1 ref.

The whole finals series has felt uncomfortable in that sense. Scripted.

And the NRL got the story they wanted. Coupled with the wrestling, and some of the appalling games we've seen as a result, I believe it has been a fairly dire season.

I couldn't believe the were playing Glory f!@#$%^& glory for a good 5 minutes before they ran on to the field....I thought they were to play the club song in the event of a victory....guess the ground announcer mis read the scheduling and pressed the button early

[TDK]

I couldn't believe the were playing Glory f!@#$%^& glory for a good 5 minutes before they ran on to the field....I thought they were to play the club song in the event of a victory....guess the ground announcer mis read the scheduling and pressed the button early

I heard that as well but to be fair they played both team songs when each side came out on to the field. The reason why it went for 5 minutes was because professor Des decided to play mind games with his opposition and delayed their entry onto the field for a considerable amount of time in which they were fined for today.

[Andrew Walker]

I heard that as well but to be fair they played both team songs when each side came out on to the field. The reason why it went for 5 minutes was because professor Des decided to play mind games with his opposition and delayed their entry onto the field for a considerable amount of time in which they were fined for today.

No it was being played before either team ran on to the field

[TDK]

Banned for being a troll. You are too cowardly to admit that you support the scum of the league.

You must have a Souths auto alert, when anything disparaging of Souths is posted. Like clockwork you passionately rush to their defense. You are even happy to post your own conspiracy theory, completely unsubstantiated mind you that Todd Greenberg is influening the MRP to go soft on Bulldogs players but you refuse to even consider the NRL is helping Souths out. Talk about digging one massive hole for yourself when trying to discredit that there are dodgy dealings behind the NRL's closed doors.

The game is over for you TDK or should that be TOK.

Totally wrong as usual. I don't hate Souths like I don't really hate any team, it's childish to hate. And as for Greenberg, it was in the press the following week, it showed a picture of him hugging Dogs players and officials which to me seems out of line for a NRL CEO, especially when his ex club is playing in the GF the following week. I don't believe in the NRL conspiracy to arrange it for clubs to win titles lol. That is trash talk, it takes a hell of a lot of luck, good fortune and hard work to win titles and only sore losers and bad sports won't acknowledge this tribute.

[Guest]

Its not about certain clubs. Its about which club winning will best serve their business interests.

[Guest]

Also this is not about being a sore loser or a bad sport. Good luck to Souths and I do think they may have been good enough without any help. That is one of the tragedies or comedies in this situation. Now we will never know.

[Guest]

All part of NRL's share-the-trophy initiative.

Anyone who doubts what is being said just needs to look back at the rule changes over time:
- 2005 the NRL decided they had enough of the Bulldogs/Roosters/Panthers dominance. They obliterated the "dominant tackle" advantage by making surrender tackles legal. All of a sudden the tigers touch footy side were earning penalties for surrendering in tackles. Lightning quick play the balls ensued and the Tigpies win the 2005 touch football season. Bulldogs/Roosters/Panthers all missed out on the top 8.
- 2006 about round 6 with Tigers and Cowboys at the top of the ladder, the NRL decided the game was too fast and slowed it down a little. Tigers and Cowboys both went from top of ladder to missing out on the top 8 altogether.
- 2010 two referees. More eyes more penalties, faster play the balls, and the 2005 touch footy champions were back in contention, as were the side most heavily dependent on being awarded penalties the Dragons.
- 2011 slowed down again. Back to the usual suspects Storm, Manly, and thankfully Roosters.
- 2014 sped up again and more penalties. The 2005 touch footy champions back in contention until they imploded. Much like 2010 the comp again goes to the side most heavily dependent on penalties.


Maybe someone can help me finding the stats. But I would bet that in 2005, 2010, and 2014 the comps were won by teams being awarded the most penalties. And that most other years the comp was won by the teams giving away the most penalties.

[Tommy Smith]

2005: Wests Tigers 2nd most penalties received.

2010: Dragons most penalties received.

2014: Souffs most penalties received.

This year Souffs received 219 penalties in 27 games.

This year we received 135 penalties in 27 games.

219 vs 135. WOWWWWW

[Tommy Smith]

Souffs penalties:

2012: 154
2013: 167
2014: 219

Curiously, the avg. penalties per game was slightly down this year compared to 2013. And yet, in spite of that, Souffs number of penalties received rose dramatically.

It's almost as if someone was desperate to get them over the line.

[kurtsherlock6]

2005: Wests Tigers 2nd most penalties received.

2010: Dragons most penalties received.

2014: Souffs most penalties received.

This year Souffs received 219 penalties in 27 games.

This year we received 135 penalties in 27 games.

219 vs 135. WOWWWWW

To say those stats are damming would be a massive understatement. And that doesn't take into account penalties conceded. How can anyone possible defend stats is beyond me.

[Kingbilly]

I honestly believe its not about corruption or fixing the results.
Its about incompetence and change of direction.
The ulterior motives exist within the media and the egos living on past reputations and the bets they place.

The incompetence exists in the officiating and administration of the game. The referees are just not good enough and the match review and judiciary are hypocritical and out of their depth. The administrators of the NRL are not interested in the game just what revenue it can deliver. While this is an important element of running the game, RL is not a game built on money, its built on loyalties , the average person and grass roots.

The hidden incompetency is that change in direction of the NRL in pursuit of the corporate $ at expense of what the game is really about.

$ouff$ just played the game on and off the field better than anyone else. The phone Chuck I am sure made calls and put pressure on people to blow their trumpet and of course the NRL viewed it as a revenue raiser and jumped on board. The Ch9 freaks just danced around as they saw money to be made as well

[Guest]

Souffs penalties:

2012: 154
2013: 167
2014: 219

Curiously, the avg. penalties per game was slightly down this year compared to 2013. And yet, in spite of that, Souffs number of penalties received rose dramatically.

It's almost as if someone was desperate to get them over the line.

Those stats prove to me the clear intent to rule out strong defensive teams that rely on a slower the play-the-ball. That is the fix. Not so much that they penalise us intently, or award Souths intently. Every now and then they like to throw in a curve ball to ensure a different premiership winner.


The only fix we cop is those idiotic cheat sheets. IMO it prevents refs walking into a game with a clear and objective mindset.

[Vasco]

2005: Wests Tigers 2nd most penalties received.

2010: Dragons most penalties received.

2014: Souffs most penalties received.

This year Souffs received 219 penalties in 27 games.

This year we received 135 penalties in 27 games.

219 vs 135. WOWWWWW

Makes me sick reading this.