Thank fark...

[Bruce 38-0]

The only thing I have agreed with Gus Gould over the past few weeks is, if you aren’t prepared to give a penalty for an indiscretion in the GF when the scores are either locked at the same score or another team has just gone ahead by one point (and the penalty will win the game) then you shouldn’t award it in Round 1-25 at any time of the game.

Consistency and fairness at all times is all we ask for.

[Johnny Tobin]

I think the finals series showed that if teams defend well then the games are close - too many excuses being used that set restarts gives too much advantage to the team in possession.

Defence dominated in most games in the finals series and teams seemed very reluctant to try something different to break open the game.

Last nights GF an example - both teams went into the game with the view the game would be an arm wrestle and played accordingly - when defence is on top you can't keep doing the same thing hit up after hit and kick and hope you wear the other team down or force errors.

No team took the bull by the horns so to speak and kick early - kicking early and chase well means the other team will waste tackles before their forwards get back and also gives you a chance to move ball and wingers and full backs will drop back early expecting the early kick.

You have to move the ball as well including in your own 20 and half.

I don't think it was a high quality GF - Penrith for instance had 61 missed tackles which must be a season high for any team - The close score kept the interest in the game

The 10m became 7 or 8 in most of the finals games.

[The Brain]

I think the finals series showed that if teams defend well then the games are close - too many excuses being used that set restarts gives too much advantage to the team in possession.

Defence dominated in most games in the finals series and teams seemed very reluctant to try something different to break open the game.

Last nights GF an example - both teams went into the game with the view the game would be an arm wrestle and played accordingly - when defence is on top you can't keep doing the same thing hit up after hit and kick and hope you wear the other team down or force errors.

No team took the bull by the horns so to speak and kick early - kicking early and chase well means the other team will waste tackles before their forwards get back and also gives you a chance to move ball and wingers and full backs will drop back early expecting the early kick.

You have to move the ball as well including in your own 20 and half.

I don't think it was a high quality GF - Penrith for instance had 61 missed tackles which must be a season high for any team - The close score kept the interest in the game

Its what the refs were told to do obviously...last 3 weeks ..keep the penalties down keep the 6 agains to the minimum no 10 m or ruck policed properly which created the type of game we saw.
In contrast look at out 2 GFs back to back.
2018 they made a big deal about the 10m policed ..that played right into our hands and blew Melbourne away.
Come 2019 no 10m Canberra in our face no room to move.
Still th e point to come to us which Penriff and souffs didnt have is a coach who can attack and adapt to any game thrown in front of them been Mr Robbo .
The riff and Souffs could only pile on points all season on the back of penalties and 6 agains ..take that away all they have is defense .
The refs have a lot to do which way games are played..or should I say the NRL call that shot.
This is always gonna be a problem.
Hilarious that souffs were given a penalty late in the game for a leg pull there was a 100 leg pulls in tackles .
How many times did souffs players lie behind the play the ball some were so bad the riff shouldve got at least 5 penalties and 30 6 agains.

[OMR]

The thing that’s annoyed me most since the GF is how the so called experts and commentators have waxed lyrical about “ defence wins games blah blah blah” yet not one of them acknowledged that the referees didn’t referee the way they had been all year. As mentioned before there should have been 20+ 6 agains and at least 1 sin bin.

[Tennessee Tornado]

How many times did souffs players lie behind the play the ball some were so bad the riff shouldve got at least 5 penalties and 30 6 agains.

That has been a tactic of Souffs for the last couple of years.. Murray and Cook are experts at it. They lie in the ruck to slow down the play the ball and by the time the ball is cleared from the ruck their defence is in the line. The ref should be holding them back until the ball is cleared.

Their other tactic to to walk through the ruck from an offside position and limit the opposition's options at the play the ball. Arrow tried it but was concussed so got tangled up with the ball.

[ChookMaster]

That has been a tactic of Souffs for the last couple of years.. Murray and Cook are experts at it. They lie in the ruck to slow down the play the ball and by the time the ball is cleared from the ruck their defence is in the line. The ref should be holding them back until the ball is cleared.

Their other tactic to to walk through the ruck from an offside position and limit the opposition's options at the play the ball. Arrow tried it but was concussed so got tangled up with the ball.

Good point, I think arrow did it earlier before he left as well, he went to get up and play the ball but grabbed at the marker’s foot and pulled which brought him down which then allowed a quick run from dummy half with no makers and next thing you know they were away.

[Tommy Smith]

Arrow going off concussed whilst Kikau gave him the "praying for you" hand gesture was the second most hilarious moment of the GF behind Cody Walker's intercept.

[Bmw06i]

The NRL need to stick with a set of rules at the beginning of the year and then enforce it all year.

This year was a disgrace, let’s crack down on this, let’s crack down on that etc.

[Tommy Smith]

The NRL need to stick with a set of rules at the beginning of the year and then enforce it all year.

This year was a disgrace, let’s crack down on this, let’s crack down on that etc.

If you asked V'landys about the crackdown now he'd dead set respond with, "Crackdown, what crackdown? You're FAKE NEWS!"

Come finals time it was like the crackdown never happened. And come Prelim time, 6 agains? What are those?!

Consistency. Please. From rnd 1 to the GF. For the sake of all our sanity.

[Headless Chook]

The NRL need to stick with a set of rules at the beginning of the year and then enforce it all year.

This year was a disgrace, let’s crack down on this, let’s crack down on that etc.

Had to love how Radley got hammered for a nothing tackle and was out for 5 weeks when later on in the season the same tackle barely even incurred a penalty. This whole season is a bit like the superleage year....needs a massive asterisk next to it in the record books

[Schooner]

Ive been a league tragic since I started playing in the 1960s. I ususally watch every game of the season. This year I lost interest in most tv games by half time unless we were playing. There is too much frantic play with lots of errors. Some games were only interesting because errors were equal and scores were close. The players are fitter faster stronger and have higher skill levels than earlier eras but I preferred the footy they played in the 1990s

[mattyh]

The NRL need to stick with a set of rules at the beginning of the year and then enforce it all year.

This year was a disgrace, let’s crack down on this, let’s crack down on that etc.

agreed